Since the Mitchell report was released on Thursday and the world finally had access to a definitive and irrefutable list of players that cheated (because nothing says "definitive and irrefutable" like a report with approximately 2 sources and much of the evidence that essentially amounts to some trainers speculating about their clients), the players on said list have had a difficult choice. That choice, of course, is to either do some serious apologizing and groveling for forgiveness or vehemently deny the allegations and make excuses. Of the several Yanks on the list (blah...), the two that were on the team last year - Dandy Andy and The Rocket - decided to handle the public exposure of their dirty little secret in opposite ways.

Regardless of whether you've read these tales on one of the million other baseball sites and/or blogs (what, Yankees Chick isn't the only baseball site you read? FOR SHAME), you shouldn't be the least bit surprised to know that it is Pettitte who is doing the acknowledging and apologizing and Clemens that is the denier. To be honest, Pettitte's apology wasn't really the most remorseful statement I've ever heard...

"If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize. I accept responsibility for those two days."

Well... That's great and all, Dandy Andy, but I wouldn't exactly call that regret. "If" it was an error in your judgment? I'm pretty sure I'd call it an error in your judgment. If you're going to apologize, why not make it an actual apology? Even if you don't really mean it? Now don't get me wrong, I still love Pettitte, and I appreciate the fact that at least he had the decency to admit it at all, regardless of what he actually said. Additionally, I hope it is true that it was only to "rehab from an injury" (although I don't think HGH actually helps you heal, but perhaps he was misinformed? Tricked? Let's believe that) - that would make it a bit easier for us all to forgive and forget.

As for the Rocket, he chose the denial route - vehemently:

"Roger has been repeatedly tested for these substances and he has never tested positive. There has never been one shred of tangible evidence that he ever used these substances and yet he is being slandered today." (from Roger's attorney Rusty Hardin.)

He is correct that there doesn't seem to be any tangible evidence in Mitchell's report (and again, there really doesn't seem to be any concrete evidence on a lot of the guys on the list), but it doesn't bode too well for him that Pettitte, who shares the same trainer, admitted to usage. That doesn't necessarily implicate him, but if he honestly and truly did NOT juice, he is probably going to have to do a LOT of denying to get the world to believe him. Some folks are even speculating that the juice speculation might prompt him to come back for yet another year, so that he can end his career on a better note. Is that the best idea? Actually, it might be. I'd take him.