But was it clean?

I've questioned Giambi's resurgence here before. Others have questioned him and other Mitchell Report players, too. But most of the questioning seemed to be coming outside of the MSM, the beat reporters. Was it because such a question would damage their ability to get close to the players, something they need to do to be successful in their jobs?

Maybe, maybe not.

But Wallace Matthews flat-out asks the question: Great, but was it clean?

It was a win to remember, to be sure. But was it a win to be proud of? Was it real? Was it clean?

Those are the questions you'd rather not have to wrestle with, but considering the players involved and their well-publicized history, they refuse to go away.

On the mound, you have Pettitte, admitted HGH user in the Mitchell Report, throwing eight strong innings in weather that would fry a cactus, and at the plate, you have Giambi, who couldn't hit his listed weight until Memorial Day weekend, blasting a fastball into the rightfield seats against a pitcher with the lowest ERA in major-league baseball, a pitcher who had allowed a measly six home runs all season long.
......
If both of them are to be believed -- and there is no evidence at the moment to doubt them -- then clearly, Pettitte is capable of throwing eight overpowering innings and Giambi is capable of looking like Mr. Olympia without the help of a chemist.

Or are they?

Pretty aggressive stuff, eh?