Yanks outfielder keeps distance from steroid claims, By: Peter Abraham

March 26, 2006, The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News

TAMPA — Gary Sheffield on Wednesday denied claims made in a new book that he used injections of testosterone and human growth hormone on the advice of Barry Bonds in 2002.

According to authors Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, a calendar kept by trainer Greg Anderson showed that Sheffield used the two drugs, which are illegal without a prescription and were among the drugs banned by baseball in 1992.

"Nope," Sheffield said when asked if he had used the drugs.

The book, Game of Shadows, goes on sale Thursday. The Journal News obtained an advance copy.

The book also says that Bonds paid $10,000 to trainer Greg Anderson for the drugs and told Anderson "don't ask any questions."

When Sheffield and Bonds grew apart, Sheffield tried to continue his relationship with Anderson and Victor Conte, founder of the BALCO laboratory. An angry Bonds reportedly offered Conte $100,000 to refuse Sheffield.

Sheffield has previously admitted to unknowingly using two designer steroids — "the cream" and "the clear" — on advice from Bonds. Those products are applied by rubbing them on the skin, unlike testosterone and human growth hormone, which are injected.

"I don't have to say nothing else about it," Sheffield said. "I ain't talking about it no more, there ain't no need to."

Sheffield hit .307 with 25 homers and 84 RBI while with the Atlanta Braves in 2002. The 25 home runs were his fewest since 1988.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he had no knowledge of the allegations and would not comment on them. The Yankees signed Sheffield to a three-year contract before the 2004 season.

"Gary is a pretty tough cookie," Cashman said. "Over the years he has handled quite a bit. I don't know what's in the book, and other than that, I'm not going to comment."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said he isn't concerned about the new allegations affecting Sheffield this season.

"He's one of the toughest people I know," Torre said. "He's very tough. He internalizes a lot. But he'll answer a question if you ask him. He's had a lot of things on and off the field he's had to deal with over the years.

"You never want to say you're used to it. But the fact that he's had to do it sort of helps him put it aside when he needs to concentrate on what he's doing out on the field. But it certainly can't be a lot of fun for him."

Sheffield said he had no regrets about training with Bonds.

"What can I do? I told you all before, what can I do? I'm not going to defend myself my whole life (or) worry about what people think of me," he said. "Think what you want."

Asked his version of the events, Sheffield pounded his fist into his glove as he stood in front of his locker.

"My version? I don't have one," he said. "What version do I need to have for y'all to be satisfied? All you have to do is tell me."

Asked for what the truth was, Sheffield shook his head.

"Think what you want, it don't matter. At the end of the day, it don't stop nothing that goes on in my life or Barry's," he said. "It really doesn't matter to me. It don't matter one thing to me."

Another Yankee, Jason Giambi, is mentioned throughout the book but only to rehash details of his testimony to a federal grand jury investigating Anderson and Conte. The book does reveal that Giambi had drugs shipped overnight to his home in Las Vegas, his apartment in New York and even his parents' home in California.