THE SIDELINES : Steinbrenner Seeking Leniency for Jailed Outfielder Luis Polonia

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is seeking leniency for outfielder Luis Polonia, who has been sentenced to 60 days in a Milwaukee jail for having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

The Yankees’ owner characterized Polonia, 24, as “a little kid who really doesn’t know his way around.”

In addition, Steinbrenner said Thursday, the girl “has been seen around (Milwaukee County Stadium) numerous times and she isn’t selling Girl Scout cookies.”

Steinbrenner acknowledged that he has written a letter to Judge Thomas Doherty in Milwaukee, even though Polonia has already been sentenced. Doherty imposed the jail term Monday in addition to ordering Polonia to make a $10,000 contribution to the sexual assault center of a Milwaukee hospital but he conceivably could reduce the sentence.

Referring to the celebrated extramarital affairs by Pete Rose and Wade Boggs, Steinbrenner said of Polonia: “You have a young man who is contrite. We have two of baseball’s greatest heroes who are admitting to all sorts of things involved with the bedroom.”