Chapter[ VIII. Information Obtained Regarding Other Players’ Possession or Use of
Steroids and Human Growth Hormone ]
Section[ Chris Donnels ]
Chris Donnels
Chris Donnels played parts of eight seasons as an infielder with five teams in
Major League Baseball between 1991 and 2002, the New York Mets, Houston Astros, Boston
Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
402 See Lee Jenkins, Palmeiro Case Centers on Popular Drug, N.Y. Times, Aug. 3, 2005,
at D1.
403 Jim Street, Franklin Suspended for 10 Days, mlb.com, Aug. 2, 2005.
404 Id.
190
Radomski met Donnels while they were both with the Mets in 1991 and 1992.
Radomski sold both human growth hormone and steroids to Donnels from 2000 to 2004.
Radomski produced eight checks and money orders from Donnels. The earliest was dated
November 29, 2001 and the latest June 23, 2004; they totaled $9,950. The amounts of these
checks and money orders varied because, according to Radomski, Donnels paid him “whenever
he got money.” All are included in the Appendix. One is shown below.
Donnels’s name, with an address and several telephone numbers, is listed in the
address book seized from Radomski’s residence by federal agents.
Donnels agreed to speak with members of my investigative staff. He said that he
had been expecting to hear from us. Donnels said that his first discussions about anabolic
steroids occurred in 1993, when he was playing for the Houston Astros. Ken Caminiti, who also
was then with the Astros, asked Donnels what he knew about steroids, and thereafter they spoke
frequently about the subject and conducted their own research. Caminiti eventually told Donnels
that he was going to try steroids; Donnels believes that was the first time Caminiti had tried
them. Donnels felt that using steroids was “not the right thing to do,” and he decided against
using the drugs then.
191
Donnels played in Japan for four years and then signed with the Dodgers
organization in 2000 after reconstructive shoulder surgery. He considered “taking something to
speed up his recovery,” and he recalled hearing “talk about HGH” during this time. Donnels
began researching human growth hormone on his own. He knew that human growth hormone
was illegal, but he was also aware that Major League Baseball did not test for it. While on a
rehabilitation assignment with the Dodgers’ class AAA affiliate in Albuquerque, he talked to
strength and conditioning coach Todd Seyler about human growth hormone, and they both
conducted research on the internet. Seyler said that Donnels admitted using human growth
hormone and seemed very knowledgeable about steroids.
One month into the 2001 season, Donnels hurt his back. He had 10 to
15 cortisone injections, and a Dodgers physician eventually told him he could not receive any
more injections. Donnels called Radomski, who he had not spoken with since 1992. Donnels
does not remember who referred him to Radomski, but he recalls having discussions with Todd
Hundley about performance enhancing substances and Radomski. After some discussions,
Radomski sold Donnels testosterone, Dianabol, Deca-Durabolin, human growth hormone,
Vicodin, and amphetamines. Donnels said that the steroids and human growth hormone “sat
around for awhile before [he] used them.”
Donnels did one six-week cycle of steroids and human growth hormone
beginning in August 2001. Radomski sent Donnels a protocol dictating that he inject the steroids
twice per week and inject the human growth hormone every day for two weeks. Donnels said
that he only took 25% to 50% of what Radomski recommended. Donnels recalled “feeling pretty
good going into the 2002 season.”
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Donnels said that he told Dodgers athletic trainer Matt Wilson that he was
considering using performance enhancing substances. Wilson told him to “look it up on the
computer” and said “I don’t need to hear anything about it.”405
After starting his cycle of steroids and human growth hormone in 2001, Donnels
was assigned to the Dodgers’ class AAA affiliate in Las Vegas for rehabilitation. While there,
he was tested under the minor league testing program (which began in 2001). Donnels expected
to test positive but never heard anything about the results of his test. He speculated that he may
have been wrongly tested under the minor league program because he was on the Dodgers’ 40man
major league roster at the time. Donnels felt that he “dodged a bullet,” and the incident
“scared him straight.”
Nevertheless, Donnels continued to use human growth hormone because there
was no testing for it. Donnels stated that he purchased human growth hormone from Radomski
in 2003 because his “body was going downhill,” and while playing in the minor leagues his team
had a chance to go to the playoffs.
Donnels said that he again purchased human growth hormone from Radomski in
2004. He had enjoyed playing in 2003 so much that he was “looking for a farewell tour.” He
said that many players use performance enhancing substances “just to stay on the field, not to set
records.” Donnels ultimately decided not to use the human growth hormone he purchased from
Radomski in 2004, however.
Donnels was approached by several players about the availability of performance
enhancing substances during his playing days, and he referred several Major League Baseball
405 Wilson did not recall any such conversation with Donnels.
193
players to Radomski. Donnels contended he could not remember the names of those players but
added that he probably would not identify any players that he did know to be using.
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