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Posted at 1:32 a.m., Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Baseball: Retired player Segui admits using steroids

Associated Press

BALTIMORE — Retired first baseman David Segui admitted yesterday that he used steroids and purchased shipments from former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, The Sun reported on its Web site last night.

Segui also repeated his June 2006 admission to ESPN that he used human growth hormone with a prescription.

He told the newspaper that he refused to talk to former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, whose report on performance-enhancing drugs is expected soon. Segui said he didn't want to betray the trust of other players.

"I have nothing to hide. I have no problem talking about what I have done," said Segui, who spent eight of his 15 major league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. "But I never want any other players to think I was out there talking about their business. Because I do know a lot, but people have told me things in confidence and I don't want to be spreading that."

Radomski pleaded guilty in April to federal charges of illegally distributing performance-enhancing drugs. As part of his agreement with the government, he was required to cooperate with Mitchell's investigation.

Segui said he met Radomski after being traded to the Mets in 1994. They became close and still talk by phone several times a week — usually about fishing and family.

At first, Radomski helped Segui with nutrition and weightlifting. Eventually, Segui said, he paid Radomski for different products, from legal supplements and workout gear to steroids and clenbuterol, an asthma drug that is said to melt body fat and is on baseball's banned substances list. Segui also occasionally lent Radomski money.

"It was stuff you do for a friend," Segui said. "I always had a feeling — I knew when more and more guys were going through him — that there is probably going to come the day when he is going to get caught.

"I played more years where I didn't take anything than years where I did take something," Segui added, without giving specifics. "I never denied it or pretended to be an angel."

Segui retired from the Orioles in 2004. He made headlines in June 2006 when he went public with his use of HGH after he thought his name was included in the affidavit of a federal agent who claimed several players were implicated by former Orioles pitcher Jason Grimsley.