NEW YORK (AP) -- While lawyers and legislators on Capitol Hill were abuzz about Thursday's congressional hearings into steroid use in baseball, the drama hadn't caught on with many players.

Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco planned to participate, but those at spring training expressed little interest in watching some of baseball's biggest stars testify before the House Government Reform committee.

"Honestly, I don't really care about any of that stuff anymore," Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira said Wednesday. "It's so overdone, it's so ridiculous now that it's just no reason for me to worry about it."

Many players will be playing in afternoon games during the hearings and won't have the chance to watch. That didn't bother Colorado's Matt Holliday.

"If I didn't have anything better to do I'd watch it," Holliday said. "I'm not going to set the VCR or anything. I think guys would watch it. But I think there's a lot worse things going on in the world than that."

Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings also questioned the reasoning behind the hearings.

"It all seems a little strange to me," Jennings said. "By no means are we above the law or Congress, I just don't know if this is an unnecessary step. Our [failed test] percentages went from five to seven and then went all the way down to one or two, so something is working."

McGwire has been accused by Canseco of taking steroids during the two sluggers' time together on the Oakland A's, and may be asked to answer those accusations under oath.

Athletics center fielder Mark Kotsay doesn't consider it must-see TV.

"I have better things to do with my day," Kotsay said.

Yankees manager Joe Torre won't be watching -- and not because Yankees slugger Jason Giambi was excused Tuesday from testifying. He'll be attending a school function with his daughter. Otherwise, he might have tuned in.

"I think everybody is curious anytime players get involved," Torre said.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Larry Bigbie, whose teammates Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro planned to attend the hearings, finds the bright lights of Washington more alluring than most.

"It would be neat to watch -- to hear the questions and answers," Bigbie said. "It's definitely an interesting topic. It's just too bad we've got two teammates involved."

Former teammate and current Ranger Gary Matthews Jr. wasn't as sympathetic.

"I'll be working," Matthews said. "Obviously, I won't be stopping my game to be watching."

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