TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees owner George Steinbrenner blames Jason Giambi's agent for not allowing the slugger to address questions about his testimony to a grand jury that he used steroids.

"The court told Jason that he could say anything he wanted to," Steinbrenner said yesterday. "The court gave him permission. And Arn Tellem says no, he doesn't. He doesn't say anything."

"I just don't like the guy," Steinbrenner added, regarding Tellem.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported in December that Giambi told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he had used steroids. Giambi apologized during a news conference in New York on Feb. 10, but didn't say why he was apologizing.

Tellem said Giambi has been requested by authorities not to discuss his grand jury testimony.

Steinbrenner watched yesterday's workout on the field. At one point, he shook hands and gave Giambi a hug.

Tellem said he doesn't take Steinbrenner's comments personally, and that they won't affect talks for client Hideki Matsui, whose $21 million, three-year contract ends after this season.

Bonds moves ahead

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Barry Bonds took a few swings in the batting cage at the Giants' training complex, facing live pitching earlier than the club expected.

Bonds, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Jan. 31, took his first cuts of spring training against hitting coach Joe Lefebvre, who threw slower than batting-practice speed. After Bonds underwent surgery, trainer Stan Conte said Bonds should be able to return for the final two weeks of spring training.

Elsewhere, Jeff Kent said he believes his former teammate should be cut some slack as talk of steroids ripples through baseball.

"He's getting dogged right now. The media's pushing him to the wall because he kept bad company," Kent said, referring to BALCO.

Kent, now with the Dodgers, and Bonds played together for six years on the Giants. He said they got along better than many think.

"We fought each other, and 30 minutes later we hugged each other," Kent said. "I get so tired of people saying we had a bad clubhouse. We played well together."

Notes

• Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen agreed to a three-year contract extension for a guaranteed $25.75 million. The deal runs through the 2007 season with an option for 2008.

• The Braves closed in on a contract extension with pitcher Tim Hudson. Hudson, acquired from the A's in December, set a Tuesday deadline for extending his contract, which has one year left. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Hudson and the Braves were discussing a three-year extension worth more than $11 million annually.

• Norihiro Nakamura's visa problems have apparently been resolved. Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said he was told the Japanese infielder will arrive at the team's spring-training facility late Tuesday. Nakamura, an eight-time All-Star in Japan, signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers earlier this month.

• Carlos Delgado's agent fired off another e-mail to the media, revealing that Al Leiter badmouthed the Mets to persuade Delgado to become a Marlin.

In a column that originally appeared in The Toronto Sun, in which agent David Sloane provides a first-hand account of the courtship of Delgado, Leiter is quoted as asking: "Who better to discourage him from going to New York?"

Said Leiter: "In New York you have seven or eight competing papers, TV networks and their affiliates and peripheral periodicals. It's fine when you are dealing and kicking butt.

"It just chip, chip, chip, chips away at your resolve, cracking away your protective toughness. Every bad game it's like, 'Are you worried? ... The manager says this ... are you worried?' You begin to doubt yourself. That's why slumps in New York are so elongated."