Giambi admits steroid use

[Bill Lumbergh]

The SF Chronicle is reporting that Yankees star Jason Giambi(who missed most of last season with a mysterious ailment) admitted using Human growth hormone, and "the clear" a designer steroid from 2001 to 2003. The steroids were provided by Bay Area trainer Greg Anderson. Can't say I'm shocked, since he came to spring training last year weighing about 50 lbs. Please no Barry Bonds mentions, I've still got my head buried in the sand on that subject(i'm a Giants fan).

[Warham]

I'm not going to say Bonds used them, but doesn't he know Greg Anderson as well?

[Warham]

Jason Giambi admitted to a federal grand jury he took steroids and human growth hormone in 2003, according to transcripts of testimony obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle and published in the newspaper's Thursday editions.


The New York Yankees slugger's admission in December 2003 contradicts denials he has made since then that he never took performance-enhancing drugs.


But in the testimony obtained by the Chronicle, the former American League MVP told the grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroids case he used steroids obtained from Greg Anderson, the personal trainer for San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds.



Jason Giambi was the AL MVP in 2000 with the Athletics.


Giambi did not implicate Bonds in his testimony; he pointed out that Anderson was secretive about who he was working for and what he was doing to help other professional athletes.


In the transcripts obtained by the Chronicle, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nedrow asked Giambi, "Did [Anderson] ever say, 'Don't be talking about getting stuff from me?' "


"That's what I mean by saying that he made it so, you know, private, that you know, 'Hey, don't say anything, don't talk about anything,' " Giambi told the grand jury. "You know, I assumed because he's Barry's trainer -- you know, Barry -- but he never said one time, 'This is what Barry's taking, this is what Barry's doing.' He never gave up another name that he was dealing with or doing anything with."


Bonds, a seven-time National League MVP, has denied using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.


Giambi's younger brother Jeremy, a former Oakland outfielder, also told the grand jury he injected banned drugs received from Anderson, the Chronicle reported.


Both Giambis said they had used steroids even earlier in their baseball careers. They were granted immunity from prosecution if they told the truth to the grand jury, but faced perjury charges if they did not.


Jason Giambi described to the grand jury how -- using syringes -- he injected human growth hormone into his stomach and testosterone into his buttocks.


Giambi called the products he obtained from Anderson "undetectable" steroids known as "the clear" and "the cream."


"The clear" is a liquid drug administered under the tongue a few drops at a time. "The cream" was described as a testosterone-based balm rubbed onto the body, the Chronicle reported.


Giambi said he obtained all the drugs -- and syringes -- except human growth hormone from Anderson. Giambi said he got the human growth hormone at a Gold's Gym in Las Vegas.


Giambi testified Anderson sent him several different drugs, including testosterone, "the cream" and "the clear." Giambi added Anderson gave him advice on the use of human growth hormone.


"Did Mr. Anderson provide you with actual injectable testosterone?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Nedrow asked Giambi.


"Yes," replied Giambi.


Then, in reference to an alleged steroid calendar from January 2003, Nedrow asked, "OK. And this injectable T, or testosterone, is basically a steroid, correct?"


"Yes," Giambi replied


"And did he talk to you about the fact it was a steroid at the time?" Nedrow asked.


"Yeah, I mean, I -- I don't know if we got into a conversation about it, but we both knew about it, yes," Giambi told the grand jury.


Giambi said Anderson described "the cream" and "the clear" as "an alternative to steroids, but it doesn't show on a steroid test.


"And he started talking about that it would raise your testosterone levels, you know, which would basically make it a steroid ... or maybe he said it's an alternative of taking an injectable steroid. That might be a better way to put it."


Bonds brought Anderson on a barnstorming players' tour of Japan after the big-league season in 2002. Giambi said it was on that November trip he met the trainer.


In his testimony, Giambi said he asked Anderson about the things Bonds was doing to stay at an elite level.


"So I started to ask him: 'Hey, what are the things you're doing with Barry? He's an incredible player. I want to still be able to work out at that age and keep playing,' " Giambi testified. "And that's how the conversation first started."


According to the transcripts obtained by the Chronicle, Giambi testified he called Anderson after their return from overseas and then flew to the San Francisco area in either late November or early December to meet at a gym down the street from BALCO in Burlingame, Calif.


Giambi said the two went to a hospital for Giambi to provide blood and urine samples, which were then taken to BALCO.


According to the transcripts obtained by the Chronicle, Giambi said he and Anderson then began discussing various performance-enhancing drugs Anderson could supply. Also, when Anderson received the results of Giambi's blood and urine tests, Anderson told him he had tested positive for Deca-Durobolin -- a steroid Giambi said he had obtained from the Las Vegas gym -- and that he should discontinue its use because it could stay in his system a long time.


Giambi said Anderson assured him the drugs he provided in baseball's offseason would be out of his system before Giambi was called for a steroid test.


Giambi, a four-time All-Star who played his first seven seasons in Oakland, has been unable to duplicate his 2000 MVP success in three seasons with the Yankees. Giambi signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with the Yankees after the 2001 season.


He played with a knee injury in 2003 and missed more than half the 2004 season with an intestinal parasite and a benign tumor that reportedly was on his pituitary gland. The unusual ailments led many to question whether they were steroid related, but Giambi continued to deny ever taking steroids.


The Chronicle also reported Giambi testified he helped his younger brother obtain drugs from Anderson.


Jeremy Giambi told the grand jury Anderson described "the clear" and "the cream" as undetectable "alternatives to steroids."


"For all I knew, it could have been baby lotion," Jeremy Giambi told the grand jury.

[Nickdfresh]

Jason Giambi on steroids? Noooo....! Who next, Barry Bonds?! What fine role models. And those modern day records mean sooo much.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Just a matter of time....

I can't wait until the day when Bonds admits it.....

[DLR7884]

Bonds won't admit it, and he shouldn't have to.

Blame baseball for their non existant drug policy.

I hate it when people get on Bonds' ass about this shit.

DLR&884
What about that fucking cromag Mark McGwire?

[redblkwht]

Originally posted by DLR7884
Bonds won't admit it, and he shouldn't have to.

Blame baseball for their non existant drug policy.

I hate it when people get on Bonds' ass about this shit.

DLR&884
What about that fucking cromag Mark McGwire?

Im with ya there bro, but whos a worse Liar, Bonds or Pete Rose?
I think this papers gotta burst Barry to come out & fess up, finally.
Im also wondering why Giambi really missed most of last year
i think were missing the real reason.

[DLR7884]

Giambi obviously did some physical damage to himself because of the steroids and testosterone.

I just hope he doesn't end up like Lyle Alzado.

How messed up is it that the Yankees cannot void his contract because of this? Yes, it's their fault that they overpaid for him, but the collective bargaining agreement protects the players too much when it comes to drugs.

There is no testing and even if you admit or come up positive, you still get paid.

Baseball is stupid for allowing this.

Don't be surprised if there is another strike or lockout for baseball when the current contract is up. I don't know when that is, but you can bet your ass that the drug policy will be the main issue in those discussions.

DLR7884
Mark my words.

[Bob_R]

Originally posted by Va Beach VH Fan
Just a matter of time....

I can't wait until the day when Bonds admits it.....

And then he'll be another Pete Rose. And someone, probably Bonds, will claim it's racial.

[DLR7884]

He won't admit it, he doesn't have to.

Again, why does Bonds take all the shit for this?

I don't remember a witch hunt like this when McGwire was knocking the snot out of the ball!

DLR7884
Fair is fair....by the way I'm a huge Bonds fan if you couldn't tell!

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by Warham
I'm not going to say Bonds used them, but doesn't he know Greg Anderson as well?

They were childhood friends.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by DLR7884
He won't admit it, he doesn't have to.

Again, why does Bonds take all the shit for this?

I don't remember a witch hunt like this when McGwire was knocking the snot out of the ball!

DLR7884
Fair is fair....by the way I'm a huge Bonds fan if you couldn't tell!

Right one bro! Five stars from one Bonds fan to another......

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Jason Giambi on steroids? Noooo....! Who next, Barry Bonds?! What fine role models. And those modern day records mean sooo much.

You're now out as a pen Admin...........

[Warham]

Bonds takes shit because Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth never took steroids. That's why Barry Bonds takes shit.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by DLR7884
He won't admit it, he doesn't have to.

Again, why does Bonds take all the shit for this?

I don't remember a witch hunt like this when McGwire was knocking the snot out of the ball!

DLR7884
Fair is fair....by the way I'm a huge Bonds fan if you couldn't tell!

He'll have to admit it eventually, there will be too much evidence against him, via Anderson and Conte.... They won't protect him to save their own asses ??

Why does Bonds take all this shit ?? Because I was there as a Pirates fan in 1986 when that cocksucker was 165 pounds soaking wet and batting leadoff.... Please, no weightlifting stories, I've heard them all by now....

Mark McGwire was taking Andro, a completely LEGAL supplement at the time.... It wasn't until AFTER then that andro was banned....

He did absolutely nothing wrong nor illegal.....He also had the integrity to admit he was taking andro after he broke the record.... Something Bonds, if he had his way, would take to his grave....