Union upset by steroids probe
Baseball notebook
May 5, 2006
NEW YORK - Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell has asked several former and current major-leaguers for medical and telephone records, requests the players' union says overstep the scope of Baseball's steroids investigation.
Michael Weiner, the union's No. 3 official, sent an e-mail to agents Friday telling them to inform the union if any clients are contacted by Mitchell.
The union told the agents that the investigation by Mitchell, who was hired by commissioner Bud Selig, was a "substantial disruption" to the bargaining relationship between the players' association and Major League Baseball.
"The scope of the investigative efforts to date are plainly inconsistent with the provisions of the basic agreement, related agreements and other statutory rights of all players," Weiner wrote.
Weiner's e-mail first was reported by Newsday and the New York Post.
The e-mail also said the union has yet to be provided with copies of the correspondence between Mitchell and the players he requested information from, or a list of the players who have been contacted.
"The association wishes to advise all current and former players contacted in connection with the investigation of their rights," Weiner wrote. "In order to facilitate this, we expect you to contact the association immediately upon learning of any communication by anyone purporting to be connected with this investigation with or regarding any current or former player."
RUTH CHASE: Baseball is using specially marked balls for Barry Bonds' at-bats now that he is closing in on Babe Ruth.
Bonds entered Saturday with 712 home runs, two shy of tying Ruth for second place on the career list. The marked balls first were put into play during the San Francisco slugger's at-bats Friday night, when he and the Giants lost 8-3 to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Originally, the commissioner's office did not plan to mark any balls while Bonds is chasing Ruth. But Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, decided late Thursday it was best to authenticate any potentially historic home run balls hit by Bonds.
That way, the fans who might catch No. 713, No. 714 and No. 715 will be able to prove they have the real thing, avoiding multiple claims of ownership.
YANKEES: Gary Sheffield was scratched from the lineup for Saturday night's game against the Texas Rangers because of his sore left wrist.
Sheffield injured his wrist April 29 when he collided with Toronto's Shea Hillenbrand at first base. The right fielder then missed three games before returning as a pinch hitter Thursday night. Sheffield was 0-for-5 Friday night in his first start in five games.
METS: Pitcher Victor Zambrano was forced to leave his start against the Atlanta Braves Saturday after retiring all four batters he faced.
Zambrano experienced discomfort in his right elbow while pitching to Andruw Jones, who was leading off in the second inning.
"It was obvious he was not feeling right," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "I'm not going to speculate, but his body language was a little funky."
