MLB commissioner Bud Selig mulling pardon for hit king Pete Rose

BY Bill Madden
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

McIsaac/Getty

Rickey Henderson (second from left) accepts his Cooperstown plaque with (from l.) Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson, HOF chairperson Jane Forbes Clark and Bud Selig.

Cummings/AP

Selig appears to be mulling giving Pete Rose a pardon.

COOPERSTOWN - Thanks to the behind-the-scenes lobbying from some of the most influential Hall of Famers, commissioner Bud Selig is said to be seriously considering lifting Pete Rose's lifetime suspension from baseball.

The tip-off that Selig may now be inclined to pardon baseball's all-time hit king was Hank Aaron's seemingly impromptu interview session with a small group of reporters in the lobby of the Otesaga Hotel on Saturday. In declaring for the first time that he would want an asterisk put on the achievements of any steroid cheats elected to the Hall of Fame, Aaron brought up Rose, who, in August of 1989, was given a lifetime ban for gambling on baseball, saying: "I would like to see Pete in. He belongs there."

It is no secret that Selig considers Aaron one of his closest friends and values his opinions over perhaps all others. It was also learned by the Daily News that in a meeting of the Hall of Fame's board of directors at the Otesaga later on Saturday, two of Rose's former teammates on the board, vice chairman Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson, also expressed their hope that Selig would see fit to reinstate Rose.

Said another Hall of Famer familiar with the situation: "I think a lot of the guys feel that it's been 20 years now for Pete, and would lean toward leniency and time served. If he had admitted it in the first place and apologized way back then, he'd probably be in the Hall by now."

According to another source, the behind-the-scenes lobbying process began five years ago, but stalled because Selig was still not satisfied that Rose was "reconfiguring" his life, as the late commissioner Bart Giamatti had instructed for him to do when he initially placed him on baseball's permanent ineligible list. In addition, the source said, Selig's conditions for any reinstatement would be stiff. Rose likely would need to make another public apology and he would be prohibited from managing.

If Selig does reinstate him, Rose then would become eligible for the Hall of Fame, but on the Veterans Committee ballot, as his 15 years on the Baseball Writers ballot expired during his time on the ineligible list. He would thus have to be elected by his peers, the 65 living members in the Hall of Fame, not all of whom agree with Aaron, Morgan and Robinson that Rose has done his time. It's hard to say if he would get the necessary 75% for election. "I know there are still guys who feel strongly against him," said one Hall of Famer, "and I don't know if that would change even if Selig clears him."

Nevertheless, it is beginning to look as if Rose will at least finally get Hall of Fame consideration, at the same time the Hall of Famers are taking an even harder stance on all the steroids cheats. "Believe me," said Reggie Jackson, to a couple of writers, "that little session Hank had with you guys was anything but impromptu. He wanted to get that out there. It was time."

RICKEY STORY OF INTEREST: Former Oakland A's general manager Sandy Alderson, who traded Rickey Henderson twice, was asked if had any particular favorite "Rickey story."

"Oh yeah," said Alderson, chuckling, "it would have to be the signing bonus check. At the end of the year, he still hadn't cashed it and when we called him about it, because we were getting our books in order, he said he was waiting for the interest rates to go up." ... The year after being inducted, Goose Gossage said it's such a pleasure to just relax and enjoy the Hall of Fame weekend. Gossage said the most unforgettable part of his induction weekend last year was the Sunday night Hall of Famers' private dinner. "Different Hall of Famers got up and gave little speeches and then Sandy Koufax got up there and asked me to come up," Gossage said. "I'm saying: 'What does he want me for?' And then he hands me my ring and says: 'Here Goose, welcome to the club.' Can you imagine what that was like?'"

TOM'S TERRIFIC MOMENT: At the Saturday night party in the Hall of Fame plaque room, Tom Seaver was standing in front of the inaugural 1936 class of plaques - Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson and Honus Wagner. "In 1970," Seaver said, "I brought my wife Nancy up here and took her to the section where the first class was. I said to her: 'This is what all my sacrifice is for. This is what all that work, all that time away, all the stuff in the minor leagues is all about.' I make it a point to visit Mathewson's and Walter Johnson's plaques every year." ... In the introduction of the 50 returning Hall of Famers at the ceremonies, reclusive Carl Yastrzemski, who has been back to the inductions only three times since his own election in 1989 and recently had open-heart surgery, received the loudest ovation from the decidedly pro-Jim Rice Red Sox crowd.

Report: Clemens evidence tests positive for performance-enhancers

A federal grand jury in Washington is investigating whether Roger Clemens (right) lied to congress.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Federal authorities have found performance-enhancing substances on the materials Brian McNamee said he used to inject Roger Clemens, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

McNamee turned over the syringes, vials and gauze pads to federal investigators last year, after he told baseball investigator George Mitchell he injected the pitcher with steroids and human growth hormone. The Washington Post reported Feb. 6 that tests linked Clemens' DNA to blood in the syringes given to investigators by McNamee.

Clemens has said repeatedly that McNamee, his former personal trainer, injected him with B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine.

"I assumed, and I am not surprised, that the tests were positive for both DNA and for performance-enhancing drugs, because that's what Brian said all along, and there's not much doubt that Brian's been telling the truth," McNamee's lawyer, Richard Emery, told The Associated Press. "The confirmation of that fact, once again, just seems to me to be another significant step towards jail for Clemens."

A federal grand jury in Washington is investigating whether Clemens lied when he told a congressional committee last year that he didn't use illegal performance-enhancing substances. McNamee, testifying before the same committee, said he repeatedly injected Clemens with steroids and HGH.

Rusty Hardin, Clemens' lawyer, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Roidy Roidhead from "Wrestler" Busted for Roids

by TMZ Staff

The guy who sold Mickey Rourke steroids in "The Wrestler" was just, you guessed it, arrested for allegedly selling steroids... and we just got his mugshot.


Scott Siegel was already under DEA surveillance in Westchester County, NY last night when officers spotted him picking up a package. Feds in four cars moved in, and the raging beefcake allegedly rammed three of their cars -- then took off on foot.

Officers caught up with Scott and arrested him for steroid distribution and assaulting a federal officer.

UPDATE: Siegel's bail has just been denied -- due to strong evidence against him, along with his 1999 conviction for selling steroids.

David Ortiz speaks on the steroid issue

by Mark Fuery,

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said he wants to see players who test positive for steroids banned for one year.

“I think you clean up the game by testing…You test positive, you’re going to be out. Period,” Ortiz said Monday after the first day of workouts.

Ortiz said he wants every player to be tested three or four times a year. Anyone who fails one of those tests will face a harsh suspension, which Ortiz feels will help clean up the game.

Ortiz also added that he thinks recent testing has worked as a deterrent and makes players think twice about taking any performance enhancing drugs because of the potential penalties for a failed test. A harsher punishment, like the one-year suspension proposed by Ortiz, should make players think even more about the consequences of doping.

The current penalties are a 50-game suspension for the first offense, 100 games for the second, and a lifetime ban for the third. Any player receiving the lifetime ban may apply for reinstatement after two years.

His comments come one week after the shocking revelation that New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez failed a steroid test in 2003. Rodriguez later admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during his time with the Texas Rangers, but claimed that he did not know exactly what he took.

Ortiz gave Rodriguez credit for coming clean and admitting guilt, but also acknowledged that the controversy surrounding Rodriguez has done damage to the game.

“It was a little bit tough for the game," Ortiz said. “At the same time, people have to give the guy credit because he came out with what he said at the point of his career where he had done it all."

Like Rodriguez, Ortiz will be looking to put the past behind him in 2009, but for different reasons. Ortiz is coming off an injury plagued season in 2008, which resulted in his least productive season since coming to Boston.

Even when he was in the lineup, his injured wrist affected his production as he hit only 23 home runs and saw his batting average drop to .264. Both were his lowest since joining the Red Sox in 2003.

So far Ortiz has reason to be positive. Just last week Manager Terry Francona said he expects Ortiz to be healthy in 2009.

Ortiz shares the positive outlook of his manager. “I’m feeling fine right now,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz will face his first test on Wednesday, when the team holds its first full squad workout.