Ex-Sox Parque denies he purchased steroids
No current members of the White Sox were mentioned in Thursday's Mitchell Report.
But one former Sox player - starting pitcher Jim Parque - was linked to major-league baseball's investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
But in an interview with the Daily Herald on Thursday, Parque denied any wrongdoing.
Parque pitched for the White Sox from 1998-2002. After injuring his throwing (left) shoulder, Parque was released and pitched for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2003.
According to former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who implicated many of the current and former players in the 409-page Mitchell Report, Parque twice purchased performance-enhancing substances.
In the 2003 off-season, Radomski also said he received a bottle of Winstrol from Parque to "check out." Winstrol is a synthetic anabolic steroid and Radomski said it was "no good" and discarded it, according to the report.
Radomski also produced two checks from Parque during the investigation. The first was dated Oct. 18, 2003 for $3,200. The second was dated Dec. 6, 2003 in the amount of $1,600, according to the report.
Reached at his Seattle-area home on Thursday, Parque admitted writing the checks. But Parque adamantly denied using any illegal substance.
"I purchased a large amount of supplements when I was at (Class AAA) Durham,'' said Parque, who was with the Devil Rays' top minor-league team at the end of the 2003 season. "They were vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts and one was to improve red blood cells. You can get them at GNC, but I got a price break.''
Parque, who attempted an unsuccessful comeback with the Seattle Mariners this past season, said he was tested "at least six times'' after receiving those shipments.
"There were no positive tests whatsoever,'' Parque said. "I don't understand where all of this is coming from. I guess you have to look at who is doing all of the talking (Radomski). But I'm out of the game now. What am I going to do? They are basing all of the evidence on a guy that has a plea bargain.''
A fiery competitor during his playing days, Parque now runs a baseball training academy outside of Seattle.
"I did write the checks,'' Parque said. "I admit I bought supplements through a contact I had in Triple-A. But to say I purchased drugs and used them, that's erroneous by 1,000 percent.''
While he was upset to be mentioned in the Mitchell Report, Parque said he's not planning to pursue any legal action.
"I'm not in the game anymore,'' he said. "It's water off my back. I don't really care because it didn't happen. But personally, I find it unfair, very, very unfair. This is something that potentially ruins the reputation I built playing baseball.''