Clemens claims trainer’s allegations ‘totally false’

Clemens told “60 Minutes” that he was not injected with steroids and HGH.

NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Clemens might be willing to take a lie-detector test, was “shocked” close friend Andy Pettitte used human growth hormone and, in his first interview since the Mitchell Report, said — again — that he probably will retire.

Clemens told CBS’s “60 Minutes” in the interview, which was broadcast Sunday night, that he would have spoken with baseball drug investigator George Mitchell had he been aware former trainer Brian McNamee accused him of using steroids and HGH.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, the most prominent player implicated in last month’s Mitchell Report, steadfastly maintained his innocence and called McNamee’s allegations “totally false.”

In excerpts of the Dec. 28 interview that were released Thursday, Clemens said McNamee, his former personal trainer, injected him with vitamin B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine. In the full broadcast, Clemens also said he was given an injection of toradol under the supervision of the New York Yankees.

McNamee told Mitchell he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH about 16-to-21 times during 1998, 2000 and 2001 — before baseball players and owners agreed to ban performance-enhancing substances.

“If he’s doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead,” Clemens said, according to a transcript released by CBS. “I should be pulling tractors with my teeth.”

He said his lawyer advised him not to speak with Mitchell.

“If I would’ve known what this man, Brian McNamee had said in this report, I would have been down there in a heartbeat to take care of it,” Clemens said.

Only two active players, Jason Giambi and Frank Thomas, spoke with Mitchell, a Boston Red Sox director and a former Senate majority leader.

Friday, Clemens did speak with McNamee by telephone, an individual close to the situation said, speaking on condition of anonymity because public comments weren’t authorized. The conversation first was reported Sunday by Newsday.

Clemens is scheduled to hold a news conference today in Houston, part of his campaign to clear his name. In addition, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has asked Clemens, Pettitte and McNamee to testify under oath at a Jan. 16 hearing.

Former Yankees teammate Chuck Knoblauch, McNamee and former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who allegedly supplied McNamee with performance-enhancing drugs, also have been asked to testify.

“I don’t know if I can defend myself,” Clemens said. “I think people — a lot of people have already made their decisions.”

One of the few revelations in the much-hyped interview came when Clemens was asked whether he could conceivably take a lie detector test.

“Yeah,” he answered. “I don’t know if they’re good or bad.”

Eighth on the career list with 354 wins, the 45-year-old Clemens told CBS’s Mike Wallace he was angered McNamee’s accusations have been accepted as truth by some.

“It’s hogwash for people to even assume this,” Clemens said. “Twenty-four, 25 years, Mike. You’d think I’d get an inch of respect. An inch.”

Clemens said the descriptions McNamee gave Mitchell of injections “never happened.” McNamee said Clemens asked him to inject him in the buttocks because Clemens did not like belly-button shots he presumably could inject himself.

“If I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, what, where did I get ’em?” he said. “Where is the person out there [who] gave ’em to me? Please, please come forward.”