MLB Notes: Angry Gonzalez shoots down exec's steroid speculation

Luis Gonzalez isn't happy about defending himself.

PHOENIX — Arizona left fielder Luis Gonzalez reacted angrily on Thursday after the Diamondbacks' top executive told a newspaper there have been "whispers" about whether the five-time All-Star used performance-enhancing drugs.

Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick did not accuse his team's most popular player of cheating. But he mentioned Gonzalez's name in a rambling interview with The Arizona Republic about steroids in baseball, which prompted Gonzalez to call a news conference two hours before the Diamondbacks played San Francisco.

"Just to have your name thrown in it — I've had phone calls from 7:30 this morning till right now," Gonzalez said. "I don't want to be in this situation. I don't think any of my teammates do.

"He's trying to protect the game of baseball in his own way," Gonzalez said, referring to Kendrick. "It's unfortunate that I almost have to sit here today to defend myself for no reason."

In the interview, Kendrick said, "I'll be blunt with you and say there have been certainly whispers about Luis Gonzalez. Because he's such a high-profile guy and you can make a case of his numbers five years ago versus his numbers today and therefore he must have been doing something. Well, he's also five years older."

Gonzalez hit 57 homers in 2001, the year the Diamondbacks won the World Series. His previous high was 31 homers, and he hasn't hit more than 28 in a season since.

Kendrick stressed, "I don't have any suspicions about Luis Gonzalez. Any more than I would about any other player."

Kendrick's remarks — and Gonzalez's quick response — came nine days after the Diamondbacks learned that federal agents had searched reliever Jason Grimsley's home in an investigation into performance-enhancing drugs. The team released Grimsley on June 7 and doesn't want to pay him the remainder of his $825,000 salary.

Asked if he believed Grimsley was the only Diamondbacks player to use performance-enhancing drugs, Kendrick told the newspaper, "Absolutely, I don't think he is."

Gonzalez acknowledged that his name was raised in steroid-related speculation after his big 2001 season.

"It was a great year for me," he said. "That's all I can say."

Notes

• Yankees pitcher Randy Johnson was suspended five games by the commissioner's office for intentionally throwing at Cleveland's Eduardo Perez Wednesday night. He is expected to appeal. New York manager Joe Torre was suspended for one game and will serve his suspension today. Each was fined an undisclosed amount.

• In an open letter to fans, commissioner Bud Selig said he will not tolerate the use of human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. Selig's letter was to appear in several publications today and on MLB.com.

• Boston sent right-hander David Riske, from Renton's Lindbergh High School, to the Chicago White Sox for lefty Javier Lopez in a trade of relievers. Riske was 0-1 with a 3.72 earned-run average for Boston.

• With the worst team batting average in the National League and the third-fewest homers in the majors, San Diego fired Dave Magadan as hitting coach and replaced him with Merv Rettenmund. Rettenmund, the Padres' hitting coach from 1991-99, had been a roving hitting instructor for Toronto.

• John Wetteland was removed as the Washington Nationals' bullpen coach and offered another job with the organization because of what manager Frank Robinson said were "philosophy differences." Robinson said he asked Wetteland several times to get the team's relievers to focus more and cut down on practical jokes, such as lighting firecrackers.

• The Kansas City Royals, responding to a rising tide of criticism, said the credentials of two radio reporters were revoked because of "decorum" and not because they asked difficult questions. The credentials were yanked last Friday, the day after a news conference introducing Dayton Moore as the Royals' general manager.

• Minnesota traded infielder Juan Castro back to Cincinnati for minor-league outfielder Brandon Roberts. Castro spent five years with the Reds before signing with the Twins before the 2005 season.

• Oakland placed DH Frank Thomas on the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps.