VIERA, Fla. -- Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca reported to camp on Saturday and broke his silence about being named in the Mitchell Report, apologizing for "mistakes in judgment."
"In regards to Senator [George] Mitchell's report," Lo Duca said in a written statement, "I apologize to my family, all my fans and to the entire baseball community for [the] mistakes in judgment I made in the past and for the distractions that resulted. I am fully committed to being the best player and person I can be, on and off the field, for the Washington Nationals and the entire baseball community.
"I recognize the importance of my role in the community as a professional athlete, and I intend to focus my energies on making a positive impact in that regard. So that I can focus on making positive contributions and avoid creating further distractions, I respectfully decline to comment any further on the content of the Mitchell Report."
The Mitchell Report, issued in December, said that Lo Duca purchased human growth hormone from Kirk Radomski, a clubhouse attendant for the Mets from 1985-95. The report said that Lo Duca made these purchases as a member of the Dodgers and Marlins, for whom he played prior to joining the Mets in 2006.
The Mitchell Report also said that Lo Duca referred other players, such as former Dodgers pitchers Kevin Brown and Eric Gagne, to Radomski in order to purchase performance-enhancing drugs.
The Nationals are not sure if Lo Duca will be suspended. General manager Jim Bowden acknowledged on Friday that the Commissioner's Office has the Lo Duca case under review.
"We support the Commissioner's Office 100 percent and the Players Association trying to rid our sport of the problems," Bowden said on Friday. "I don't know the facts and the truth of the entire [Lo Duca] situation, so I'll leave it up to those people who know those things."
Lo Duca, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Washington last December, is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to miss the beginning of the exhibition schedule.
Lo Duca played for the Mets last season and hit .272 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs.
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"In regards to Senator [George] Mitchell's report," Lo Duca said in a written statement, "I apologize to my family, all my fans and to the entire baseball community for [the] mistakes in judgment I made in the past and for the distractions that resulted. I am fully committed to being the best player and person I can be, on and off the field, for the Washington Nationals and the entire baseball community.
"I recognize the importance of my role in the community as a professional athlete, and I intend to focus my energies on making a positive impact in that regard. So that I can focus on making positive contributions and avoid creating further distractions, I respectfully decline to comment any further on the content of the Mitchell Report."
The Mitchell Report, issued in December, said that Lo Duca purchased human growth hormone from Kirk Radomski, a clubhouse attendant for the Mets from 1985-95. The report said that Lo Duca made these purchases as a member of the Dodgers and Marlins, for whom he played prior to joining the Mets in 2006.
The Mitchell Report also said that Lo Duca referred other players, such as former Dodgers pitchers Kevin Brown and Eric Gagne, to Radomski in order to purchase performance-enhancing drugs.
The Nationals are not sure if Lo Duca will be suspended. General manager Jim Bowden acknowledged on Friday that the Commissioner's Office has the Lo Duca case under review.
"We support the Commissioner's Office 100 percent and the Players Association trying to rid our sport of the problems," Bowden said on Friday. "I don't know the facts and the truth of the entire [Lo Duca] situation, so I'll leave it up to those people who know those things."
Lo Duca, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Washington last December, is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to miss the beginning of the exhibition schedule.
Lo Duca played for the Mets last season and hit .272 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs.
MLB.com..
