In one of the most unusual news conferences in Yankees history, Jason Giambi broke his silence Thursday, but he didn’t say much . . . including the word “steroids.”
Making his first public appearance since it was revealed in the San Francisco Chronicle late last year that he admitted to a federal grand jury he took steroids for three seasons, Giambi opened by apologizing to fans, teammates and the Yankees organization.
But when he was pressed to explain what he was sorry for, Giambi repeatedly admitted he was advised not to go into detail as to why, citing his “ongoing legal matters.”
Had Giambi admitted to using steroids with the Yankees, it would have given the team more of a legitimate reason to pursue terminating the last four years and $82 million on his contract, which is what the team has wanted to do since his testimony came out.
“I understand the fans may want more [of an explanation],” he said. “But at this time, because of legal matters, I can’t get into the specifics. Hopefully, some day I can.”
Flanked by his agent, Arn Tellem, general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Torre, Giambi, however, did say he told the truth when he went before a federal grand jury investigating BALCO in late 2003. But he would not elaborate, saying his attorneys “gave me certain points I could talk about and certain points I can’t talk about.”
According to the Chronicle story, Giambi told the federal grand jury in great detail about his use of performance-enhancing steroids leading up to the All-Star break in 2003.
After suffering through a terrible 2004 season in which he was slowed by an intestinal parasite and a benign tumor reportedly on his pituitary gland, Giambi said he has been working out every day at his home in Henderson, Nev. Asked if his injuries were related to his steroid use, Giambi said doctors have told him they were not.
Dressed in a black striped suit with a black shirt, Giambi turned red in the face and his voice choked up early in the news conference held in an auxiliary clubhouse. Asked why he told reporters last spring he never took steroids just months after he testified otherwise, Giambi said, “I wish I would have done a lot of things differently. I’m sorry for that.”
Giambi also revealed he had a phone conversation with owner George Steinbrenner a few weeks ago in which he told the Yankees owner, “I’m not a quitter.” Steinbrenner’s publicist, Howard Rubenstein, who said Thursday the two had not been in contact this winter, spoke with Steinbrenner later and confirmed the phone call.
Steinbrenner also released a statement that said, “It takes a helluva big man to stand up and apologize to his teammates, to the Yankeees and to fans . . . and admit he was wrong.”
