Panel subpoenas Knoblauch in baseball probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional panel investigating steroid use in baseball announced on Tuesday it had subpoenaed Chuck Knoblauch after the former All-Star second baseman did not respond to its invitation to testify.

The House of Representatives Government Reform and Oversight Committee wants to talk to Knoblauch and four others about a recent report on performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball by former Senate Democratic leader George Mitchell.

Roger Clemens, among the nearly 90 former and current players cited in the report as suspected drug users, has publicly promised to testify before the panel, which has scheduled a February 13 hearing. Clemens denies having used the drugs.

In addition to Clemens and Knoblauch, the panel has extended invitations to three others to testify: New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte along with Clemens' former trainer Brian McNamee and Kirk Radomski, who had worked in the clubhouse of the New York Mets.

In a brief statement, the committee said it had subpoenaed Knoblauch, who retired from baseball in 2002 following a 12-year career.

"The committee has taken this step because Mr. Knoblauch failed to respond to the invitation to participate voluntarily in a deposition or transcribed interview and the February 13 hearing," chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, and Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, the panel's top Republican, said in a joint statement.

Knoblauch. 39, is a former Gold Glove-winning second baseman who was a four-time All-Star during his playing days with the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. He was a member of four World Series-winning teams.

(Writing and reporting by Thomas Ferraro, editing by Patricia Zengerle)

((thomas.ferraro@reuters.com 1 202 898 8391)