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Pettitte Admits Using HGH In 2002

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The Associated Press

Published: December 15, 2007

NEW YORK - Andy Pettitte used human growth hormone to recover from an elbow injury in 2002, the New York Yankees pitcher said two days after he was cited in the Mitchell Report.

Pettitte said he tried HGH on two occasions.

"If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize," Pettitte said Saturday in a statement released by his agent. "I accept responsibility for those two days."

On Thursday, Pettitte was among 85 players named by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's investigation into steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. Pettitte had not commented publicly on the allegations.

Pettitte asked the trainer he shared with Roger Clemens, Brian McNamee, to help him with HGH while on the disabled list early in the season, the report said. McNamee recalled injecting Pettitte two to four times, Mitchell said.

HGH wasn't banned by baseball until January 2005.

"In 2002 I was injured. I had heard that human growth hormone could promote faster healing for my elbow," Pettitte said in the statement released to The Associated Press by agent Randy Hendricks.

"I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible. For this reason, and only this reason, for two days I tried human growth hormone. Though it was not against baseball rules, I was not comfortable with what I was doing, so I stopped.

"This is it - two days out of my life; two days out of my entire career, when I was injured and on the disabled list," he said. "I wasn't looking for an edge. I was looking to heal."

Pettitte was not linked to steroids in the report, and said he had never used them.

"Late Saturday afternoon, Andy Pettitte advised us that he would be making a public statement. We support his coming forward," the Yankees said in a statement.

DODGERS: Fulfilling one of their major offseason goals, Los Angeles agreed to terms with Japanese free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda on a three-year, $35.2 million contract.

Kuroda, who turns 33 in February, passed a physical examination on Saturday and will be introduced today at a Dodger Stadium news conference.

PADRES: San Diego obtained 37-year-old outfielder Jim Edmonds and $2 million from the Cardinals for minor-league third baseman David Freese, who grew up in a St. Louis suburb.

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