~from New York Times: TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andy Pettitte has not spoken to Roger Clemens since giving a sworn statement which implicated his good friend in the use of human growth hormone. ”I think it’s put a strain on our friendship,” Pettitte said in an eagerly awaited news conference Monday at the New York Yankees’ spring training complex.Pettitte apologized to the Yankees, Houston Astros and his fans for the ”embarrassment” he caused them by taking HGH.Pettitte arrived at spring training earlier in the day and threw a bullpen session at the minor league complex. Later, he met reporters for about an hour.”I never want a young person to do what I did,” Pettitte said. ”
I’m sorry for the mistakes I have made.”Pettitte sat alone at a podium, taking dozens of questions. He often paused to collect his thoughts and several times patiently asked reporters ”did I answer your question?”It had been about a month since he had spoken to Clemens, Pettitte said.”I can’t even describe how uncomfortable a situation” this has been.With Yankees teammates Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada in attendance, along with two of his lawyers, Pettitte acknowledged he had considered not playing because of the ongoing situation.”That wouldn’t be the thing to do as a man. I felt like I needed to come out and face you guys and whatever circumstances that come I’ll take it, I’ll take it like a man and I’ll try to do my job,” he said.Pettitte was excused from testifying publicly at a congressional hearing last week after he gave a deposition and an affidavit. In addition to his December admission that he used HGH for two days in 2002 while with the Yankees, he said he injected himself with HGH for one day in 2004 while with the Astros after obtaining two syringes from his father.
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