Tejada pleads guilty to lying to Congress

Posted: Wed Feb 11 12:45 PM

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of lying to congressional investigators about his knowledge of the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

Tejada could face a maximum sentence of a year in prison, but a lighter penalty -- such as probation and/or a fine -- is likely. Sentencing was scheduled for March 26.

In January 2008, Congress asked the Justice Department to investigate Tejada, who told congressional staff members in 2005 that he had never taken steroids, had never seen players take steroids and had never heard other players talk about steroids.

However, Tejada's name was mentioned in the Mitchell Report on performance- enhancing drugs in baseball, released in December 2007.

The Mitchell Report stated that Tejada had conversations in 2003 with then Oakland Athletics teammate Adam Piatt about steroids and human growth hormone. It also stated that Piatt obtained steroids for Tejada, and copies of checks from Tejada to Piatt were also provided in the report.

Tejada, the 2002 AL MVP with Oakland, first came under scrutiny by former Baltimore teammate Rafael Palmeiro, who told Congress under oath in March 2005 that he had never taken steroids. Palmeiro was later suspended by baseball during the 2005 campaign after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He denied knowingly taking steroids and blamed the positive result on a B-12 vitamin shot he allegedly received from Tejada.

After seven seasons with Oakland, the Orioles gave Tejada a six-year, $72 million contract following the 2003 campaign and traded him to Houston the day before the Mitchell Report was released in December 2007.

A career .286 hitter in 12 big league seasons, Tejada batted just .283 with 13 homers and 66 runs batted in for the Astros last year.