As part of his investigation into Jason Giambi’s recent remarks to USA Today, Major League Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig, has asked Giambi to speak with George Mitchell in the next two weeks. If Giambi were to comply, he would be the first active player known to cooperate with Mitchell’s investigation into steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
There are rumblings that the commissioner’s office is upset that Giambi said they too should take some responsibility, and that Giambi is now being used to lend credibility to the Mitchell investigation. It is widely believed that MLB has no real recourse with Giambi, and any potential suspension would be easily shot down by the players union in arbitration.
Sources have told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney that Giambi is essentially being used by the Commissioner's office as a bargaining chip to try to give credibility to the Mitchell Investigation. If Giambi refuses to talk to Mitchell, it gives Selig the option of suspending Giambi -- and then picking a fight with the players' union and possibly taking that fight before an arbitrator.
Sources also have told Olney that there are ongoing negotiations between Major League Baseball and the players' union about Giambi testifying, but not necessarily to act as a snitch. Giambi's testimony potentially would be used to confirm details from leaked BALCO testimony.
The commissioner said in a statement that he will defer any decision on disciplining Giambi until after he has spoken with Mitchell, and that Giambi’s level of cooperation would affect Selig’s decision. The commissioner’s words are an unmistakable threat.
Selig and Mitchell have long lamented their inability to compel testimony in Mitchell’s investigation. Now the commissioner is using the threat of a suspension, which almost no one believes he would be successful in applying, to do just that. In Olney’s ESPN Insider Blog (registration required) on June 7, he speculated on Selig’s position.
And just like a parent, the commissioner must understand that if he makes threats like this, he'd better be prepared to back them up. Or else he will effectively weaken his own authority, like any parent who constantly makes idle threats.
I suspect the commissioner realizes this. He had to have known, even before issuing the statement, what course of action he intends to take if Giambi refuses to cooperate with the Mitchell investigation.
Some of Giambi’s teammates have since commented. Fellow New York Yankee, Mike Myers, a “member of the players' association pension committee and long-time union activist” had this to say.
"This sets the precedent for doing an interview. I think it's a joke. [They] want you to talk, but if they don't like what you say they will punish you more. There should be no punishment in the first place. [Giambi] spoke out against MLB and Selig doesn't like that. Now we are going to see what happens."
"What are you suspending him for? That's the biggest question right now. What are you going to fine him for? Because he did an interview [with USA Today]? Then players will stop doing interviews and Selig doesn't want that."
Yankees union representative, Mike Mussina also commented.
"To say either help us or you're suspended? I don't know. Bud Selig thinks he can do whatever he wants. It's like he is trying to do whatever he can."
It really seems like Selig doesn’t want players to give interviews. He should want players to talk. Any honesty in this situation would be refreshing. Dragging Giambi over the coals for admitting to something that he already admitted, for trying to take some responsibility (and saying others should too) is counter-productive.
"Discipline for wrongdoing is important, but it is also important to create an environment so players can feel free to honestly and completely cooperate with this important investigation."
It’s easy for Selig to say he wants players to speak freely and honestly, but his actions are saying the opposite. Why would a player speak out knowing the commissioners office will use whatever means to deflect blame from itself?
