Knoblauch testifies in steroid probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retired baseball player Chuck Knoblauch testified privately on Friday before congressional staffers preparing for a February 13 hearing on steroid use in baseball certain to focus on pitching great Roger Clemens.

Following his closed-door testimony, Knoblauch, a former all-star second baseman who retired from baseball in 2002 after a 12-year career, did not comment specifically on allegations he may have used performance-enhancing drugs.

The House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is examining a recent report that named more than 80 current and former baseball players, including Clemens and Knoblauch, suspected of having used the drugs.

The study was conducted by former Senate Democratic leader George Mitchell at the request of Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.

Clemens, one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game, has denied claims by his former trainer, Brian McNamee, that he was injected with steroids and human growth hormone. Clemens and McNamee are to be interviewed separately by committee staffers next week.

New York Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte and Kirk Radomski, a former clubhouse attendant for the New York Mets baseball team, also are to be questioned by the committee at a February 13 hearing.

At its opening hearing on the Mitchell report on January 16, the committee issued a warning that witnesses should tell the truth.

The panel did so by announcing it had requested a Justice Department investigation of four-time All-Star Miguel Tejada, who testified in 2005 that he never used performance-enhancing drugs and had no knowledge of other players using them.

"The Mitchell report ... directly contradicts key elements of Mr. Tejada's testimony," said committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat.

(Editing by Bill Trott)