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Reliever Donnelly denies old steroid-use allegation, concentrates on rehab
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
WINTER HAVEN, FLA.: Brendan Donnelly knows it's coming. Any player whose name appeared in the Mitchell Report prepares for the inevitable question: Did you use steroids or human growth hormone?
Donnelly has other things on his mind. Like getting back on the mound after undergoing elbow reconstruction surgery in August. He signed a minor-league contract with the Indians over the winter and reported to Chain O' Lakes Park on Monday to continue the rehab program he began in Arizona, where he lives.
Before dealing with the present, he talks about the past. He doesn't want to stir the pot and create a media rush by getting into it too deeply, so he says, ''I stand by my statement.''
Donnelly is not one of the stars of the Mitchell probe. His story takes up a few short paragraphs. Kirk Radomski, who was on the Mets' training staff, outed
Donnelly, telling investigators he sold the reliever $250-$300 worth of Deca-Durabolin in 2004, when Donnelly's elbow began to ache.
According to Donnelly, Radomski is mistaken or lying. In his statement, which he made by calling ESPN's Peter Gammons, Donnelly said, ''In 2004, I was having multiple physical problems and was concerned about getting back on the field for even close to the level I had experienced.
''I made a phone call to Radomski (the report says Adam Riggs, a fellow Angel, referred him to Radomski). We discussed Anavar. Upon learning that Anavar is classified as a steroid, I realized it was not an option. That was the end of it.''
On Monday, Donnelly added only, ''My statement was factual.''
Donnelly does not appear to be in line for punitive action by the commissioner's office, which has never communicated with him. Apparently, Tribe officials have no concerns about Donnelly's past, inasmuch as they have never asked him about it.
He did not report earlier, when the clubhouse was filled to capacity, because, ''I didn't want to get in the way. I just want to do my work and meet the guys as I come across them.''
Donnelly is upbeat and smiling about all of this. The fact that he pitched with an injured elbow for three years does not appear to have damaged his good spirits.
He knew at some point he would have to stop pitching to repair the elbow, but he managed to perform relatively well despite the pain.
''It didn't get worse as I went along,'' Donnelly said. ''There were ups and downs. I lost a couple of miles an hour on all of my pitches; I lost some sharpness. I'd rip a forearm muscle now and then, and there would be some stinging and burning. One week it would bother me, the next it would be better.''
The elbow injury plagued Donnelly from midway through 2004, when he still was with the Angels, to midway through 2007, when on June 10 he was forced to tell the Red Sox he would have to stop pitching. Even in his final 10 appearances, Donnelly gave up only one run and six hits in eight innings.
From 2002 through 2006, Donnelly made 276 appearances out of the bullpen and compiled a 23-8 record with 14 saves and a 2.87 ERA. Last year with Boston, he was 2-1 with a 3.05 ERA in 27 outings.
He was a lockdown reliever for five years with the Angels, and he wants to stand on that plateau again, even though he is 36.
''I want to be back in the pros, as they say,'' Donnelly explained. ''If everything works out well, I don't see why that won't happen.''
Donnelly is engaged in a long-toss program from 120 feet. The next step is to keep the distance the same but make more throws. He is scheduled to go home for a couple of weeks and return to Winter Haven to throw his first bullpen April 14. He will continue his rehabilitation at Chain O' Lakes for six weeks. Eventually, he will spend two weeks throwing at Akron and two more at Buffalo.
''Aug. 1, I want to be back,'' Donnelly said.
There have been pitchers who threw harder after Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery than before. Donnelly thinks he knows why.
''I'm working out three, four days a week, four hours a day,'' he said. ''I've never done so much work on my shoulder. I'm thinking that I hurt my elbow, so why 21/2 hours on my shoulder? Because guys who come back and throw harder have done a lot of work on their shoulders.''
The Indians were highly recommended to Donnelly by former Tribe pitchers John Farrell, now pitching coach for the Red Sox, and Bud Black, who manages the Padres.
''They told me I couldn't have landed in a better spot,'' Donnelly said.
And though he has no deal that would keep him in Cleveland next year, when presumably his elbow will be stronger and he will have had a chance to regain his edge, he said, ''I don't think there will be a problem with that.
''I have 11/2 rings so far: one with the Angels and a half with Boston, because I didn't pitch after June. So that's 'A' for Anaheim, 'B' for Boston, and maybe I can get 'C' for Cleveland. That's not out of reach, you know.''
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.
WINTER HAVEN, FLA.: Brendan Donnelly knows it's coming. Any player whose name appeared in the Mitchell Report prepares for the inevitable question: Did you use steroids or human growth hormone?
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