Clemens appears at Astros’ camp

Pitcher vows steroids controversy won't keep him away

Former Houston pitcher Roger Clemens makes an appearance at the Astros Elite baseball camp Wednesday in Houston.

? Roger Clemens showed up at the Houston Astros’ minicamp Wednesday and sidestepped a question about his upcoming appearance before a House committee investigation performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

“I’m not going to talk about that,” said Clemens, dressed in jogging pants, a hooded sweatshirt and a baseball cap. “I’m doing it the right way and do what I need to do. We’re going to do it the right way.”

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner has been invited to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for a deposition or transcribed statement on Feb. 5 and public testimony eight days later. His former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, and former teammate Andy Pettitte also have been invited.

McNamee said in last month’s Mitchell Report on drug use in baseball that he injected Clemens at least 16 times with steroids or HGH in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens has repeatedly denied the accusations, and Lanny Breuer, one of the pitcher’s lawyers, said Tuesday that his client stood by his previous denials.

Clemens has a personal services contract with the Astros that starts following his retirement as a player.

“Like I said, I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I think my track record is what it is. I think there’s enough of you standing in front of me that have known me for a long, long time. It is what it is.”

The Astros kept an open invitation for Clemens to participate in the minicamp, a precursor to spring training next month. Clemens planned to throw batting practice and talk to the Astros prospects.

“I’m doing everything I love to do,” he said.