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Baseball

Wells: Steroid abuse is commonplace

NEW YORK -- David Wells claimed as many as 40 percent of major-leaguers use steroids and that amphetamines are readily available in clubhouses.

"As of right now, I'd estimate 25 to 40 percent of all major-leaguers are juiced. But that number's fast rising," Wells wrote in Perfect I'm Not! Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball, an autobiography scheduled for release next month.

Wells also admits he was "half-drunk" and had a "raging, skull-rattling hangover" when he pitched his perfect game against Minnesota in May 1998, having stayed at the Saturday Night Live season-ending party until 5 a.m., eight hours before gametime.

A copy of the galleys of the book, written by Chris Kreski, was obtained by the Associated Press from publisher William Morrow.

"Down in the minors, where virtually every flat-broke, baloney-sandwich-eating Double-A prospect is chasing after the same, elusive, multimillion-dollar payday, the use of anabolic homer-helpers is flat-out booming," Wells wrote.

"As a pitcher, I won't ever object to a sleepy-eyed middle infielder beaning up to help me win," Wells said. "That may not be the politically correct spin on the practice, but I really couldn't care less."

Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor relations in the commissioner's office, declined comment on Wells' claims.

The 39-year-old left-hander was not available for comment.

Steroids, according to Wells, have changed the game.

"The '78 Yankees look like a high-school team when compared to today's players," he said. "The '86 Mets, for all their cocky swaggering, hard-drinking machismo, look like pencil-necked pushovers. Even my '92 Blue Jays look like 98-pound weaklings. ... A lot of today's superstars are basically shaped like barrels with heads."

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