Sports Radio Service


		Giambi likely to be called at BALCO trial By Ken Gimblin and Joe Cronin January 7, 2009

	SAN FRANCISCO--Recently signed Oakland A's slugger Jason Giambi is more than likely going to be called and questioned about his testimony at the Mitchell investigation last season regarding what he knew about the Bay Area Labs which was founded by Victor Conte when the Barry Bonds BALCO/steroids perjury trial starts in March. Giambi and his brother Jeremy who both played for the A's were among a glitter of baseball stars who testified in the first Grand Jury investigation back in 2003 regarding about what they knew and who distributed steroids to them. Giambi in that hearing said he didn't have anything to do with steroids and played the game clean. When produced with evidence that he was involved with purchasing the Cream and the Clear provided by Barry Bonds trainer Greg Anderson during the 2000-2001 seasons Giambi in 2008 during the Senator George Mitchell investigation on MLB players suspected to be involved or receiving steroids came clean and also said he carried around a lot of guilt. Giamb said that he did in fact use steroids and it gave him the ability to hit with more power. Giambi who hit .247 with 32 homers and 96 RBIs signed on for a one year deal with the Oakland A's on Wednesday. A's General Manager Billy Beane was impressed with Giambi's recovery from steroids and his ability to still hit for average and hit the long ball without the substance. This week J.C. Romero a Philadelphia reliever and a former Florida Marlin was recently suspended for 50 games by the Phillies for testing positive for steroid use and owned up to using a product produced by BALCO chemist Patrick Arnold. Yankee minor leaguer Sergio Mitre was also suspended 50 games for steroid use which was described as an over the counter product, "we strongly disagree with the commissioner's discipline and with the arbitrator's decision, Mitre and Romero both legally purchased nutritional supplements from national chain stores in the United States. Nothing on the labels of those supplements indicated that they contained a trace amount of substance prohibited under Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program." said MLB Players Association council Michael Weiner. Federal prosecutors in the Bonds perjury trial may want to review or go over new testimony on how Giambi obtained the Cream and the Clear and any other steroid product from the BALCO labs. They will more than likely ask Giambi if he had injected and how he used the products. Giambi has been forthcoming with his steroid use and disclosed who distributed it to him. He was asked if he knew what other players received steroids and Giambi said he did not know only that he used. Giambi later apologized in a press conference at spring training at the Yankees camp last season for his steroid use. Giambi had one more year left worth $22 million for 2009 but the Yankees offered Giambi a $5 million option out of his final year of his $120 million deal. The steroids admission according to some in the New York media may have been Giambi's ticket out of New York as it embarrassed the Yankees brass. Giambi agent Arn Tellem knew that other teams would be in pursuit of Giambi after the Yankees bought him out and the A's who originally offered Giambi two years settled with Tellem and Giambi for a $4.5 million deal for 2009 and a $5.5 million option for 2010. It was not quite the amount of his final year in the Yankees contract but Giambi and Tellem won't have to worry where their next meal is coming from either. Ken Gimblin and Joe Cronin are covering the Barry Bonds BALCO/steroids trial which starts on March 2, 2009 for Sportstalk Radio.