MLB Wire Notes | Andy Pettitte, 2 others need not testify

WASHINGTON — Roger Clemens and his accuser, Brian McNamee, will be the main witnesses at a House hearing on the Mitchell Report after New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte and two others were dropped Monday night.

Former Clemens teammate Chuck Knoblauch and convicted steroids distributor Kirk Radomski also were taken off the witness list for Wednesday's public session. One new witness was added Monday night: a lawyer who worked with former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to produce December's report on drugs in baseball.

McNamee said in the Mitchell Report that he injected seven-time Cy Young Award winner Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens' denials of those allegations drew the attention of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Pettitte spoke to committee lawyers under oath last week. The committee's ranking Republican, Tom Davis of Virginia, said in an interview with Newsday that Pettitte's account matches McNamee's in most details.

Clemens and McNamee gave depositions last week. Knoblauch — who played on the Yankees with Clemens and Pettitte and, like them, was named in the Mitchell Report — was interviewed by committee staff last month.

"Mr. Knoblauch and Mr. Pettitte answered all the committee's questions and their testimony at the hearing is not needed," Davis and committee chairman Henry Waxman said in a statement.

The new witness is Charles Scheeler, a partner with Mitchell's law firm, DLA Piper.

Steroids claims

ATLANTA — John Rocker claims he flunked a drug test ordered by Major League Baseball in 2000 and that he, Alex Rodriguez and other Texas Rangers were advised by management and union doctors on how to effectively use steroids.

"Bud Selig knew in the year 2000 John Rocker was taking the juice," the former pitcher said Monday of the baseball commissioner on Atlanta radio station 680 AM. "Didn't do anything about it."

In a statement, Major League Baseball said that any test taken at that time would have been conducted by the Employee Assistance Program, which is obligated to maintain confidentiality, and "further discipline was not an option legally available to Major League Baseball at that time."

Notes

• Craig Biggio agreed to a three-year personal services contract with the Houston Astros, similar to deals the team struck with former stars Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens and Jeff Bagwell.

• SS Khalil Greene and the San Diego Padres have finalized an $11 million, two-year contract to avoid arbitration. 1B Tony Clark, meanwhile, needs to pass a physical before his $900,000, one-year deal is finalized.

• 3B Garrett Atkins and the Colorado Rockies agreed to a one-year contract worth $4,387,500.