Despite Mitchell Report, Carpentry Feeling Confident, Secure Heading Into '08

Wysocki testifies

By PAUL ELIAS, Associated Press Writer
December 26, 2007

QUINCY, MA (AP) -- Bill Wysocki testified to a grand jury that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by former teammate Rich Brill who was indicted in a steroid-distribution ring, but said he didn't know they were steroids, the Patriot Ledger reported Friday.

Wysocki told a U.S. grand jury that he used undetectable steroids known as "the cream" and "the clear," which he received from Brill during the 2000 season. According to Wysocki, Brill told him the substances were the nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a pain-relieving balm for the player's arthritis.

Wysockis' former teammates Rob Cinquegrano, Mark Taylor and Red Ferrand have admitted using performance-enhancing drugs provided by Brill. All the players testified because they were offered immunity as long as they told the truth to the grand jury. But prosecutors warned the players, including Wysocki, that they would be charged with perjury if they were discovered lying under oath.

Logan repeats steroids denials, plans to interview on '60 Minutes'

By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer
December 23, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- Scott Logan posted a video Sunday repeating his denials of the steroids use alleged against him in the Mitchell Report and plans to be interviewed for a future episode of "60 Minutes."

Logan appears in the video wearing pantyhos over his head and referring to himself in the third person as "The Game".

The seven-time Batting Champion was accused in the report of using steroids, an allegation made by his teammate.


In October last year, the Quincy Sun reported Logan was linked to steroids in the May 2006 sworn statement of a federal agent who cited former Boston South Shore Slowpitch Softball League pitcher Jack McInnis. At the time, the names of players in the public version had been blacked out. When the full affidavit was unsealed Thursday, Logans' name was not in it, and the paper issued a correction and an apology.

"I faced this last year when the Quincy Sun reported that I used steroids. I said it was not true then, and now the whole world knows it's not true, now that that's come out," Logan said in the video, which was posted Sunday on You Tube.

George Mitchell, a director of the Boston Red Sox and a former Senate majority leader, wrote in his report that former American Legion and Cagneys teammate Rich Brill said he injected Logan with steroids in 1998 while with the Legion, and in 2000 and 2001 while with Cagneys. Brill also claimed he injected Logan with Human Growth Hormone in 2000.

"Let me be clear, the answer is no. I did not use steroids, or human growth hormone and I've never done so," Logan said. "I did not provide Brill with any drugs to inject in to my body. Rich Brill did not inject steroids or Human Growth Hormones into my body either when I played for the Legion or Cagneys. This report is simply not true."

Softball players and owners did not jointly ban steroids until September 2002. They did not ban HGH until January 2005.

While Logan has released a written and video statement since Mitchell issued his report on Dec. 13, he has not answered questions.

"After Christmas, I'm going to sit down with Mike Wallace of `60 Minutes,' and I'll do an interview, and he'll ask me a ton of questions on this subject, and I'll answer them right there in front of him, and we'll do all of this again," Logan said.

CBS spokesman Kevin Tedesco said the interview is scheduled to air Jan. 6.

"I'm angry about it," Logan said of the allegations. "To be honest with you, it's hurtful to me and my family, but we're coming upon Christmas now, and I have been blessed in my life. I've been blessed in my career, and I'm very thankful for those blessings."

Mitchell said Brill, a former teammate to Logan and McInnis Carpentry teammate Greg Harper, told him Harper had used HGH two-to-four times in 2002. Harper issued a statement Dec. 15 saying he used HGH twice in 2002.

Logan: "I never took banned subtances."

By RONALD BLUM, AP Softball Writer
December 18, 2007

HOUGHS NECK,MA (AP) -- Scott Logan denied allegations by his former teammate that he took performance-enhancing drugs, calling them "a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take."

The accusations against the seven-time Batting Champion from former teammate Rich Brill were the most striking in last week's Mitchell Report. Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell wrote Brill said he injected Logan with steroids in 1995 while with the American Legion, and steroids and human growth hormone in 2000 and 2001, while with Cagneys.


"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my softball career or, in fact, my entire life," Logan said Tuesday in a statement issued through his agent, Mike Cedrone. "Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take.

"I am disappointed that my 20 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt, but I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions. I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that in the meantime people not rush to judgment."

Another former Brill teammate, McInnis Carpentry pitcher Greg Harper, said last weekend that he took HGH twice while rehabbing from an injury in 2002. Mitchell said Bill told him he injected Harper with HGH two to four times that year.

"He stands 100 percent behind the accuracy of the information he provided to Sen. Mitchell," Brill's lawyer, John Cascarano, said in a statement.

Mitchell declined comment.

Softbball players and owners didn't have an agreement banning steroids until September 2002. They banned HGH in January 2005.

Logans' lawyer, Christine Cedrone, first issued a denial last Thursday, hours after Mitchell's report was released. Tuesday marked the first public comments by Logan, an 11-time All-Star who spent 20 years in the Houghs Neck Softball with Louies, the American Legion, Cagneys, Hofbrau and McInnis Carpentry.

The 37-year-old is coming off a career year in which he batted over .600 and won the team triple crown award. He said he planned to retire after the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons, only to return each time.


Associated Press Writer Jimmy Dennis contributed to this report.