Don Wakamatsu on Tuesday denied that Ken Griffey Jr. was asleep in the clubhouse and not available for pinch-hit duty in a game against the Angels at Safeco Field. Speaking for the first time since a report in Monday's Tacoma News Tribune quoted an unnamed player saying Griffey "was asleep in the clubhouse. He'd gone back about the fifth inning to get a jacket and didn't come back. I went back in about the seventh inning and he was in his chair, sound asleep," Wakamatsu said that was not true. Griffey told reporters on Tuesday that he was available to bat for catcher Rob Johnson and took a swipe at the unknown player who said Junior was sleeping while a game was being played. "I hope that whoever said it is man enough to come to me," Griffey said. As of late Tuesday afternoon none of Griffey's teammates had stepped forward. "What I know is that he was not sleeping when that situation came up, and I know that for a fact," Wakamatsu said. "When you read stuff, the first thing you think is 'Is there any truth to it?' He was in the dugout. I said in my postgame press conference when asked if he was available ... I said 'yes.' He was not sleeping. "There are things you read, and people associated with the team know what the truth is. My statement is he was available to hit and no, he was not sleeping. I know that for a fact. "Griff is trying to pull up evidence now in the TV footage."