FORT MYERS, Fla. — They don’t get any more genuine than Mike Greenwell.

The former Red Sox left fielder was honored before yesterday’s game, which Boston won, 4-3, over the New York Mets, as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch along with friend and former GM Lou Gorman. Greenwell, who will be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in November, made it a point to let fans know how he feels about a few different subjects.

Among the topics he addressed yesterday at City of Palms Park were Roger Clemens, steroids, Dan Duquette and retirement. While the Fort Myers native was entertaining, his comments about his former teammate and steroids were interesting, to say the least.

“First of all, he’s the hardest worker I have ever met in my life — period,” said Greenwell about Clemens. “Both in sports and out of sports. It would blow me away how much he would work, and that’s the bottom line for me. Do I know or think or have an idea whether he did do any of that stuff? I really don’t. My thought is no, because he’s such a hard worker, but then you watch the hearings and see what’s going on; it does cast doubt.”

Greenwell said he feels players such as Pete Rose, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa should be in the Hall of Fame because of the numbers they produced.

But Greenwell has mentioned in the past that he feels he should be given the MVP award for 1988, when he finished second to Canseco.

“The difference between me and Canseco, his salary and mine, was because he was hitting 40 home runs and I knew why. I always took issue with the fact that I was putting up similar numbers without the power numbers. I was driving in the runs. I was a very clutch hitter. I was doing the things at a level players did back in the early ’80s and ’70s. Well, all at once, the numbers got crazy. Why? We all know why,” Greenwell said.

Greenwell played 12 seasons with the Red Sox (1985-96) and compiled a .303 batting average, 130 home runs and 726 RBI. Because of the pressure to perform, he felt if he had dabbled with performance-enhancing drugs he could have prolonged his career and recorded even better numbers.

“To be honest, I don’t blame them,” he said. “I understand the pressure, and I was very tempted myself, because I understand the pressure to perform. I’m proud of the fact I didn’t do it. I don’t regret it and I don’t want those guys to be punished for it.”

Greenwell, who was sporting a brand-new Red Sox hat and sitting in front of a picture backdrop of the Green Monster, said he felt the playing field during his career was not fair. It’s another reason he said he decided to retire at the age of 34.

Even though he said he was tempted to use performance-enhancing drugs, his family was the reason he did not.

“My wife’s a nurse, and basically told me she would kill me if she caught me doing it. That’s reality … I looked into it. I studied it and I knew a lot about steroids because I was very tempted to do it. If I didn’t have my wife, I would have done them,” he said.

Now Greenwell is hoping the game can clean itself up, especially since his son is playing professional baseball in the Cleveland Indians organization.

Turning his attention back to the Red Sox, Greenwell said it was exciting for him to be a fan when the Sox finally ended their 86-year drought by winning the World Series in 2004, and again in 2007. He has not been to Fenway Park since he retired, but is looking forward to visiting this season.

“I’m not mad at the Red Sox, if that makes any sense,” he said. “I was burnt out. I knew I would never come to Fenway as long as [Dan] Duquette was there. I really thought what he did to that organization was a shame, and I’ll say that right to his face.”

Greenwell remembers Duquette not allowing former Red Sox players like Johnny Pesky and Bob Stanley access to the clubhouse.

“I would hope I could walk in the Red Sox’ clubhouse and still feel part of that family,” he said. “Duquette took that away and I thought that was one of the worst things I have ever seen, not just in sports, but as a human being.”

Before ending his 25-minute news conference yesterday, Greenwell said it feels good to be part of the family again.

Colon goes tomorrow

Newcomer Bartolo Colon will make his first pitching appearance for the Red Sox tomorrow against Tampa Bay.