John Rocker points finger at Selig,Major League Baseball

BRISTOL, Conn. - With Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee set to plead their cases before Congress on Wednesday, Major League Baseball has a new problem to deal with - John Rocker.

Rocker appeared on two separate Atlanta radio shows Monday and suggested that the league and the players association not only knew that he was on steroids, but that doctors for both parties advised him and several teammates how to effectively use the performance-enhancing drugs, according to a report on ESPN.com.

Rocker said Monday that commissioner Bud Selig knew that he failed a drug test in 2000. No stranger to controversy, Rocker made those comments on Atlanta radio station Rock 100.5, according to the report.

Later Monday, Rocker appeared on Atlanta sports talk radio station 680 The Fan and said that "between 40 to 50 percent of baseball players are on steroids" and "in 2000, Bud Selig knew John Rocker was taking the juice."

The comments are a departure from Rocker's position last March, when he told ESPN radio that, by his own guess, "less than 10 percent" of players were using illegal performance enhancing substances while he was in the majors.

"Basically it's a lot of media propaganda," Rocker told ESPN radio in March 2007. "It's a great scandal to drive ratings and sell newspapers."

Rocker was a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2000. He appeared in 59 games, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.89 ERA and 24 saves. A year earlier, he had a career-high 38 saves for the Braves.

Rocker played in 30 games for the Texas Rangers in 2002, throwing 24 1/3 innings.

Rangers executive vice president of communications Jim Sundberg said the Rangers will have no comment. The Rangers will leave it to MLB and the players' association to respond, according to ESPN.com.