Jason Grimsley admits to steroid use

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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley admitted taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs and said that amphetamines were used "like aspirin" in major league clubhouses, according to an affidavit filed by the lead federal investigator in baseball's steroid investigation.

 

The affidavit, filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, said Grimsley agreed to cooperate with U.S. Internal Revenue Service agents after Grimsley received a package containing two kits of human growth hormone April 19 at his Scottsdale home.

 

The affidavit, obtained by The Arizona Republic, comes nearly four years after the IRS began its probe of BALCO, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, near San Francisco. The original goal was to investigate a drug ring that distributed steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs to elite athletes.

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Thirteen special federal agents, including 10 from the IRS, searched Grimsley's home for nearly six hours Tuesday. They were seeking performance-enhancing drugs, financial records, address books and phone records, according to Mark Lessler, an IRS special agent.

 

Lessler, a special agent for criminal investigation in the IRS Oakland, Calif., office, declined to say what was obtained, or why the government waited nearly seven weeks to search Grimsley's home after knowing the pitcher had been in possession of human growth hormone.

 

It is the first time an Arizona Diamondbacks player has been linked publicly to the scandal, which has implicated San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi and others.

 

Grimsley provided "extensive statements regarding his receipt and use of anabolic steroids, amphetamines and human growth hormone over the last several years," the affidavit said.

 

Grimsley also provided "details about his knowledge of other Major League Baseball players" using illegal performance-enhancing drugs, including several close acquaintances.

 

An hour before Tuesday night's game against Philadelphia, Grimsley told The Republic, "I have no comment about that and no idea about that."

 

Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick released a statement on the matter Tuesday night, saying: "We were first informed of this situation late this afternoon. This is a federal investigation, and as long as it is active and ongoing, we are prohibited from making any further comments."

 

Jeff Novitzky, the IRS special agent in charge of the BALCO case, filed the affidavit, which also said agents were anticipating the shipment of human growth hormones to Grimsley's home. In a two-hour interview with federal investigators on April 19, Grimsley told investigators:

 

• Until last year, major league clubhouses had coffee pots labeled "leaded" and "unleaded" for the players, indicating coffee with amphetamines and without. He did not specify how many.

 

 

• Latin players were a major source for the amphetamines within baseball.

 

 

• Amphetamines also came from players on California teams that could easily go into Mexico and get them.

Names of other players he suspected of using anabolic steroids or human growth hormone were redacted from the document.

 

In September 2003, the IRS and Food and Drug Administration agents raided the offices of BALCO and at an off-site facility found containers labeled as steroids, testosterone and human-growth hormones, which can make athletes stronger and faster.

 

No professional athlete has been charged in the BALCO investigation, although Bonds and Giambi testified before a federal grand jury in 2003.

 

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig this spring appointed former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to investigate players who were alleged to have used illegal steroids.

 

Mitchell's appointment came after pressure from Congress and the release this spring of Game of Shadows, a book written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters who describe how Bonds and other players used illegal performance-enhancing drugs provided by BALCO.

 

Until 2003, baseball didn't conduct drug tests for steroids. The following year, it began imposing penalties.

 

Last July, BALCO founder Victor Conte Jr, the central figure in the investigation, pleaded guilty to distributing steroids and money laundering in a plea-bargain deal. He was sentenced to four months in prison and four months of house arrest.

 

Three others, including Greg Anderson, Bonds' personal trainer, have negotiated deals with federal prosecutors for their roles in providing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to roughly 30 athletes.

 

Perhaps this will start the domino effect we've all been waiting for.

[Mik 0]

I can use some of the "leaded" coffee to get me through some of my days.

 

Too bad the steriod names got blocked out, but really... how much does Jason F'n Grimsley really know?

[Guest Felonies!]

I can't even fathom myself playing baseball on amphetamines. I'd probably demand to rotate between left, center, and right for each at-bat.

[Failed Bridge 0]

he played with Palmeiro for a couple seasons, so I'm guessing he may know more than people will first think.

[Guest Felonies!]

Mitchell's appointment came after pressure from Congress

So, uh, what about the heroin, Mr. Selig?

FORGET the heroin! That's for dessert!

[Guest]

He played on a good number of teams, including the Angels (he'd then know about people going over the border to acquire the stuff).

 

I believe him.

[Bored 0]

Ouch, ratting out other players. Ya he won't be very popular in the clubhouse tommorrow.

[2GOLD 0]

Too bad steriods never helped him during his career to actually be worth a damn.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Too bad steriods never helped him during his career to actually be worth a damn.

Except that he had a 15 year career.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Grimsley played with 7 teams over 15 years.

 

While he may not be a noted player, he's played with many hundreds of teammates. This will get interesting when the names are leaked. Which should happen soon.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Barry Bonds' personal reporter is uh, reporting the D-Backs have released Grimsley.

[CanadianChris 0]

Barry Bonds' personal reporter is uh, reporting the D-Backs have released Grimsley.

[Vampiro69 0]

Well let the speculation begin on names. Somehow the first guy named will be someone like Bob Hamelin

[jimmy no nose 0]

PHOENIX -- An attorney for released Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley said Wednesday that federal agents tried to pressure the player into wearing a listening device in an effort to collect incriminating evidence against San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, The Arizona Republic reported.

 

"It was a specific effort to target Bonds," attorney Edward F. Novak told the newspaper. "We were told that Jason's cooperation was necessary to their case."

 

Novak said Grimsley subsequently "was outed by the feds" because he didn't cooperate, the Republic reported.

 

"They asked him specifically about Barry Bonds, and Jason said he didn't know Bonds well and didn't know if he did or didn't use drugs," Novak told the paper.

 

Investigators then asked Grimsley whether he knew any of Bonds' teammates who might confide in Grimsley about the slugger's alleged use of performance enhancements, Novak said. Grimsley refused, telling investigators that "baseball players don't go around talking about who is using and who isn't," Novak added.

 

But he apparently named members of the 2005 Orioles as amphetamine users in his interview with an IRS agent, The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday.

[Mole 0]

On Sportscenter last night, someone was talking about how the should store the blood and urine of all the baseball players. Then when they do have somethin that can test for HGH, bring the blood and piss out and test it. That way we will know who is doing what so we can have that *.

[Big McLargeHuge 0]

PHOENIX -- An attorney for released Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley said Wednesday that federal agents tried to pressure the player into wearing a listening device in an effort to collect incriminating evidence against San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, The Arizona Republic reported.

 

"It was a specific effort to target Bonds," attorney Edward F. Novak told the newspaper. "We were told that Jason's cooperation was necessary to their case."

 

Novak said Grimsley subsequently "was outed by the feds" because he didn't cooperate, the Republic reported.

 

"They asked him specifically about Barry Bonds, and Jason said he didn't know Bonds well and didn't know if he did or didn't use drugs," Novak told the paper.

 

Investigators then asked Grimsley whether he knew any of Bonds' teammates who might confide in Grimsley about the slugger's alleged use of performance enhancements, Novak said. Grimsley refused, telling investigators that "baseball players don't go around talking about who is using and who isn't," Novak added.

 

But he apparently named members of the 2005 Orioles as amphetamine users in his interview with an IRS agent, The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday.

 

Why?

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Grimsley named Albert Pujols' trainer

 

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[Vampiro69 0]

Boy I hope that this isn't true.

[naiwf 0]

Say it ain't so Albert. Say it ain't so.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Why does his trainer being involved make you guys quick to believe he took steroids? Not everyone connected is actually guilty.

[naiwf 0]

Because either Albert took drugs or at least knew that his personal trainer for the last 7 years was able to get them for others. I don't know about you, but given what Bonds went through because of his trainer, Albert's either guilty or retarded. Neither of which is a good thing at this point.

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I'm just hoping that it eventually leads to Bonds and Giambi. Everybody knows they did steroids and I've been saying all along that Giambi has shifted to HGH and that was the reason for his ability to comeback. Once a cheater, always a cheater.

[Big McLargeHuge 0]

I'm just hoping that it eventually leads to Bonds and Giambi. Everybody knows they did steroids

No need really. Those two are pretty much already guilty in the minds of baseball fans.

I'm very interested to see the names on the list. I'd love to hear other people's reactions to some of their favorite players possibly juicing.

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if its proven they're taking things they get a nice big suspension. That's what I wanna see

[Guest]

Jim Leyritz?

[CanadianChris 0]

There's a list of players taking amphetamines as long as my arm. Nobody who's found to be taking greenies will surprise me.

[Bored 0]

Amphetamine use has been known for decades and really has never been hidden. Willie Mays and Hank Aaron used them.

[MikeJordan23 0]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/14781295.htm

 

Trainer says it isn't his name...

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Just because Bonds and Giambi are "guilty in the minds of the fans" doesn't mean they shouldn't be punished or prosecuted for their crimes (if they did commit them).

[dh86 0]

I'm just hoping that it eventually leads to Bonds and Giambi. Everybody knows they did steroids and I've been saying all along that Giambi has shifted to HGH and that was the reason for his ability to comeback. Once a cheater, always a cheater.

 

why just bonds and giambi?