Giambi will meet with Mitchell

NEW YORK – Jason Giambi will meet with George Mitchell, agreeing right before baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s deadline Thursday to cooperate with the steroids investigator.

Giambi, who for the first time publicly admitted he had a “personal history regarding steroids,” will become the first active player known to speak with the former Senate majority leader. No date was set for their session.

The New York Yankees star announced his decision after he spoke on the phone with Selig. Lawyers for the players’ union and Major League Baseball reached a written agreement that set rules for the meeting.

The former American League MVP said he wouldn’t implicate other players.

“I alone am responsible for my actions and I apologize to the commissioner, the owners and the players for any suggestion that they were responsible for my behavior,” Giambi said in a statement.

Selig said the meeting with Mitchell will take place “promptly.” Following remarks by Giambi that seemed to be an admission of steroids use, the commissioner had threatened discipline if he didn’t talk to Mitchell.

Selig again left open the possibility of punishment.

“I will take Mr. Giambi’s level of cooperation into account in determining appropriate further action,” he said.

Mitchell’s investigation, which began in March 2006, has gone more slowly than he expected, and the former senator declined to comment on the agreement. Giambi said there were boundaries on what he would tell Mitchell.

“I will address my own personal history regarding steroids. I will not discuss in any fashion any other individual,” Giambi said.

Giambi hasn’t played since May 30 because of a foot injury and it is not known when he will return.

Arn Tellem, Giambi’s agent, described Wednesday’s conversation between his client and Selig as “open and heartfelt.”

“The commissioner was extremely persuasive in impressing upon us how important he felt it was that Jason speak with the senator,” Tellem said.

Tellem said Giambi’s decision not to discuss other players “tracks the approach Jason has always taken throughout: to not point fingers, to not deflect blame, but rather to accept responsibility for his own behavior.”

Giambi testified to a federal grand jury in 2003 that he used steroids during the 2001-03 seasons and human growth hormone in 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2004. He made a general apology before spring training in 2005 but didn’t specify what he was apologizing for.

His latest troubles began when he was quoted in USA Today last month discussing steroid use in baseball – during a period when the sport did not penalize most first-time drug offenders.

“(In a) a direct conversation the commissioner impressed upon me the idea that the game of baseball would be best served by such a meeting,” Giambi said. “I will continue to do what I think is right and be candid about my past history regarding steroids.”

If Selig disciplines Giambi, there is a good chance it would be overturned by an arbitrator as lacking “just cause,” the standard set by baseball’s labor contract. Even though it appeared Giambi had the better legal position, he didn’t want a fight.

“I did not want to put my family through a lengthy legal challenge in support of my position,” he said. “In addition, the uncertainty of my playing status could detract from the efforts of our team to win the American League East. My focus at this time needs to be on rehabbing my injury, getting back on the field and contributing to the goals of my team.”