Baseball Notebook | Report: Clemens' wife used HGH

WASHINGTON — Brian McNamee told House investigators during a deposition that he injected Debbie Clemens, then 39, with human growth hormone to help her prepare for a bikini photo shoot for the 2003 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, the New York Daily News reported Friday, citing an anonymous Washington source.

"McNamee discussed his wife's use before the committee," the source told the Daily News. "She was trying to get in shape for the SI cover. He told them the story that Debbie took growth."

The Daily News report could not immediately be confirmed. But it sparked a denunciation Friday from Rusty Hardin, an attorney for Clemens.

"Now there can be no doubt what kind of person we are dealing with," Hardin said in a statement, referring to McNamee. "To say that Roger directed injections for his wife is a colossal lie."

Debbie Clemens, who married Roger in 1984, is active in charity work in Texas. She was one of several athletes' wives photographed for the 2003 swimsuit issue.

"Roger came to me one day and told me that we had been asked to do a photo shoot for Sports Illustrated," she wrote on her Web site, according to the Daily News. "I had major anxiety! I was a 39-year-old mother of 4! Once I realized that this was going to be a reality, I decided I had to give it everything I had."

Notes

• Kirk Radomski, former New York Mets clubhouse attendant, avoided jail and was sentenced to five years' probation after cooperating with baseball's investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Radomski was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston to pay an $18,575 fine after he admitted selling steroids, human growth hormone and speed to dozens of current and former major-leaguers. Radomski pleaded guilty last April to distributing steroids and laundering money from 1995 until Dec. 14, 2005, when agents raided his Long Island home. Radomski led investigators to McNamee.

• Curt Schilling's doctor insists the only way the 20-year veteran can pitch again is through surgery on a torn shoulder tendon that resembles strands of pasta. Boston's team physician disagrees. He believes the tendon is damaged, not torn, and rehabilitation gives Schilling the best chance to play this year. "The problem has probably been building up for two years, and he just went over the red line," Schilling's physician, Dr. Craig Morgan, said. "Instead of being a single tendon, it's like three pieces of spaghetti or linguine, and when that happens it's end-stage disease in the tendon." A third doctor, Mets medical director David Altchek, agreed that the tendon was torn but said surgery would probably sideline him for the season, Morgan said.

• Mike Hargrove, former Mariners manager, will be inducted into the Cleveland Indians hall of fame Aug. 16, joining former manager Joe Gordon in the class of 2008. Hargrove, 58, spent 22 years with the club as a player, coach and manager. He managed the Mariners from 2005 until abruptly resigning last July 1.

• Tony Clark and the San Diego Padres are discussing a one-year deal that could bring the first baseman back to the city where he played high school and college ball.

• Right-hander Scott Elarton, 31, agreed to a minor-league contract with Cleveland.

• San Francisco and right-hander Kevin Correia agreed to a $1,075,000 contract, avoiding salary arbitration.

• Left-handed reliever Kent Mercker agreed to a minor-league contract with Cincinnati and was invited to spring training.

• Manager Ned Yost's 2009 option was exercised by the Milwaukee Brewers after their first winning season in 15 years.