| Giambi case turned over to Selig |
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| Written by Admin |
| Thursday, 24 May 2007 13:50 |
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NEW YORK (AP) -Commissioner Bud Selig likely will decide within a week or two exactly what to do, if anything, with Jason Giambi. The New York Yankees designated hitter was questioned Wednesday by management lawyers for recent comments in USA Today that could have been interpreted as an admission of steroids use. Selig probably will issue a statement even if he doesn't discipline Giambi, a baseball official familiar with the process said Thursday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the parties involved agreed not to discuss the matter publicly while Selig is deliberating. Lawyers who represent players and teams have said it would be difficult for Selig to suspend Giambi for steroids use prior to 2005 and have it upheld by an arbitrator. Baseball management and the players' association didn't agree to ban steroids until Sept. 30, 2002. In 2003 and 2004, players could be suspended for a first offense only if it involved criminal convictions for use and possession of prohibited substances, and participation in the sale or distribution of prohibited substances. Suspensions for a first positive test involving steroids began in 2005. Before the 2005 season started, Giambi held a news conference and apologized - but he never said what he was apologizing for. In last Friday's editions of USA Today, Giambi was quoted as saying: `I was wrong for doing that stuff. ... Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it.'' Giambi told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he used steroids during the 2001-2003 seasons and Human Growth Hormone in 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. But that testimony has not been made public, making it unlikely it could be used by management to defend a grievance. The Yankees did not have a representative at Wednesday's meeting, and Selig told the team not to comment. Giambi's $120 million, seven-year contract is guaranteed through the 2008 season, and the Yankees don't appear to have grounds to terminate the deal. |
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