Pharmacy raid implicates more players

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Jocephus
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Post by Jocephus »

SI.com: Gary Matthews, Jr., who had a career year in 2006 and signed a $50 million deal with the Angels this offseason, has already been linked to a customer list of a raided pharmacy. Do you have more information on him?

Llosa/Wertheim: Yes. According to law enforcement documents we've reviewed, Matthews is not just on a customer list, as was reported Tuesday. In August 2004, he was allegedly sent Genotropin -- a brand of synthetic human growth hormone typically prescribed to children suffering from growth failure -- at an address in Mansfield, Texas. We traced the address and it is the residence of a former minor league teammate of Matthews', who told us that he is friends with Matthews.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/m ... index.html

DynamicDynamite
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Post by DynamicDynamite »

the Angels have to be kicking themselves now for sure.. should've just let the Cubs pick him up... then they could have had a steroid bunch..

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arnie.k
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Post by arnie.k »

skmsw wrote:
Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?
Anyone here think every team gets a bit nervous when this stuff hits?
and, don't we have on our team one of the few players who were caught and suspended for use? shouldn't we be worried?

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hyhrd1
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Post by hyhrd1 »

arnie.k wrote:
skmsw wrote:
Hungary Jack wrote:Anyone here think the Angels might be a bit nervous?
Anyone here think every team gets a bit nervous when this stuff hits?
and, don't we have on our team one of the few players who were caught and suspended for use? shouldn't we be worried?
Please forgive the ignorant question, but who's that? I'm drawing a blank...

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fulldeck
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Post by fulldeck »

Franklin - LINK - He was suspended for 10 games in 2005 after testing positive for steroids. Franklin strenuously denied using any illegal substance, and said at the time that he believed the test result derived from over-the-counter supplements he took. He said he immediately ceased taking any and all supplements, and tested negative in subsequent tests.

Cate - LINK - Cate declines to discuss details now, but in published reports from 2005 he described going to Tijuana to buy steroids and using them in November 2004 to speed up the healing process. On April 4, 2005, he was one of 38 minor leaguers whose positive tests were announced. His second positive test, which was not publicized, was taken July 31, 2005. The Mariners released him days after they were notified.

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haltz
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Post by haltz »

I can't get it to work now for some reason, but Cate was pretty frank about this issue in this interview on The Bottom Line.

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hyhrd1
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Post by hyhrd1 »

fulldeck wrote:Franklin - LINK - He was suspended for 10 games in 2005 after testing positive for steroids. Franklin strenuously denied using any illegal substance, and said at the time that he believed the test result derived from over-the-counter supplements he took. He said he immediately ceased taking any and all supplements, and tested negative in subsequent tests.

Cate - LINK - Cate declines to discuss details now, but in published reports from 2005 he described going to Tijuana to buy steroids and using them in November 2004 to speed up the healing process. On April 4, 2005, he was one of 38 minor leaguers whose positive tests were announced. His second positive test, which was not publicized, was taken July 31, 2005. The Mariners released him days after they were notified.
:cool: Thanks.

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Post by heyzeus »

heyzeus wrote:
letsgocards89 wrote:I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that there will be very few implications of steroid or testestosterone-based drugs being bought and the majority of purchases will be ephedrine. I'm basing this on nothing but speculation, the strength of baseball's steroid policy, and the stupidness of an ephedrine ban.
My guess would be HGH. (Most) players aren't dumb, and know that there isn't a test for growth hormone yet.
It's tough being right all the time :)

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haltz
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Post by haltz »

letsgocards89 wrote:Could players really be THAT dumb?
Did you say players? Not so fast. William Bennett, I mean Bud Selig, is taking the logical next step.
A newly released and obtained 5-page memo from Commissioner Selig, outlining the breadth and width of attempts to eradicate steroid use in MLB, all personnel—players (Major and Minor League), non-players (Major and Minor League), Umpires (MLB), executives (Club front office personnel, managers, coaches, trainers), and the Office of the Commissioner (all employees of the Office of the Commissioner, MLB Enterprises, MLB Properties, MLB International, MLB Productions, and MLB Advanced Media)—will fall under the testing program as the players now currently have: unannounced testing for banned substances, including steroids.
full story at Biz of Baseball

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myersli
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Post by myersli »

Buster Olney reported on this issue this morning on Mike & Mike (ESPN Radio). He said that a number of officials and baseball players throughout the league were marvelling at how much players grew this offseason. He said that there was a noticeable difference in 2005 when the steroids policy was implemented (downsizing), but that once players learned the rules (e.g. HGH exempt), they began using more specific enhancement drugs.

From everything I've read and heard, MLB's drug policy is built to only catch the poor or stupid. Baseball cannot (at present, and thanks to those who reported on the HGH test earlier) test for designer steroids and hormonal drugs such as HGH. Thus, players with the money and connections can easily bypass the testing process. Expect to see many, many more stories like Matthews Jr. The problem is that they'll keep getting away with it, because there's nothing to stop them. Even if Matthews Jr. did take or is taking HGH (give him the benefit of doubt), there's nothing (including the Mitchell investigation) to make him stop or make him pay any penalty. If I were the Angels, I wouldn't worry in the least... unless he stopped taking whatever made him post his numbers from last year.

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