From Bob Raissman:

Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network suits have already cast aspersions on George Mitchell’s report on steroids in baseball.

After watching YES’ “Hot Stove” feature on Phil Hughes, it appears, according to YES, certain allegations made about Roger Clemens don’t really exist. They are imaginary – just like the Tooth Fairy.

Much of the Hughes piece shows the pitcher going through his daily offseason workout regimen (lifting weights, etc.) at the Yankees’ Tampa facility.

At one point in the story, Hughes says: “God-given ability can only get you so far, then it’s up to you to maximize that. Even if I can just take a little bit of what Roger did for us last year, (to) see the way he works out … see the way he goes about his business, it kind of gives you an idea of what you need to do to stay in this game as long as he did.”

It seems the “idea” of what Clemens needed to do “to stay in this game as long as he did” is contained in Mitchell’s report. Or, at least, allegations of what Clemens did. In the report, Clemens’ former trainer, Brian McNamee, alleges that the seven-time Cy Young Award winner had been juicing since 1998.

If the Hughes feature was shot before the Mitchell Report came out, it would have been a good idea for YES – perhaps through “Hot Stove” host Bob Lorenz – to mention that fact. And if the Hughes interview was shot after the report was released, well, YES made the young pitcher look like a fool.

Someone should have edited the Clemens line out of the story. Unless, of course, it was left in on purpose to further discredit Mitchell’s report.

Probably not the best choice of words for Phil. But, he’s a kid. You have to cut him some slack there. Still, I agree, YES should have used some better judgment and some editing on that one.