Former MLB player Johnny Damon says he was 'booted' from baseball for being clean

Johnny Damon hit .284 with 235 career home runs and 1,139 RBI in 18 MLB seasons. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

Former Major League Baseball player Johnny Damon says he played his entire 18-year career without ever using performance-enhancing drugs and that his PED abstinence is the reason he is not playing today.

Damon made the comments during an appearance Thursday on 810 CBS Sports in Orlando. Damon last played in 2012 with the Cleveland Indians, hitting .222 with four home runs and driving in 19 runs in 207 at-bats.

“I played it clean,” Damon said. “That’s what everybody’s going to be looking at. I think I’m one of the only players to come out and say, ‘I guarantee you there is nothing I’ve done that enhanced my baseball career.’

Damon says that staying away from steroids and other PEDs forced him out of the game. He also said that players receive a “slap on the wrist” for cheating.

“You can’t fault someone who has a chance to make $20 million, 50$ million, $100 million for going against the system to get to where they are. You can’t fault them, but I’m as clean as they came and I got booted out of the game because I’m clean,” Damon said. “I sound a little bitter, but I’m not. I have six great kids and I get to be around them every day now. But there are certain guys who cheated the system and they’re still being patted on the back. That’s not great for our kids.”

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