In his first comments since a tabloid linked him to extramarital affairs last week, Roger Clemens on Sunday acknowledged making "mistakes" in his personal life. For those mistakes, he apologized to his family and the public, but the seven-time Cy Young Award winner remained steadfast in his denials that he has used steroids or human growth hormone.

"I know that many people want to know what I have to say about the recent articles in the media," Clemens, who has raised his four children with his wife, Debbie, in the Katy and Memorial areas, said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. "Even though these articles contain many false accusations and mistakes, I need to say that I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry. I have apologized to my family and apologize to my fans. Like everyone, I have flaws. I have sometimes made choices which have not been right."

While not admitting to any specific mistakes, Clemens did remain adamant that he never used steroids or HGH. He has been fighting to clear his name since Dec. 13, when he was implicated in the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the report former Sen. George Mitchell prepared for Major League Baseball.

"I believe my personal life has nothing to do with the accusations of steroid and HGH use," he said in the statement. "I have already made clear that I did not use them."

Denies McCready story

Citing numerous anonymous sources, the New York Daily News reported last week that Clemens began his relationship with McCready when she was 15.

The tabloid claimed Clemens "carried on a decade-long affair with country star Mindy McCready, a romance that began when McCready was a 15-year-old aspiring singer performing in a karaoke bar and Clemens was a 28-year-old Red Sox ace and married father of two."

In his statement, Clemens addressed the McCready story.

"Now, I have been accused of having an improper relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Nothing could be further from the truth. This relationship has been twisted and distorted far beyond reality. It is just one of many, many accusations that are utterly false."

McCready, however, told the Daily News that she "cannot refute anything in the story" about her relationship with Clemens.

Request for privacy

Clemens is adamant that he won't confess just so the scrutiny will go away.

"I realize that many people want me to simply confess and apologize for the conduct that I have been accused of, but I cannot confess to, nor apologize for, things I did not do," he said. "I have apologized to my family for my mistakes. And having offered this apology to the public, I would ask that you let me and my family deal with these matters in private."

Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, told the Mitchell investigators that he injected the 11-time All-Star with performance-enhancing drugs. On Jan. 6, Clemens filed a defamation lawsuit against McNamee in Houston. On Feb. 13, he maintained his claims of innocence before a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing.

jesus.ortiz@chron.com