Baseball Notes | Giambi meets with lawyers at MLB office

Jason Giambi

met with lawyers from the commissioner's office in New York yesterday to discuss his recent comments on steroids.

Also yesterday, the New York Daily News reported that Giambi had failed an amphetamines test.

The New York Yankees designated hitter was not interviewed about the amphetamines report. The newspaper said he had flunked the test within the last year.

Asked about the report at Yankee Stadium, Giambi said: "I can't give you an accurate explanation."

The meeting included Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations; senior vice president Frank Conelly; and Howard Ganz, an outside lawyer. Giambi was represented by union general counsel Michael Weiner and agent Arn Tellem.

Tellem and Manfred declined to discuss the meeting.

Giambi's comments that caused a stir appeared in Friday's editions of USA Today:

"I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up - players, ownership, everybody - and said: 'We made a mistake.' We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. . . . 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."

Righthander Carl Pavano probably is headed for reconstructive elbow surgery, potentially ending his unproductive stint with the Yankees.

After being examined by four doctors over the last few weeks, Pavano met with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to go over all the medical documents.

"All four doctors conclude that he has a damaged ligament and recommend Tommy John surgery," Cashman said.

Yankees rookie Phil Hughes threw 35 pitches off a mound during his first bullpen session since straining his left hamstring earlier this month.

The 20-year-old, considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, is expected to have another mound session tomorrow or Saturday.

The Oakland Athletics placed outfielder Milton Bradley on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left hamstring before the game against the Chicago White Sox.

Tampa Bay rookie Elijah Dukes was held out of the lineup against Seattle after a published report that his estranged wife had sought a restraining order after being threatened by the 22-year-old outfielder.

The St. Petersburg Times reported that NiShea Gilbert filed for court protection after receiving a threatening message on her cell phone on May 2, as well as a text message that included a picture of a handgun.

The Devil Rays said they were aware Dukes' marriage was ending, but that the allegations detailed in the story caught the team by surprise.

Arizona lefthander Randy Johnson will miss his next start tomorrow with tendinitis in his forearm. Manager Bob Melvin said there is no plan for the 43-year-old Johnson to go on the disabled list.

Medical tests confirmed that Cincinnati Reds outfielder Josh Hamilton has nothing more serious than an inflamed digestive tract. Hamilton had severe stomach pain Friday night in Cleveland, and the Reds placed him on the 15-day DL on Monday, when he was still weak from the ailment.

Sammy Sosa pinch-hit for Texas in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss to Minnesota. He struck out, remaining two homers short of 600 for his career.

The Seattle Mariners placed righthander Chris Reitsma on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow.

- Associated Press