When Andy Pettitte declared using PEDs didn't help him improve his on-field performance

Former Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte once told the media that he didn’t use performance-enhancing drugs for rapid growth or improvement, or in simpler words, cheat!

In his defense, he said he used PEDs hoping to return sooner to the fold, while also believing that he’d recover sooner.

During an interview with ESPN radio in 2015, Andy Pettitte spilled the beans about his controversial PED story.

"People are going to say what they want to, believe what they want to," Pettitte said. "When you say PEDs to me, man, I just can't even comprehend that with me just because I don't really believe I tried to enhance my performance on the field."

Pettitte re-emphasized that he never tried to cheat anybody and that he played fair.

"I've never tried to do anything to cheat to enhance my performance on the field," Pettitte said.

Andy Pettitte spent 18 seasons in Major League Baseball, most of them with the New York Yankees, and had a brief spell with the Astros in between.

Pettitte is a three-time All-Star and has won the World Series championship five times! He also ranks as the MLB's all-time postseason-winning leader with 19.

Andy Pettitte admits to using HGH in 2002

In December 2007, Andy Pettitte admitted to using HGH twice in 2002 and once in 2004 to help him recover from an elbow injury.

He reaffirmed that he did it to heal faster and not enhance his performance.

"In 2002 I was injured. I had heard that human growth hormone could promote faster healing for my elbow," Pettitte said in the statement released to The Associated Press by agent Randy Hendricks.

"I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible. For this reason, and only this reason, for two days I tried human growth hormone," Pettitte concluded.