Is Punishment For Steroids Too Severe?

Former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski avoided jail time and was sentenced Friday to five years' probation after cooperating with baseball's investigation into performance-enhancing drugs.

Radomski, who admitted giving dozens of major leaguers steroids and human growth hormone, also was ordered to pay an $18,575 fine by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.

He pleaded guilty in April 2007 to distributing steroids and laundering money, admitting he sold speed, steroids and HGH to players from 1995 until Dec. 14, 2005, when agents raided his Long Island, N.Y., home.

As part of his plea deal, Radomski was required to cooperate with investigators probing baseball's doping scandal. He led investigators to Brian McNamee, the former New York Yankees strength coach who claimed he injected Roger Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times from 1998 to 2001, an allegation the seven-time Cy Young Award winner vehemently denies.

Ok, so I was wrong when I said that steroid users and suppliers should just admit what they did. I figured, with SO many steroid people out there, they couldn't possibly punish them all. However, Kirk Radomski doesn't play baseball. Punishing him wouldn't take away anything from the game at all. He was also very honest about what he did back in 2003...and still got punished. I can only imagine what they are going to do to Roger Clemens.......

Radomski is scheduled to testify before Congress on Wednesday along with Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and McNamee.

The Congressional Meeting of Clemens, Pettitte, and McNamee Has Been Postponed

The drama will have to pause for a bit before it continues to unravel. The congressional hearing involving Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and former trainer Brian McNamee was postponed Wednesday until Feb. 13 so lawmakers can gather evidence and coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

Plans are still in place for the Jan. 15 hearing before the same committee about the Mitchell report on baseball's Steroids Era. The witnesses that day are commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, the report's author.

At the end of last week, Congress asked seven-time Cy Young Award winner Clemens, teammate and friend Pettitte and their former trainer, McNamee, to testify under oath. Also invited were former Yankee Chuck Knoblauch, and Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse attendant who was one of the main sources of evidence for the Mitchell report.

Radomski pleaded guilty in April to federal felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money, and he is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 8.

"The Justice Department told the committee it would be helpful if we waited until after Radomski is sentenced," the committee's minority staff director, David Marin, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "This also gives us more time to delve into more recent developments, gather more information, and depose all witnesses before they testify in public."

Interesting. Why would this meeting be postponed so they can gather more evidence? Just like Barry Bonds, the evidence surrounding Roger Clemens is overwhelming....and not in his favor. Even America is losing faith in him. In a poll taken by ESPN, America voted that they believe McNamee over Clemens.

Could Roger Clemens And Andy Pettitte Go To Jail?

In no way do I want either of these guys ending up in the slammer. They've contributed too much to baseball and unlike Barry Bonds, these guys aren't rude, cocky, or hated by the media and the public. However, they are following the exact trail as Bonds, which may lead them to prison.

Why might they go to jail? Because Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were asked Friday to testify before a congressional committee on Jan. 16, along with their former trainer, Brian McNamee. Once you're in front of Congress, you have to tell the truth. That's what put Barry Bonds in the position he is now. He lied under oath. Will Clemens and Pettitte lie like Bonds did or will they come clean under extreme pressure? And even if they deny their accusations, are they still citing the truth? What is the truth? Only time will tell.

Also invited to appear before the House Oversight Committee were former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, whose allegations were a central part of last month's Mitchell report on doping in baseball. Former All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch also was asked to speak to the panel.

A day earlier, the committee is to hear testimony from baseball commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell.

McNamee told Mitchell he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone during the 1998, 2000 and 2001 seasons. Clemens, in an interview to be broadcast by CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday, said McNamee injected him with vitamins and painkillers but not performance-enhancing drugs.

Pettitte admitted McNamee injected him with HGH twice while the pitcher was recovering from an injury.

The panel also convened a March 2005 hearing, when Mark McGwire refused to say whether he had used performance-enhancing drugs. Sammy Sosa said he had never knowingly used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Rafael Palmeiro denied using drugs but tested positive later that year for a steroid.