Clemens' lawyer to probe report

Roger Clemens' lead attorney told the

New York Times

that his firm is launching its own investigation into allegations the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used steroids and human-growth hormone.

"We are convinced the conclusions in Mitchell's report are wrong and are investigating the findings ourselves," Rusty Hardin told the Times. "At this stage we have uncovered a lot of logical people who we thought Mitchell was going to talk to but never talked to him or his investigators. That's troubling."

Hardin declined to tell the Times the names of the individuals he was referring to.

Clemens will tell his side of the story in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview with Mike Wallace that will air Jan. 6. Hardin told the Times that Clemens will answer other reporters' questions after that interview.

Clemens was the biggest name in the report by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell that detailed the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

Many of the allegations against Clemens in the Mitchell report came from former trainer Brian McNamee. Mitchell wrote McNamee said he injected Clemens with steroids in 1998 while with the Toronto Blue Jays, and steroids and HGH in 2000 and 2001, while with the New York Yankees.

"He stands 100 percent behind the accuracy of the information he provided to Sen. Mitchell," McNamee's lawyer, Ed Ward, said in a recent statement.

* Righthander Mark Prior and his hometown San Diego Padres agreed to a $1 million, 1-year contract. Prior, 27, whose once-promising career has been sidetracked by injuries, missed the 2007 season after having right shoulder surgery on April 24. He last pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2006, when he made nine starts and went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA. *