YANKEES Trimmer Giambi says he didn't take any steroids

The New York slugger dropped four pounds and was noticeably trimmer.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Jason Giambi stepped off a scale and smack into the middle of the big issue sweeping baseball this spring: steroids.
Noticeably trimmer, the New York Yankees first baseman reported he'd lost four pounds in the off-season, down to 228. He said it was the result of fewer fast-food burgers, fries and tacos, along with extensive rehab from knee surgery.
Missing bulk
Standing at his locker Monday at Legends Field, his chest, biceps and legs appeared smaller. Minus that bulk, Giambi drew double takes from some people when they first saw him in the clubhouse.
"My weight is almost exactly the same," he said. "Just cleaning it up and losing some of that excess body fat I had."
He also weighed in on steroids, a topic that is prompting fans to take a closer look -- fairly or unfairly -- at many of the game's biggest sluggers.
Giambi and new teammate Gary Sheffield both testified Dec. 11 before a grand jury probing the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, a company accused of providing steroids to sports stars. Being subpoenaed did not mean an athlete was a target of the investigation, which was focused on possible drug and tax violations by BALCO.
Says no to steroids
Asked Monday whether he had taken performance-enhancing drugs, Giambi said: "Are you talking about steroids? No."
Giambi said he did not know BALCO founder Victor Conte and said he welcomed the commissioner's office testing players this season.
Manager Joe Torre noticed Giambi's slimmed-down physique.
"He looked thinner to me," Torre said. "He's a big guy and he's still a big guy. I didn't think it was drastic."
Knee is main concern
Giambi said his main focus was on continuing to build up strength in his left knee. He didn't start Game 5 of the World Series because of knee trouble and had surgery Nov. 18.
Giambi hit 41 homers with 107 RBIs last year, mostly as the DH late in the season. While the Yankees are close to signing Travis Lee, Torre would like to see Giambi spend more time at first base -- that would make room for both Bernie Williams and Kenny Lofton in the lineup, one in center field and the other at DH.
"I know they're going to want me to be on the field a lot, so I'm just trying to take these few extra pounds I don't need off," Giambi said.
"My legs aren't as big because I had to rehab them so hard, to be honest with you," he said. "My upper body is pretty much the same, strength-wise."