Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images file

Roger Clemens said he chose to defend himself on the day a book about his alleged drug use was officially released.

Clemens’ radio appearance returns him to the spotlight as other stars had replaced him as the most visible reminders of baseball’s drug scandal. Alex Rodriguez admitted before the season that he had used steroids, and Manny Ramirez was suspended last week for violating MLB’s drug policy.

Clemens said he had not followed either situation closely. The Ramirez case proved “the testing program we have set up in Major League Baseball is great,” he said.

Clemens said he was sad to hear about Rodriguez.

“I wish him the best, tell him to move forward, continue to do what he’s doing,” he said.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre said he hoped for the best with Clemens.

“He was like a son to me for a period of time. I feel for him. I don’t know an answer, but I feel for him,” Torre said before Tuesday night’s game in Philadelphia.

Clemens played for Torre with the New York Yankees.

“In Roger’s case, as big a star as he’s been in this game, I’d hate to have people diminish what he’s accomplished, which is happening. I’m not trying to talk people out of it,” he said.

“When Roger sits there and tells you things, knowing the confidence level that he has, I’m sure he believes a lot of stuff. That’s who he is as a personality. That’s Roger,” he said.

Grabowski said Clemens would decide whether he wanted to do any more interviews after he returns from an upcoming vacation.

Clemens repeated his much-lampooned use of the word “misremembers” about friend and former teammate Andy Pettitte’s statement that Clemens told him he used HGH. He said he has spoken to Pettitte a few times, but not about the drug allegations.

“I don’t care to even comment on that or anything, OK?” Pettitte said Tuesday night before the Yankees played at Toronto.

Clemens said it would have been “suicidal” for him to use steroids because of a history of heart problems in his family.

“Everywhere I’ve gone and gotten the opportunity to speak to young kids or college kids, I take a lot of pride in telling those boys to get after it and do things the right way and take care of your body, because I know how I did it; I know how hard I worked,” Clemens said. “For some of that to come in question, of course it’s hurtful. But it’s not going to break my spirit.”

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