Notes: Giambi relieved by decision
NEW YORK -- Jason Giambi expressed relief in escaping discipline from Major League Baseball, given his cooperation with Sen. George Mitchell's ongoing performance-enhancing substances investigation and his own off-field charitable activities.
Saying he considered the matter "over and done with," Giambi had been summoned to meet with Mitchell and discuss his personal training history. Commissioner Bud Selig announced Thursday that Giambi will not be punished, as he was "frank and candid" with Mitchell.
"I'm happy with it," Giambi said. "Now I can move forward and not hurt the ballclub by taking a suspension or anything like that."
In a letter to Giambi, Selig detailed that he had been convinced that further action was unnecessary after learning that Giambi intends to donate $50,000 to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, plus an additional donation of $50,000 in cash or equipment to the Harlem Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program.
Selig's letter also noted that Giambi will make an appearance at the MLB Academy in Compton, Calif., during the offseason, and participate in a check presentation ceremony for the Baseball Tomorrow Fund. Giambi said he had been involved with numerous charities even before agreeing to cooperate with the Mitchell investigation.
"I felt they were good programs and I thought they were great for the kids," Giambi said. "I know they were important for me before any of this was done."
Giambi said that his meeting with Mitchell went "great" and that the Senator handled Giambi's unique circumstances professionally. Giambi said that he was not sure how much his contributions had benefited the investigation.
"I'm just one piece of a huge puzzle, to be honest with you," Giambi said. "I really don't know how in-depth I go in the things I went through. I think they're just trying to go through. We'll see at the end, because I really don't know what is the light at the end of the tunnel."
The Yankees were pleased with the Commissioner's decision regarding Giambi, who recently returned from a left foot injury and started at first base Thursday.
"It's the last thing you want to be talking about," general manager Brian Cashman said. "We support the quality efforts of Bud Selig and the work he's been doing and continues to do to ensure this game is real. I think he's doing everything in his power to do so."
Key decisions: The city of New York honored Alex Rodriguez for hitting his 500th home run on Thursday, with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg presenting the infielder with a ceremonial key.
"We want A-Rod to know that he will always have a special place here in the greatest city in the world," Bloomberg said. "We hope that Alex will make New York his home for many years to come."
Those were interesting choices of words for the mayor, given Cashman's lengthy appearance on the New York sports talk radio station WFAN Thursday afternoon.
In an interview with host Mike Francesa, Cashman detailed that should Rodriguez decide to opt-out of his contract with the Yankees after this season, the club would have no interest in negotiating to keep the Major League home run leader past that point.
The reasoning, Cashman said, would be that as part of Rodriguez's current contract, the Texas Rangers are still responsible for $30 million on the back end of the deal. If Rodriguez opted out, that provision would be erased and, more than likely, any new club would have to assume that financial windfall plus an increase A-Rod could receive as part of a free-agent contract.
"It's something that has been in the papers before. It's nothing new," Cashman said. "If he opts out, the Yankees lose all that Texas money. It's the time to have the conversation before he decides to stay or go, and we'll do that at the end of the year."
Rodriguez has advised his agent, Scott Boras, that he has no intention of discussing terms of his contract during the season, though he has stated numerous times that he wants to be in New York.
"He's said publicly he wants to stay," Cashman said. "We've said publicly we want to keep him. We've both said we'll talk at the end of the year."
Nothing cooking: Manager Joe Torre said that he would "probably not" speak to Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield during this series in New York. Sheffield made waves with controversial comments that accused Torre of treating white and black players differently during his time with the Yankees.
"I meant what I said, said what I said, and stand by what I said," Sheffield said Thursday.
Torre declined to address Sheffield's comments, a stance he has taken for some time, but did offer compliments for Sheffield the player. Sheffield was booed soundly before his first at-bat in Thursday's game.
"Sheff always played his tail off when he was here," Torre said. "There was no question he went out there and played hard all the time, and needed to win. That's one of the reasons we signed him to begin with."
Time off for Mo? Mariano Rivera will have some down time after suffering the loss in Wednesday's series finale against the Orioles. Rivera allowed three runs in the 10th inning and was hit hard, and though the Yankees insist they do not know of any physical issues, Torre and pitching coach Ron Guidry have agreed that Rivera appeared to be forcing his delivery. Torre suggested that Rivera could be given the next two games off.
Headed home: Cashman said former North Carolina State University right-hander Andrew Brackman, the Yankees' top pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, headed home to Cincinnati on Thursday from Birmingham, Ala., where he visited with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews.
Brackman, 21, agreed to a four-year Major League contract with the Yankees on Wednesday ahead of an 11:59 p.m. ET deadline. He is expected to report to Tampa, Fla., this week, where a number of Draft picks are taking part in a minicamp.
Bomber bits: The Minnesota Twins claimed infielder Chris Basak, who was designated for assignment Wednesday, on waivers. ... The Yankees had a sign posted in their clubhouse warning against interaction with Tigers players this week, due to "medical issues we do not wish to contract." Several Detroit players have battled the flu recently. ... New York entered Thursday's action with the league's best record against the American League Central (23-7).
Coming up: The Yankees and Tigers play the second game of their four-game series on Friday at Yankee Stadium, with New York sending left-hander Andy Pettitte (9-7, 3.93 ERA) to the mound opposite left-hander Nate Robertson (7-9, 5.01 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
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