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Agent0
2008 AGM Spring Silliness Champion

I'm shipping out for the Coast Guard in October.

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"Whatever I do, I love to win. I don't care if it's tennis or ping pong, I'll kill myself to win it."

by Agent0
created February 29, 2008, last edited February 10, 2009
10
Vote

This is a quote by a man that has been in a media whirlwind as of late.  If you here this player's name, first thought that comes up is Human Growth Hormone (HGH).  This player has admitted to the use of HGH and apologized to his fans, the Yankees' fans, and the fans of baseball.  He could, and probably will, be called to the stand to testify against his former "best" friend, Roger Clemens, who refuses to admit to using HGH or anabolic steroids.  This player didn't avoid the questions about his use of HGH at a 45 MINUTE press conference before his first day of spring training at the Yankees' camp.  He sat and took the heat, not making excuses.  Still people label this man as a cheater to the game.

Andy Pettitte...

  • 201-113
  • 3.83 ERA
  • 1,844 Ks

The Quote in the headline pretty much sums up Andy Pettitte's character, he is a fighter.  He is competitive and is in the business of baseball for one reason, to win.   Andy Pettitte is a husband and father to four kids.  He holds the all-time record for most starts and innings-pitched in the MLB post-season.  This cheater won the Good-Guy Award from the New York Sports Photographers.  Also a winner of the Warren Spahn Award , which is given to the top performing left-hander.  Twice Andy has been a twenty game winner and four of his fingers are heavy with world series rings.  Consistent is what he should be labeled, as he has never had a losing season in his career.  All this has been overshadowed now as he was named in the most infamous document in the history of the MLB, The Mitchell Report.

December 13, 2007 was a day that Andy Pettitte must felt like someone just low blowed him with a sledgehammer.  This was the day that The Mitchell Report was released and the day that Pettitte fell into the media's fire.  Mitchell received information on Pettitte from none other than Brian McNamee.  McNamee stated that he injected Pettitte with HGH two to four times in the 2002 season to help Pettitte heal from an elbow injury.  December 15, 2007 was the day that Pettitte came forward and said he did indeed use HGH on two occasions to help heal from an injury, not help enhance his performance.

Now Andy Pettitte must live with the consequences of his use of HGH, but he must suffer the worst punishment of all...shame in the eye of the fans.  Wait though, was he wrong in what he did?  First, he was wrong in possessing the hormone because he did not have a prescription.  The HGH came from a prescription given to his ill father, so yes he broke the law in that sense, but what about in the sense of breaking the rules of baseball?  In 2002, the season Pettitte injected himself twice in one day, MLB did not have any rules banning the use of HGH.  Pettitte had sustained an injury to his throwing elbow that could have altered his season and even his career.  He wanted a fast and full recovery from this injury and as baseball fans we know that elbow injuries can really hurt a pitcher career.  When his trainer, at the time Brian McNamee, came to him with a solution that would make the healing process fast and VERY helpful, Pettitte jumped at it.  Put yourself in his shoes, you are presented with a solution that could keep your baseball career on the high and do it legally (in MLB's mind).  He used HGHJ to recover from an INJURY.

  • cheat-er
  • -noun
  • a person or thing that cheats



  • Cheat
  • -verb
  • to deceive
  • -noun
  • a person who acts dishonestly, deceives, or defrauds
  • a fraud
  • an imposter

Andy Pettitte...  A fraud?  An Imposter? He was deceiving?

Pettitte said he was not trying to enhance his performance, or in other words he was not trying to deceive us with his game or being an imposter.  How could you be an imposter in baseball you ask?  Easy, you take HGH to be a better pitcher, to gain an edge on players, which in my eyes is trying to be an imposter of a dominant pitcher.  Pettitte was saving his career and hoping to be able to recover from this injury and be able to player for many more years.  He took TWO shots of HGH in the same day that is it...  He was not cheating.  Maybe he was desperate, but one thing Pettitte was not doing was cheating.  He had good intentions, in his mind is seemed to be like taking an advil for headaches, just another prescription drug to help get over an injury.

Andy Pettitte, his apology at that gruesome 45 minute press conference... I accept it, but do the rest of you baseball fans?


 

http://cglzero2hero.wordpress.com


Enable Comment Auto-Refresher
Manny StilesMajor Leaguer
639 days ago
Score 2+-
Is it illegal? Did helping him heal faster and improve his career than not using it?

Keep in mind that while "HGH" wasn't specifically banned by baseball's guidelines "illegal substances" WAS specifically stated as banned by baseball's guidelines. Illegal is illegal.

Do I think any differently about him? No. In fact, I think he did well in the court of public opinion because of his (mostly) forthrightness.

But was it cheating? Absolutely, 100% without a doubt and you can't convince me otherwise - he knew it. He didn't need HGH to recover, he needed HGH to recover faster than normal.

And I'm not totally convinced that these were the only times he took enhancers, either - just the only times he was pinned down about it - but ultimately I don't really care anyway.
Permalink | Reply
Agent0Red-Shirting
639 days ago
Score 1+-
in most players cases I probably would agree with it not being the only time he took it, but I did watch that press conference and you know...he did have me convinced.



I can be kinda guliable at times though :]
Permalink
Manny StilesMajor Leaguer
639 days ago
Score 0+-
I watched it too. I felt bad for him because there's dudes that did more and worse than him while he was being singked out...

Plus the way they pitted him in the middle of the two liars was cruel.

But he still cheated.
Permalink
Manny StilesMajor Leaguer
639 days ago
Score 1+-
And A0, I'm a firm believer that there is more benefit in HGH usage than harm - obviously when used properly - it is the "Fountain of Youth".

Unfotunately, as a society, we have a backwards view on the simplest things like; does it improve the quality of your life?

Instead of grilling all these cheaters for holier than thou reasonings, we should be researching the data they are living and learn more, not send this valuable information into hiding. To understand how these PEDs affect top flight athletes HAS to be beneficial in understanding how it can help regular folks too.
Permalink
Steel TownDraft Pick
638 days ago
Score 0+-
I'm with you on that manny. HGH seems like it could really help the public. How many people do you know with nagging aches and pains?
Permalink
FrugolfVarsity Captain
638 days ago
Score -2+-
I think before we decide about him we need to walk a mile in his shoes.I know this is impossible but we can ask ourselves some questions.1.If we were making the amount of money these guys are making would we do this to keep our career going as long as possible.2.If we saw many players in the sport doing it , getting away with it, and hitting 70+ home-runs [in a few cases] would we want to join the fun.3. If it wasn't banned and it really worked would we want to at least give it a try.I admire him for not being a liar like Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, Mac, etc.The ones that came clean like pettite & Giambi have been forgiven by anyone that's not a Yankee hater.It's time to fess up for all of them, and I'm afraid that's a long list.
Permalink | Reply
Steel TownDraft Pick
638 days ago
Score 0+-
I don't need to walk in anyones shoes to know that cheating is wrong. Just cause everyone is doing doesn't make it right. Finally, it was banned. Just because it wasn't listed specifically doesn't mean that it was legall. It is a prescription drug that he was not prescribed and that was illegal at the time. It would be no different if he was taking Vicoden, or Viagra without a prescription, that violated the drug policy.
Permalink
Steel TownDraft Pick
638 days ago
Score 2+-
Petite doesn't need people to be sympathetic like this. They guy fessed up to the public and came out pretty good. What he did was 100% illegal and cheating, and he knew it. But, he has always come off as a good guy and he continues to do so. There is no need to make excuses or try to rationalize what he did. The public understands that people make mistakes, and usually they don't chastise those who show humility when caught.
Permalink | Reply
JuTMSY4Legend
638 days ago
Score 0+-
more plusses if I could, I couldn't have said it better
Permalink
Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer
638 days ago
Score 0+-
The more Andy Pettitte yaps, the more I wonder if there is anything else to the story.
Permalink | Reply
SSreportersLegend
638 days ago
Score 0+-
We get it Andy, you confessed, you were telling the truth while Clemens is most likely BSing us, don't drag on the story over and over and over....
Permalink | Reply
NoodledueceVarsity Captain
638 days ago
Score 1+-
I am so sick of this Steroid talk... and somebody please explain why agent0 asked me to put myself into my shoes?
Permalink | Reply
Agent0Red-Shirting
638 days ago
Score 1+-
DOH! This user has trouble mixing words.
Permalink
Sd superbowlVarsity
638 days ago
Score 1+-
i totally agree with you... great article!
Permalink | Reply
Sd superbowlVarsity
638 days ago
Score 0+-
agree with agent0 that is
Permalink | Reply
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Categories: Opinions | Opinions by User Agent0 | February 29, 2008 | February 2008 | MLB Opinions | Andy Pettitte Opinions

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