Fast Break
Baseball
M’s reportedly offer Griffey deal
On the eve of a spring training camp that will unveil multiple changes by the Seattle Mariners, a popular old name became the focal point Thursday.
The Mariners have continued talks with free agent Ken Griffey Jr. and, according to mlb.com, have offered him a one-year contract.
The Mariners would not confirm or deny the report. Griffey’s agent, Brian Goldberg, told the Associated Press only that he had recently talked to the team.
The 39-year-old Griffey, who had off-season surgery to repair a torn meniscus and cartilage in his left knee, would need to pass a physical exam before the deal becomes final. That may not happen until next week because Griffey is playing this weekend in the ATT Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in California.
“We don’t know what we’re doing next year with respect to Seattle,” Griffey told the Associated Press after finishing his round Thursday. “It’s all rumors.”
Mariners pitchers and catchers report for physical exams today with their first workout Saturday morning. Position players will undergo physicals Tuesday and the first full-squad workout is Wednesday.
Junior hockey
Chiefs take ice versus Hawks
The Spokane Chiefs, coming off a 5-2 win over Everett, move on to Portland tonight for a 7:30 game against the Winter Hawks.
The Wednesday victory moved the Chiefs within six points of first place Tri-City in the U.S. Division. The Winter Hawks are in last place in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference.
The Chiefs return home Saturday to take on Edmonton at 7 p.m. at the Arena, the start of a three-game homestand. They face Prince George on Sunday at 6 p.m. and then meet Seattle on Wednesday before leaving for a four-game road trip that includes Seattle, Tri-City, Vancouver and Kamloops.
Baseball
Most of Clemens’ suit dismissed
A federal judge dismissed most of Roger Clemens’ defamation lawsuit against his former personal trainer, saying statements made in the Mitchell Report on doping in baseball are protected.
Brian McNamee has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and a House of Representatives committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998-2001.
McNamee’s attorneys said Clemens’ lawsuit should be thrown out because McNamee was compelled to cooperate by federal investigators.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison agreed, but he left in McNamee’s statements to Andy Pettitte, Clemens’ former New York Yankees teammate. McNamee told Pettitte that Clemens had used HGH and steroids.