Honesty is the Best Policy
Jason Giambi admitted to using steroids, well sort of. His Grand Jury testimony was leaked in December 2004, where he owned up to using multiple steroids and human growth hormone. After said leakage, Giambi made a public apology to the media, without specifying for what. On Friday, Giambi qualifed that slightly.
Giambi stated to USA Today, “I was wrong for doing that stuff” in reference to steroids. He also stated that baseball should have made a public apology much earlier, and taken greater steps to eradicate it from the game. He did, however, remain adamant that the roids did not help him hit home runs. Not a particularly great apology, but he certainly has done more than a number of players (ahem…Gary Sheffield).
The story, however, gets deeper. Baseball officials have told SI.com that Giambi has opened a large can of worms with his comments. He could face additional scruitny from MLB and possible suspension if he can be proven to have juiced up since 2005 (the first year MLB had suspensions in place for steroid usage). More importantly, however, if he can be proven to have taken it after 2002 (which he admitted during the grand jury testimony), the Yankees may have a case to void his massive 7 year $120 million contract, which is mostly backloaded and runs through 2009.
So basically, Jason Giambi told the truth. Now, because he was honest, his reward is a baseball investigation into possibly suspending him and a potential legal case for the Yankees to void his contract.
Here, in a nutshell, is the exact reason why the Mitchell investigation will fail miserably. Not only is there zero incentive to cooperate, but if a player does tell the truth they then face scrutiny and ex post facto punishment. That is absolutely ridiculous and will send any investigation into steroids or performance enhancing substances spinning around in circles and inconclusive. But, with the game gaining in popularity and money rolling into the owners’ coffers, perhaps that is what Bud Selig wants.
More info here from ESPN.com
Tags: Bud Selig, Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, Steroids
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
20 May 2007 at 6:26 pm
Looks like the Yankees are trying to pay for the new (well, gently used…
Rocket they bought recently.
Giambi’s forthrightness took guts, and I admire him for that. I think he’s telling it like it is (in vague terms, admittedly), and he’s going to take a lot of crap for it. Don’t know if you’ve read Jim Bouton’s Ball Four, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Giambi blackballed for his outspokenness.