AP
Andy Pettitte said today he is trying to focus on baseball, not the investigation into whether Roger Clemens lied to Congress.
Pettitte acknowledged the new investigation might mean heâll be interviewed again by federal officials.
âIâm just prepared that it might happen,â Pettitte said before a workout at Legends Field. âThereâs nothing I can do. Until somebody tells me to go somewhere, I canât do anything.â
Pettitte is in the middle of a dispute between ex-teammate Clemens and Brian McNamee, the former trainer of the two pitchers. Pettitte has told Congressional lawyers that Clemens informed him nearly a decade ago that he used human growth hormone.
Wednesday, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking the Justice Department to investigate whether Clemens committed perjury or made knowingly false statements to the committee during its investigation into performance-enhancing drugs.
Pettitteâs testimony, among others, was cited in the letter to Mukasey. Pettitte said he is uncomfortable with the situation.
âIt makes it extremely difficult,â he said. âI donât like any of this. I cannot stand it. I told you how I feel about him. I hate it. Itâs like a part of my family thatâs going to have to go through this. Itâs a bad deal.â
Clemens has denied using performance-enhancing drugs and said Pettitte âmisremembersâ the conversation.
Pettitte hasnât talked with his lawyers about the possibility of being interviewed again.
âIt doesnât take a whole lot to figure out whatâs going on,â Pettitte said. âI think thatâs a long process down the road if thatâs ever going to come up.â
After throwing batting practice earlier this week, the left-hander received a loud ovation from fans.
âIâve definitely noticed it, and obviously it makes you feel good,â Pettitte said. âI appreciate the support. Theyâve been great. Of course, it makes you feel good to hear people cheer for you.
âI donât feel like Iâm some kind of hero in this thing at all. Iâve made some mistakes, and Iâve admitted to them. However people want to handle that, thatâs how they handle it. I canât change everybodyâs opinion or what theyâre going to think of me and how theyâre going feel about me.â
Pettitte admitted using HGH in 2002 and 2004.
âI know what I have to do,â Pettitte said. âThe commitment I made to this organization. I know what I have to deal with. Anything that comes up in your life is a distraction. You go with it, and you go out there and do your job the best you can. Thatâs what Iâve always done and thatâs what Iâll continue to do.â


