Chapter[ VIII. Information Obtained Regarding Other Players’ Possession or Use of
Steroids and Human Growth Hormone ]
Section[ Larry Bigbie ]
Larry Bigbie
Larry Bigbie played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 2001 to 2006
for the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals. In 2007, Bigbie played in
the minor leagues.
Radomski said that David Segui introduced Bigbie to him. Segui and Bigbie were
teammates on the Orioles from 2001 through 2004. When Segui came to New York, Radomski
375 See Transcript: David Segui’s interview with ESPN, espn.com (June 18, 2006); see
also Bob Nightengale, Ex-player Segui Admits HGH Use, USA Today (June 19, 2006), at C1.
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occasionally socialized with him and some of the younger Orioles players, one of whom was
Bigbie. Radomski’s first contact with Bigbie was in 2003. Thereafter, Radomski sold a variety
of performance enhancing substances to Bigbie on a number of occasions. Bigbie consistently
paid by check. Because Bigbie was young and “not making that much money,” Radomski said
he charged Bigbie no more than his cost for the substances.
Radomski retrieved from his banks three checks written by Bigbie. All are
included in the Appendix. The first was dated June 4, 2004, in the amount of $200, with a memo
stating “DUES.” Radomski believed this may have been payment for supplements, not
performance enhancing substances.376 The second, dated March 5, 2005, in the amount of
$1,200, was for human growth hormone. This check is shown below. The third check, dated
May 6, 2005, in the amount of $1,300, with a memo stating “Supplements,” was for two kits of
human growth hormone.
376 Bigbie believes this check was most likely for an amount outstanding from an earlier
purchase for performance enhancing substances.
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Bigbie’s name, with two addresses and a telephone number, is listed in the
address book seized from Radomski’s residence by federal agents. The agents also seized a
piece of a shipping receipt with Bigbie’s address.
Bigbie has been cooperating with federal authorities in connection with their
investigations into the illegal distribution of performance enhancing substances. As part of his
cooperation and at the request of federal law enforcement authorities, Bigbie agreed to be
interviewed by members of my investigative staff. Federal law enforcement agents were present
at the interview and advised him that any false statements made in their presence during the
interview could be considered a violation of federal law.
Bigbie’s account of his use and interaction with Radomski was consistent with
Radomski’s account. Bigbie said that when he was first promoted to the Orioles’ major league
club in June 2001, he quickly became a friend of David Segui. Segui allowed Bigbie to live in
his house rent-free for the 2001 season.
According to Bigbie, Segui never “pushed” any drugs on him. Bigbie sought
Segui’s advice on how to become more “competitive.” Segui responded by educating Bigbie
about various training regimens and the use of creatine. Bigbie had never before used steroids
but wanted to be more competitive, and therefore raised the subject with Segui. Bigbie said that
Segui was knowledgeable about steroids; he described to Bigbie the types of steroids Bigbie
should use to gain weight and the types to use to “get more trim.”
Toward the end of the 2001 season, Bigbie used Deca-Durabolin for the first time.
Bigbie was afraid of needles, so he had Segui inject him. Segui provided the steroids at no
charge. Bigbie said that Segui initially placed him on a cycle of Deca-Durabolin twice a week
and testosterone three times a week. Bigbie took a second cycle of steroids, this time Sustanon
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(also supplied by Segui at no charge), which he began in late November or early December 2001
and continued until spring training in 2002. He coupled this anabolic steroid use with regular
strength workouts.377 Bigbie’s body underwent significant changes by spring training of 2002.
He said that “you can’t even compare it.” His weight increased from 190 pounds to 220 pounds,
but with only seven percent body fat. Bigbie said that when he reported to spring training in
2002, several players and the Orioles strength coach commented on his enhanced physique.378
In 2002, Bigbie was injured and essentially missed the entire season. During the
off-season prior to the 2003 season, Bigbie used Deca-Durabolin and testosterone from about
November until the start of spring training. He said that he was educated enough about steroid
use by then that he thought he did not need guidance. He obtained the steroids from a dealer at a
local gym, and a friend administered the injections.
Bigbie believed that 2003 was a “make or break” season for him, leading him to
use steroids extensively during the off-season. At Segui’s suggestion, he also used anti-estrogen
drugs, which he obtained from Segui, when he stopped using steroids. Bigbie used Deca-
Durabolin and testosterone during the season. Once again, Segui supplied him with the anabolic
steroids at no charge.
377 Bigbie did give Segui a check for $1,000 at the end of the 2001 season but said that
the payment was a gesture of thanks for allowing Bigbie to live rent-free at Segui’s house.
Bigbie noted that he was making the major league minimum salary while Segui was making
$7 million a year.
378 Tim Bishop, the Orioles former strength and conditioning coach, has been reported to
have said that a player on a vigorous weight program for five months in the off-season would be
doing “very good” to gain ten pounds of muscle mass. See Mel Antonen, USA Today Poll: 79%
of Players Want Drug Testing, USA Today, July 8, 2002, at 4. Bishop reportedly said,
“Anything more than that, it’s a sure sign that something else is going on.” Id. When my
investigative staff asked Bishop about this quote, Bishop acknowledged that it was accurate but
said that by “something else” he was referring only to creatine and protein shakes.
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Bigbie said he was unconcerned about Major League Baseball’s “survey” drug
testing that began in 2003. He knew all players would be tested but that no one’s name would be
revealed in the event of a positive test.
Bigbie recalled meeting Kirk Radomski in 2003 during a trip to New York. Segui
introduced Bigbie and Brian Roberts to Radomski over lunch. Afterward, Segui made a steroid
purchase from Radomski from inside Radomski’s car, which, according to Bigbie, was heavily
stocked with performance enhancing substances and paraphernalia. Roberts was not present.
Bigbie recalled being “nervous as hell.”379 After Bigbie first met Radomski, Radomski called
him occasionally to see how he was doing and just to chat, but not to solicit steroid sales. Bigbie
never felt that Radomski pressured him to buy anything.
Later in the season, Bigbie pulled a hamstring muscle. He was sent to Sarasota on
a rehabilitation assignment. To help him recover from the injury and finish the season strong,
Bigbie purchased Sustanon and Deca-Durabolin from Radomski. Radomski addressed the
package to Bigbie at his condominium in Florida, and Bigbie mailed Radomski a check for at
least $500.
Bigbie stayed in Baltimore during the 2003 off-season. He trained with Orioles
strength and conditioning coach Tim Bishop, but they did not discuss performance enhancing
substances. That off-season, Bigbie used fewer steroids than he had in the prior off-season
because he knew he would be tested in the coming season. At the beginning of the off-season, to
“jump-start” his training he did use some Deca-Durabolin and Sustanon for two or three weeks
(he was not using while he was training with Bishop).
379 While Radomski did not recall this specific incident, he said that it was possible that it
occurred.
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It was at this time that he started to learn more about human growth hormone
from Radomski, who said he could supply this substance as well. Radomski explained to Bigbie
that there was no test for human growth hormone, that it would make Bigbie stronger and keep
him lean, and that it would enhance his recovery from wear and tear as well as improve his sleep.
Initially, Bigbie did not use human growth hormone because he was concerned about potential
side effects, such as organ enlargement, cancer and cyst growth. He also was concerned that it
might hinder his ability to have children.
With the continuation of steroid testing in 2004 by Major League Baseball, Bigbie
reevaluated his options. He switched to human growth hormone before the 2004 season and
never again took steroids. He paid Radomski approximately $1,300 for one kit of human growth
hormone, which he took every day for one month.
Bigbie was emphatic that the implementation of drug testing was the only reason
he ever used human growth hormone. Before switching to human growth hormone, he talked to
Segui. Bigbie knew Segui was using human growth hormone, but Segui told him he used it
because his body was worn down from numerous injuries. According to Bigbie, Segui told him
that “everyone” was going to jump to human growth hormone use after the implementation of
steroid testing. Bigbie did not believe that he was seeing a benefit from using human growth
hormone that was comparable to the effects he had seen with steroids.
Bigbie was tested during 2004. He had no concerns about testing positive
because he was only taking human growth hormone then.
Bigbie estimated that he bought five or six kits of human growth hormone from
Radomski in 2004 and 2005. He confirmed that checks written on his account on March 5 and
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May 6, 2005, payable to Radomski, for $1,200 and $1,300, respectively, were each for one kit of
human growth hormone, which he used shortly after receipt.
Bigbie was traded to the Colorado Rockies on July 30, 2005. He said that he did
not use any performance enhancing substances during his two-month tenure with the Rockies.
On December 7, 2005, Bigbie was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He called
Radomski to order human growth hormone to prepare for spring training. Radomski by then was
cooperating with the federal authorities, who monitored the call. Bigbie was then approached by
federal law enforcement authorities and began his cooperation with them.
Bigbie said he has not used performance enhancing substances since he began to
cooperate with authorities. Bigbie stated that there was a lot of small talk among Cardinals
players about steroids, and he discussed performance enhancing substances with one player who
said that he had a source for any performance enhancing substance Bigbie might want.
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