Report: Selig wants players accountable

Commissioner Bud Selig wants the players named in the Mitchell Report to bear some accountability for their involvement with performance-enhancing drugs -- and that is slowing progress in talks with the players’ union on implementing Mitchell’s recommendations, according to the New York Times.

Selig, while willing to forgo suspensions for players named in the report, wants those players to be held responsible in some other way, the newspaper reported, citing two lawyers who had been briefed on the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity.

That accountability could include counseling or fines.

“He wants a small dose of action and that will satisfy him,” one of the lawyers said, according to the Times.

Selig’s office and the Major League Baseball Players Assn. are hoping to complete talks on adopting former Sen. George Mitchell’s recommendations by Monday.

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Pitcher Woody Williams was put on unconditional release waivers by the Houston Astros, who owe the right-hander $6.5 million.

The 41-year-old was 8-15 with a 5.27 earned-run average last season and had an 11.32 ERA in spring training games this year.

Williams signed a two-year, $12.5-million contract with the Astros before last season and is owed a $6.25 million salary for this season and a $250,000 buyout of a 2009 club option worth $6.75 million.

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A groin strain has put Hideo Nomo’s comeback bid with the Kansas City Royals on hold.

The right-hander is headed back to Arizona for physical therapy on the right groin muscle he injured earlier this week.