Clemens fires back

Agent releases stats to rebut allegations

Roger Clemens' agent released an 18,000-word statistical report Monday to rebut allegations the pitcher's career rebounded about the time he was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"Clemens' longevity was due to his ability to adjust his style of pitching as he got older, incorporating his very effective split-finger fastball to offset the decrease in the speed of his regular fastball caused by aging," said the report, created by Randy Hendricks and two associates at his firm.

Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, claimed in last month's Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball that he injected the pitcher with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens vehemently denies the allegations, and Clemens and McNamee are among five witnesses scheduled to testify before a House committee on Feb. 13. Clemens also has sued McNamee for defamation.

Hendricks' report, which includes 38 charts, in some ways resembles a salary arbitration case. One of the charts shows Clemens' ERA was lower than the league average in all but two of his 23 major league seasons. The report also compares variations in Clemens' career with those of Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Nolan Ryan, and maintains slumps often can be correlated with injuries.

CUST DENIES HE USED STEROIDS: Jack Cust, coming off a breakout season with Oakland, denied allegations in the Mitchell Report that he admitted using steroids.

A longtime journeyman who had spent most of his career in the minors, Cust hit a team-best 26 homers for the Athletics in 2007. Last month, he was included in former Senate majority leader George Mitchell's report on doping in baseball.

Cust addressed the report's allegations with reporters for the first time Saturday and denied that he ever used steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

KNOBLAUCH AGREES TO TALK: Ex-New York Yankees second baseman Chuck Knoblauch agreed to talk to a House committee investigating drug use in baseball. Knoblauch will give a deposition or transcribed interview Friday.

MORE BASEBALL: Nolan Ryan could be a candidate to become president of the Texas Rangers, but the Hall of Fame pitcher hasn't talked specifically with owner Tom Hicks about the possibility of taking the job.

* Washington Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.

* The Boston Red Sox obtained reliever David Aardsma from the Chicago White Sox for Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich in a trade involving three pitchers.

* One week after authorities in Sarasota, Fla., balked at upgrading their spring training facility, the Cincinnati Reds agreed Monday to an exclusive, 75-day negotiation window with the city of Goodyear, Ariz.

* Free-agent third baseman Pedro Feliz has agreed to an $8.5 million, two-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies with an option for 2010.

* Pitcher Todd Wellemeyer and the St. Louis Cardinals avoided arbitration, agreeing to a $1 million, one-year contract.

* Joba Chamberlain could begin this season in the bullpen before moving to the New York Yankees' starting rotation.