Jason Giambi has decided to talk. The Yankees DH, who faced a Thursday deadline from Major League Baseball to cooperate with their steroid investigation, decided yesterday to cooperate with baseball's steroid investigator George Mitchell. Giambi will have the inauspicious title of being the first known active player in baseball to talk to Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader. After speaking yesterday with Bud Selig, the commissioner of baseball, Giambi released a statement announcing his cooperation.
I will continue to do what I think is right and be candid about my past history regarding steroids. I have never blamed anyone nor intended to deflect blame for my conduct. I alone am responsible for my actions and I apologize to the commissioner, the owners and the players for any suggestion that they were responsible for my behavior.
I've come to this decision for a number of reasons. I did not want to put my family through a lengthy legal challenge in support of my position. In addition, the uncertainty of my playing status could detract from the efforts of our team to win the American League East.
Giambi will only talk about his "own personal history regarding steroids" and will not rat out other players that may have used performance enhancing drugs.
Giambi's punishment hasn't been determined yet, but Commissioner Selig said in a statement, “Once the interview process has concluded, I will take Mr. Giambi’s level of cooperation into account in determining appropriate further action." The Daily News says that Giambi will use his testimony from the BALCO investigation as a template for what he tells Mitchell. Mitchell is apparently unwilling to use leaked grand jury testimony reported in the San Francisco Chronicle in his investigation because it isn't public.
Giambi could still face face a fine or suspension from baseball, but The Post says the Yankees will not void his contract, agreeing to the Commissioner's request. The Times says the Yankees can't void Giambi's contract because "Selig is personally deciding Giambi’s punishment." In the past, the Yankees have suggested that they could terminate Giambi's contract if they wanted to.
No date for has been set for Giambi, who is on the disabled list for a torn plantar fascia, to meet with Mitchell. For most of his teammates, mum's the word on the whole issue. Johnny Damon was the only one to talk about the news that Giambi is talking, "I've always thought that what is in the past is in the past. We'll see what comes out of it. Hopefully there's some good and they'll find out what they want to know. Hopefully Jason can someday real soon live a normal life."
The text of Giambi's full statement follows in the extended entry via ESPN:
