Jason gets a pass

Looks like Jason Giambi won't have to go up to Capital Hill after all. Apparently he's going to be called before the Grand Jury again, or to testify in the upcoming Blasco trial on steroids. With Bonds and Giambi both out of the picture it will be interesting to see just who will be showing up. Lawyers for the MLB are still trying to limit the questions being asked, so the whole thing seems even more of a waste of time than it has before.

Only another couple of weeks before the actual baseball season commences, and then all this will really fade away. Unless, of course, the Blasco trial comes out and names Barry Bonds which will put a major damper on any celebration of his record later this season. There are already indications that MLB and the networks will underplay the thing. Not ignore it, since they can't do that, but they'll not be the hoopla we saw whey first McGwire and then Solsa broke the homerun records.

Mike & Mike, on ESPN, were talking about the new MLB steroid policy this morning. One thing not widely know (at least by me) was that the League has the option of NOT naming players caught during the drug testing and suspending them. The draft of the 'policy' seems to allow the League to fine the player instead, in which case his name will not be made public. I agree with them that it dilutes the strength of the policy and will let some of the big name players possibly slide, while other players will get outed. It's going to be a long interesting season, both on and off the field.