Lawton failed test after taking veterinary steroid

ESPN.com news services

 

 

Matt Lawton admitted that he took the veterinary steroid boldenone last season, just before he was suspended for 10 days for violating Major League Baseball's steroids policy.

 

Lawton told Sports Weekly's Bob Nightengale that he was playing poorly and was hurting, so he turned to steroids.

 

"I wasn't playing well enough to be on a Little League roster, let alone be on the roster of the New York Yankees," Lawton told Sports Weekly in its current issue. "I just wasn't physically able to do the job. I had never been in the playoff hunt before. So I did something that will always haunt me."

 

Lawton said that he's never taken emphetamines, but injected the steroid on Sept. 20. The next day, he started in center field and hit a home run in his first at-bat. He said he didn't feel any pain.

 

He was tested the next day.

 

"It was such a stupid thing, but I was desperate," Lawton told Sports Weekly. "Maybe it was the pressure of playing in New York, I don't know. I never had the urge to take any of that stuff before, but I was talking to some guys, and they guaranteed it would get the pain out."

 

Lawton, 34, hit .254 last season while playing for three teams (including the Yankees). He was left off New York's postseason roster after hitting .125 in 21 games for the Yankees. They acquired him from the Cubs. He started the season with Pittsburgh.

 

Lawton, an All-Star in 2000 and 2004, is currently without a team.

 

"I don't want people to think that everything I did, the good years I had, were steroid-related," Lawton told Sports Weekly. "I learned a lot about myself last year, and I'll be better for it.

 

"Now I'm ready to prove it."

 

 

I applaud him for being honest. Sure beats the hell out of a B-12 shot.

 

Lawton just gained a whole bunch of my respect back.

Good PR move on behalf of Lawton.

I wish others would follow suit and fess up instead of blaming teammates and claiming they don't know how it happened.

 

Mad props to Matty L.

It takes a big man to admit he was wrong. Raffy needs to learn. I def have more respect for Lawton.

What he did was wrong but kudos for admitting fault

I agree and at least he knows what he did wrong and is admitting it....mucho respect for Lawton on this day

If he's honest, that's great, and I hope another team gives him a chance. But at the same time, I do find it a little hard to believe the "Oh, I only did it once" excuse, like Sammy Sosa's corked bat. Maybe it's just me.

Good! No need bullsh!T about it, be a man and step up.

 

 

Good for him.

"but I was talking to some guys, and they guaranteed it would get the pain out."

 

Who are these "some guys"? Giambi?

"but I was talking to some guys, and they guaranteed it would get the pain out."

 

Who are these "some guys"? Giambi?

 

I wouldn't be surprised at all :plain