WASHINGTON — With an apology to Congress, baseball fans and the kids who looked up to him, All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada received a sentence of one year of probation yesterday for misleading Congress about the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Tejada faced possible prison time, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay issued a sentence of probation, 100 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. Kay waived drug testing often required of other convicts on probation and said he wouldn't restrict the Houston Astros player's travel.

Tejada stood before the judge and gave a 45-second statement, speaking softly in accented English. He said he takes "full responsibility for not answering the question" and apologized to Congress, fans of his sport, "and especially the kids."

He added: "I learned a very important lesson."

Last month, the 34-year-old athlete pleaded guilty to withholding information when questioned by a House committee's investigators in August 2005 about an ex-teammate's use of steroids and human growth hormone.

He also acknowledged he bought HGH while playing for the Oakland Athletics, but said he threw the drugs away without using them. Prosecutors said they have no evidence to contradict that.

The five-time All-Star and 2002 AL MVP is the first high-profile player convicted of a crime stemming from baseball's steroids era. He was sentenced at the same federal courthouse where a grand jury has been meeting to determine whether seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens should be indicted on charges of lying to Congress about whether he used steroids and human growth hormone.

Tejada didn't stop to take questions on his way out of court yesterday, saying only, "Yes," when a reporter asked if he was relieved.

ASTROS

BOONE FINE AFTER SURGERY

Houston Astros third baseman Aaron Boone had open heart surgery in California yesterday to replace a bicuspid aortic valve.

The 36-year-old Boone was diagnosed with a congenital defect in his heart where the valve has two — not the normal three — cusps to manage blood flow. The surgery was performed at Stanford University Medical Center.

"Aaron Boone is doing fine and awake following surgery. We were able to preserve the leaking aortic valve and replace the ascending aortic aneurysm (a swelling of the aorta)," Dr. D. Craig Miller, who performed the surgery, said in a statement. Miller has performed this type of operation, known as a valve-sparing aortic root replacement, more than 200 times.

ELSEWHERE

Padres: Former agent Jeff Moorad was introduced as CEO and vice chairman of the San Diego Padres yesterday, and confirmed that former NFL star Troy Aikman is a limited partner in his ownership group. Several other businessmen are involved in Moorad's group, which took control of approximately 35 percent of the club from John Moores. Moorad's group expects to own 100 percent within five years in a deal that could top out at around $500 million.

Yankees: CC Sabathia will start both the regular season and home opener for the New York Yankees. Manager Joe Girardi said yesterday the left-handed Sabathia will pitch the season opener at Baltimore on April 6, and will also throw the first regular-season pitch at the new Yankee Stadium 10 days later against Cleveland.