Selig asks Giambi to talk to Mitchell

Baseball
Jason Giambi got two messages yesterday. One was from commissioner Bud Selig telling him to talk steroids with George Mitchell. The other was from the players' union telling him to hold off. In the wake of Giambi's recent apology for "doing that stuff," Selig asked the New York Yankees star to cooperate with baseball's steroids investigator within two weeks. But Selig deferred a decision on whether to discipline Giambi for his remarks, saying how the slugger deals with the former Senate majority leader will be taken into account. If he complies, Giambi, on the disabled list with a foot injury, would become the first active player known to meet with Mitchell. No one can compel a player to cooperate with the 15-month-old probe, and the Major League Baseball Players Association would not commit to any meeting between Giambi and Mitchell . . . Troy Ellerman, the disgraced criminal defense attorney facing prison for leaking grand jury testimony in the BALCO steroids investigation, blamed alcohol, drugs, and depression for his downfall, according to court documents filed by prosecutors. Ellerman also said journalists' constant "hounding" led him to show transcripts of testimony by Giambi, Barry Bonds, and other athletes to a San Francisco Chronicle reporter. Prosecutors asked a federal judge to sentence Ellerman to two years in prison for leaking confidential grand jury testimony to the reporter and then lying about it under oath . . . Bonds (inflammation in his shins) was held out of the San Francisco Giants' starting lineup for the second straight night . . . White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he thinks the steroids investigation is unfairly targeting Latino players . . . Roger Clemens is set to make his 2007 major league debut Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates after throwing 55 pitches during batting practice at the New York Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa . . . Mark Mulder, rehabbing from rotator cuff surgery last September, threw off a mound for the first time Tuesday but said the St. Louis Cardinals shouldn't count on him coming to the rescue in the second half of the season . . . Abe Alvarez gave up one run and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings as the Pawtucket Red Sox beat the host Richmond Braves, 5-3 . . . Bryan Pritz drove in three runs as the visiting Portland Sea Dogs defeated the host Erie SeaWolves, 8-4.

Basketball

Billy Donovan is out in Orlando, and his cold feet could cost both him and the Magic. The Magic finally let Donovan out of a $5.5 million annual deal late last night after news broke days ago he was having second thoughts. Orlando is still coachless, and could miss out on second choice Stan Van Gundy if the Sacramento Kings hire him quickly. Donovan walked out of his first NBA job after just six days to return to Florida, where he won the last two national titles . . . As expected, Steve Kerr was named president of basketball operations and general manager of the Phoenix Suns. Kerr, 41, replaces Mike D'Antoni, who had been acting as the team's general manager in addition to his coaching duties . . . Tamika Catchings tied the WNBA record with seven steals in the first half of the host Indiana Fever' 84-59 victory over the Houston Comets.

NHL

The New York Islanders will buy out the remaining four years on captain Alexei Yashin's 10-year contract in the first step of an offseason overhaul they hope will include re-signing Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth. The Islanders will pay Yashin two-thirds of the remaining amount ($17.63 million) over the next eight years for a salary-cap hit of about $2.2 million per season. Yashin had 18 goals and 32 assists this season, when he missed 24 games with a sprained right knee. He was scoreless in the Islanders' five-game playoff loss in the first round to the Buffalo Sabres . . . The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Nik Antropov to a two-year extension.

Softball

Taryne Mowatt finished what she started, pitching all 60 innings in the tournament for Arizona to become the first pitcher to win seven games in the Women's College World Series, and the Wildcats won their eighth NCAA softball title, breaking loose against Tennessee ace Monica Abbott for a 5-0 victory in Oklahoma City. The top-seeded Wildcats (50-14) lost the opener in the best-of-three championship series, then bounced back to win the final two games. Jenae Leles hit a two-run single and Chelsie Mesa added a three-run homer for the Wildcats in the fifth inning.

Miscellany

Emirates Team New Zealand completed a 5-0 sweep of Luna Rossa in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup off Valencia, Spain, giving the Kiwis the right to challenge Swiss boat Alinghi for the America's Cup. The New Zealanders know what it's like to be outclassed, 5-0. At home in Auckland, the Kiwis faced the same humiliation at the hands of Alinghi in the 2003 America's Cup. The stage is set for a rematch, starting June 23. Emirates Team New Zealand is the first team to go undefeated in the Louis Vuitton Cup in the 24-year history of the event . . . The all-time smallest daily double payoff at Suffolk Downs occurred when the heavily favored Blind River Fox (1-to-9) and Williwagcanfly (1-to-2) won the first two races, respectively, resulting in a return of $3.40 on the $2 exotic wager. The record beat the mark set in 1998 when Tresoriere and Massachusetts Handicap winner Skip Away teamed up for a payoff of $3.60.