Goose Gossage: Roger Clemens doesn’t belong in Hall of Fame

Goose Gossage said Roger Clemens lied about his steroid use and doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame. (AP)

In an interview Thursday with ESPN New York 98.7, Hall of Fame pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage called out Roger Clemens, saying the seven-time Cy Young Award winner is a cheater who shouldn’t be allowed to make the Hall of Fame.

Clemens was acquitted Monday on all charges of perjury in denying he used performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career.

“Are we going to reward these guys for cheating?” Gossage asked radio hosts Michael Kay and Don La Greca. “Even though he was found innocent, it was because of the bad testimony. No one believed [Brian] McNamee, and [Andy] Pettitte kind of changed his thing — ‘Did I really hear what he told me?’ ”

Gossage even compared the situation to that of O.J. Simpson’s murder trial in 1995, when Simpson was acquitted on all charges, a verdict that still today is highly controversial.

“O.J. Simpson, did you believe he didn’t kill those two people?” Gossage asked.

In light of the trial, Gossage also admitted that if he played during the steroid era, he “probably would have” taken performance-enhancing drugs. Gossage played 22 seasons between 1972 and 1994, and steroids were just starting to become prevalent towards the end of his career.

“Steroids weren’t a part of the game when I was playing. Toward the end, we wondered what was going on. We knew something was going on. Absolutely, I probably would have,” Gossage said.

“The peer pressure is what is so dangerous about steroids. It is affecting our kids in high school and into college. These things are bad for you and they have got to get rid of them. If you are lying, shame on you.”

2 Comments for “Goose Gossage: Roger Clemens doesn’t belong in Hall of Fame”

1. TC Conn Says:
   June 22nd, 2012 at 10:37 am

   I agree he should not go into the H.O.F. If he is allowed in then Pete Rose should go in. Pete never gambled on games as a player, only as a manager, so as one of the best players in baseball ever……Pete Rose deserves to be in the H.O.F as a player.

2. Bob Says:
   June 22nd, 2012 at 6:31 pm

   Gossage is the pot calling the kettle black. Clemens pitched in Toronto with the Blue Jays and as part of the team then I saw him virtually daily in the clubhouse. On off days if he wasn’t in the trainers room, getting a rubdown, he was in the exercise room. No other player spent as much time or with as much dedication to training as Clemens did. I don’t know what he did with other teams but for the time I witnesed his tenure in Toronto, I find it hard to comprehend his taking steroids or his need for them. I find his physical stature to be about the same today as it was in Toronto. Once you stop steriods you lose the muscle buildup.

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