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Quote:Updated: Mar. 13, 2005, 2:23 AM ET
<span style='font-size:25pt;line-height:100%'>Jeremy Giambi: 'I made a mistake'</span>
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Former major leaguer Jeremy Giambi admitted he used steroids, The Kansas City Star reported Sunday.

"It's something I did," Giambi told the newspaper. "I apologize. I made a mistake. I moved on. I kind of want it in the past."


Giambi

Giambi, the younger brother of Yankees star Jason Giambi, signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. While he did not specifically say his brother used steroids, Jeremy Giambi noted a news conference his brother had last month in New York during which he apologized profusely, but did not say why he was apologizing.

"If you don't know what he's apologizing for," Jeremy Giambi said, "you must've been in a coma for two years."

Jeremy Giambi declined to be specific about his steroid use. He told the newspaper he wants to come clean about steroids and hopes others will do the same.

"They're not good for you," the younger Giambi said. "I think we need to reach out and let teenagers know they're not good for your body and not good for your health."

Jeremy Giambi broke into the big leagues in 1998 with Kansas City, then played with his brother in Oakland from 2000-01.

Jason Giambi won the AL MVP Award in 2000, and his younger brother had his best season the next year, hitting .283 with 12 homers and 57 RBI in 371 at-bats.

It was the elder Giambi who introduced his brother to steroids, according to a transcript of the BALCO grand jury proceedings, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. When he testified before the grand jury, Jeremy Giambi said he used steroids in cream and liquid form and injected human growth hormone and testosterone.

The Yankees on Saturday declined a request by the Star to interview Jason Giambi.

The younger Giambi has also played for Philadelphia and Boston. His last stint in the majors was in 2003, when he batted .197 in 127 at-bats with the Red Sox. He missed most of last season with a herniated disc. Signed by the Dodgers, he didn't play in a big league game.

In January, baseball adopted a harsher steroid-testing policy.

"Baseball has taken a step forward," the younger Giambi said. "People need to realize that and let it work. I wouldn't want to be the first one to get caught. It might be worse than a murder trial."

Once the grand jury proceedings end, Jeremy Giambi plans to tell his story in detail. He thinks his brother might, too.

The younger Giambi said he regrets his decision to use steroids.

"You look at some situations and tell yourself that it's something you wish never happened," he said. "But it did. You've got to move on with it and get on and wake up every day and do what you normally do."