New York Yankee executive Leonard Kleinman has...

New York Yankee executive Leonard Kleinman has been cleared by baseball of any wrongdoing in George Steinbrenner’s payment to Howard Spira, but intends to continue his $22-million lawsuit against Commissioner Fay Vincent.

In a nine-page decision signed Nov. 15, Vincent said, “I have resolved all questions of knowledge, motive and credibility in this matter in favor of Mr. Kleinman.”

The commissioner added, however, that Kleinman’s credibility was hurt by “his surprising inability to answer some of the simplest questions in a straightforward manner.”

The relationship between Spira, an admitted gambler, and Steinbrenner prompted an investigation by baseball that led to an agreement in which Steinbrenner resigned as managing general partner of the Yankees in August.