Blue Says He’s Conquered Problems With Drugs, Wants to Pitch Again

Vida Blue, the American League’s Cy Young Award winner and most valuable player in 1971 while with the Oakland A’s, says his drug problems are behind him and he’s talking with several major league teams about a comeback.

“I’m OK,” Blue said after a charity game Sunday in Phoenix. “In fact, I’m fantastic. I’m also optimistic. I really think I’ll be playing baseball again next season. I’m excited about my chances.

“I’ve already gotten a couple of nibbles from a couple of major league teams--four, to be exact. Two in the American League West, one in the American League East and one in the National League West. I’m not at liberty yet to tell you who they are. I’m also thinking of going to Japan. I just want to play ball again.”

The 38-year-old Blue, who helped lead the A’s to three straight world championships from 1972-74, re-signed with Oakland last year but announced his retirement last February--one day before the pitchers and catchers were scheduled to report to Phoenix for spring training.

Speculation surfaced that Blue had tested positive for drugs, but he still declines comment on that.

The 6-foot, 195-pound left-hander was suspended from baseball in 1984 and spent 81 days in a Texas federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine in December 1983.

Blue did say he went though rehabilitation at a drug and alcohol center in Orange County in 1984 and also worked last summer with Carl Eller, a former all-pro for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, at a chemical dependency clinic in Minneapolis.