Hughes and Giambi updates

Phil Hughes went three innings tonight, struck out six and gave up no earned runs, according to Peter Abraham. Abraham also says that Hughes will start next Wednesday, again for AA Trenton. Here is the AP article.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are trailing the Devil Rays in the top of the seventh by a score of 5-1.

Jason Giambi met with George Mitchell to discuss his past steroids use. No details have been released regarding the meeting.

Abraham also has an update on Giambi's recovery from his torn plantar fascia.

Reason for mentioning steroids

I was surprised when I heard Jason Giambi mentioned "steroids" in a release last night regarding his upcoming meeting with George Mitchell. Well, now we know the reason.

Although Selig didn't rule out a subsequent suspension for Giambi, the slugger almost certainly sidestepped that possibility by agreeing to meet with Mitchell. And the Yankees, by virtue of this arrangement, will not attempt to void the remainder of Giambi's contract (source).

I guess we're stuck with him until the end of next year. The Yankees can buy him out at the end of 2008 for $5 million. This is after he earns $21 million in 2008, by the way.

Giambi agrees to meet with the Red Sox board director

Jason Giambi will discuss his drug use with Sen. George Mitchell.

Jason Giambi will meet with George Mitchell, agreeing right before baseball commissioner Bud Selig's deadline Thursday to cooperate with the steroids investigator.

Giambi, who for the first time publicly admitted he had a "personal history regarding steroids," will become the first active player known to speak with the former Senate majority leader. No date was set for their session.

The New York Yankees star announced his decision after he spoke on the phone with Selig. Lawyers for the players' union and Major League Baseball reached a written agreement that set rules for the meeting.

The former American League MVP said he wouldn't implicate other players and appeared to backtrack on earlier remarks that the sport owed fans a collective apology for the steroids era.

"I alone am responsible for my actions and I apologize to the commissioner, the owners and the players for any suggestion that they were responsible for my behavior," Giambi said in a statement.

"I will address my own personal history regarding steroids. I will not discuss in any fashion any other individual," Giambi said (source).

Oh, wow. He actually mentioned the word "steroids."

I don't know what this accomplishes. I guess it makes Selig sleep better at night, however.