Posted on 08/15/2005 9:33:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rafael Palmeiro believes he "soon" will be able to explain himself and tell people why he tested positive for steroids.
"My day will come when I can say what happened. As of right now, I can't say anything. Hopefully soon," Palmeiro said Monday, a day after the embattled Baltimore slugger returned to the lineup following a 10-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's steroid policy.
He wasn't in the Orioles' starting lineup when the club began a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics. On Sunday, Palmeiro went 0-for-4 with a walk in his return at Camden Yards and was both booed and cheered by the 30,954 fans. He hit a routine fly ball to right in the ninth inning to end the game, stranding two baserunners in a 7-6 loss to Toronto.
"The fans in Baltimore have been great to me. I thought for the most part it was good," he said. "I heard some boos, but that's understandable. Not everybody's going to cheer for me. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are. There's always going to be someone who's not going to understand the situation.
"No one likes to get booed, obviously. No matter where you're playing, I think everyone likes to be accepted and cheered, but that's part of what I'm going through right now. I just want to try to get back to normal as much as I can and the routine of playing baseball every day."
That might be difficult -- and Palmeiro realizes that -- since he'll likely be asked to talk about the situation at the start of every series in a new city.
The 40-year-old Palmeiro, suspended by the league Aug. 1, claims he didn't know how the drug got in his body. He has not addressed the topic since being activated Thursday, saying that his attorneys advised him to hold off from commenting until Congress concludes its investigation of his case.
He said he hasn't been following recent media reports questioning whether he could truly unknowingly take steroids. Palmeiro arrived on the late bus to the ballpark Monday, then dressed quietly in his regular corner of the visitor's clubhouse.
Right now, he's focused on getting his timing back so he can be productive -- "it's almost like spring training" -- and perhaps find some semblance of normalcy again.
And he hopes some fans will stick with him despite an unfortunate situation off the field that might diminish all his accomplishments for good.
"I didn't know what to expect because I've never been suspended, I've never been thrown out of a game," he said of the mixed reception Sunday. "For the most part in my 20-year career, I've come to the ballpark to play and I've never had to sit out for any type of reason other than a day off. You always hope for the best and you always hope people will accept you. That's all I can do right now. ...
"You just have to block everything out and focus on what you have to do to be successful."
I'm sure "I don't know how it got there" is enough to exonerate you in Congress.
This reminds me of the old "I must of gotten pregnant from sitting on that public toilet seat" defense.
he can talk bout it but he wont...thats not cant...thats im caught so i better keep my mouth shut
I'm sure he will find the real killer soon. I mean the real steroid taker.
Somebody from MLB testing leaked it however.
Stanozolol. google palmeiro and stanozolol, bunch of stories.
One of them said that's what Ben Johnson lost his medal for in the Olympics.
He is still thinking of an excuse.
He could claim he was taking a legal product called Prostanazol. It is slightly different chemically from stanazolol, and does not fall under the 2004 steroid act. It does create the metabolite which triggers a positive test.
The day that is going to be coming is sentencing for lying to Congress. Oh, I don't know how that got in my body. Oh, I don't know how that bra got in my glove compartment, dear. Oh, I don't know why it hurts to urinate.
President Bush believes him, and I consider the President a good judge of character. He will be vindicated.
"I cannot tell a lie, Your Honor: I found the stuff in Sandy Berger's pants." :)
And OJ continues to search far and wide on Florida's golf courses for Nicole's killer.
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