From the New York Times’ Michael B. Schmidt & Duff Wilson :

José Canseco, the former major league slugger and admitted steroid user who exposed other players in his 2005 best-selling book œJuiced, offered to keep a Detroit Tigers outfielder œclear in his next book if the player invested money in a film project Canseco was promoting, according to a person in baseball with knowledge of the situation

Four people in baseball confirmed that referrals were made from Major League Baseball to the F.B.I. regarding Canseco™s actions relating to the six-time All-Star outfielder Magglio Ordóñez, who was not mentioned in Canseco™s earlier book or in any other report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. All four insisted on anonymity because they said they didn™t have authority to speak about the events.

The F.B.I. did not open a formal investigation because Ordóñez said he did not want to pursue the complaint.

Canseco denied that he ” or any associate of his ” ever asked Ordóñez for money to keep his name out of a book titled œVindicated.

Considering Jose’s original ghostwriter already bailed on the project, Mags at the very least saved himself some money. Sure, the Times claims Canseco’s got a new ghostwriter — one who previously penned O.J.’s ill-fated “If I Did It”, but it’s gonna take some doing for “Vindicated” to hit the shelves by March 31. Unless they opt for 25 point type.

As far as the film biz is concerned, Jose has already flexed his thespian chops with an excellent cameo in the 2005 feature, “Mail Order Wife” (Canseco does a rather credible job playing a washed up baseball player named “Jose Canseco”). One of the film’s stars, Adrian Martinez (above, left), not only has a brief moment brandishing an air horn in one of the new Budweiser “dude” spots, but he closely resembles a paunchier, slightly desperate version of Mags.

I don’t know what the real deal is here, but I do know many persons (myself included) previously ended up looking foolish when doubting Canseco’s credibilty. Rather than making fun of Jose, perhaps this afternoon’s sports yack radio hosts oughta focus on the real story — Magglio Ordóñez had a chance to be the next Ellen Page, and he let it slip through his meaty paws.