Shane Spencer Responds To Steroid Hoax, Clears His Name [AUDIO]

Yesterday we ran an interview we thought was with Shane Spencer. Unfortunately, after the interview was aired, we learned that the interview was with an imposter. During the interview, the Spencer imposter said that he used performance enhancing drugs and accused other players of doing the same while pretending to be Spencer. The real interview was scheduled to take place in advance and  was set-up through the official Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.

The real Shane Spencer agreed to come on the air and conduct an interview setting the record straight.  We here at 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio thank Shane for coming on the air and clarifying this unfortunate situation.  We, along with Shane, share the opinion that such criminal actions are not funny, have no sense of purpose, are bad for the individuals involved, and are bad for baseball as well as radio in general.  Now let’s listen to what Shane Spencer has to say.

Here is the full transcript:

Spencer:  Well, I got a text today from a friend saying that he heard me on ESPN Radio and I said, "well that is interesting." I thought it was a replay and that, so we kind of played back and forth a little bit. And he said some stuff that absolutely made no sense and then he sent me a link and I told him the last time I did an ESPN Radio interview was probably last summer.

And so, now all of a sudden he shows me the link and I start listening to the link and I probably didn’t get one minute into it and obviously I could tell that wasn’t me by the voice.  And then I just started talking about me actually doing steroids which I was appalled and outraged and you obviously got a phone call back from me this afternoon.

It’s just very disappointing that someone would call in and use my name and put down my former friends and, you know, pretty much are teammates that are practically my family coming up through the Yankee organization. I’m just disappointed that it even came to this.  And I’ve been here the last couple hours here with Mark, one of the guys helping me through all this stuff right now, and getting my name out there and trying to clear everything up.

It’s unfortunate, you know, it’s embarrassing. It really is embarrassing. Not only am I very upset that my name is out there because I am here working in New Jersey. I do a lot of stuff at Yankee Stadium, I work with kids, I’m a good role model and to see how this might affect me is very disappointing and I’m going to make sure that I clear my name out.

Lindsley: Okay Shane, is there anything else based on what you heard from the person who said that you used steroids, and don’t assume anything about guys like Rivera and Jeter. And anything about Roger Clemens?

Spencer:  You know what, I only listened to the very beginning. As soon as I heard talking about myself, I think it said something like the bulk of my career that I dabbled with it or something like that. I instantly hung-up the phone and I called my wife and then I called the station, your guys’ station, to make sure we got this stuff cleared. Because, obviously, I was on the baseball field yesterday and we had a doubleheader here, and then we had a game today and someone else called, not from my cell number that the station had.  And I will go back and listen to the whole thing but I really don’t want to.

I know this for a fact, that Derek Jeter and Tony, who work for the Yankees, both listened to it and I got a call from the clubhouse from them and they said it did not sound like me at all.  And obviously we’ve known Derek and Mariano for so long, they would box their attention from Wallace and they both said that doesn’t sound anything like him. But just to even have that brought up and my name brought up in those circumstances is embarrassing. And I just want to make sure I am going to spend most of this night trying to clear-up my name.

Lindsley:  And you’re saying, I need to add something though too, you are saying that this bothers you because you spent your whole career as a clean baseball player during that era?

Spencer:  Absolutely. Not even just that, that somebody else would imitate me or try to be me and speak on my behalf, that’s an absolutely wrong doing.

Lindsley:  And you can also probably relate now with everything that has been going on for a long time with a lot of people who guess or a lot of people who do things. And again, a lot of it is wrong which I agree with, but this has to do with the fact that the steroid era has all of these unanswered questions and accusations. And so you’re coming to the limelight right now saying, no, no, I was a clean player, this is nonsense, as was Jeter and Rivera and you are saying that Roger Clemens was clean.

Spencer:  Well absolutely. I only can speak on my behalf, but I played with Mariano and Derek and without a doubt I’ve never heard of things like that.  I’m actually friends with Roger Clemens.  His son plays in our league and there is a chance that I have to go and explain it to him.

I don’t know the facts, it’s none of my business. I know what I did. I took care of myself and I played as good as I could. I mean, I left it out there on the field and everyone that knows me, played with me, or been around me knows how it is and I am here to clear my name right now.

Lindsley:  We wish you the best, that is all I can really say at this point.