Signature Pharmacy had a large and varied client list, apparently. I do wonder if the names that are being leaked out are being spaced out and chosen for maximum impact.
According to records obtained by The News and sources close to the controversy surrounding anti-aging clinics that dispense illegal prescription drugs, Ankiel received eight shipments of HGH from Signature Pharmacy in Orlando from January to December 2004, including the brand-name injectable drugs Saizen and Genotropin. Signature is the pharmacy at the forefront of Albany District Attorney David Soares' two-year investigation into illegal Internet prescription drug sales, which has brought 22 indictments and nine convictions.
The story goes on to say Ankiel stopped receiving HGH from this pharmacy by the time MLB officially banned it in '05. I thought the minors might have had it had a stronger drug policy in sooner, but I can't quickly find any confirmation.
It sounds like this is going to play out like the Giambi situation - far too late to suspend, but MLB will surely want to speak to him to find what he knew and when. It's going to be a distraction more than anything, though I think one most people inside of baseball will want to ignore. (I just saw Fernando Vina basically blow it off because the Ankiel return story is too good, and I figure that'll be the standard.
I know I sound quite the homer, but taking HGH to help rehab your pitching arm and two-and-a-half years later becoming a power hitter in the bigs doesn't sound too suspect to me. Even Gammmons was supposedly like "it was to rehab, STFU people" on ESPN Radio this morning.
Not that I just brush it off. It sucks. But they didn't catch him with a needle in his bag. I figure it's the same as Big Mac and the Andro he took while it was an acceptable substance. The question with McGwire, though, is what else he might have taken.
Bernie Miklasz has a nice blog post on the Post website this morning pointing to how Rick's power has always been there, and even in 2001 he was saying he should become an outfielder if the pitching falls through.
To me it's going to be all about his response to this information. If he just comes out and says yes the information is correct, I did take it and it was just for rehab then for the most part I'm fine with it. Sure he could/should have done things differently but considering how many people it seems may have used at one point or another I'm just looking for those who did to admit it, apologize and move on. It's the ones that get all upset and deny that really bother me.
The more and more I read about Ankiel and HGH on the interwebs the less relevant the whole story becomes.
So I'm assuming that Rodney Harrison shouldn't have been suspended and that there should be no suspicion about Barry Bonds?
Yes, because HGH is the only substance Bonds is suspected of doing.
Personally, I've never cared about Bonds and steroids - my only dislike of him is because he's an ass. But your question is inane.
I apologize, I didn't mean to come off as snarky. I just feel that there will be a double standard here because Ankiel is a 'feel good' story.
To be honest, I shouldn't have put in Bonds, as he took other things (and I'm with you, I don't care, I still say he's the best baseball player I've ever seen).
Kevin Kelly: "Mr. Austin, would you like to comment on Wade Keller's Take that endorsing the XFL hurts your anti-authority character?"
Steve Austin: "Oh shit, he actually said that? I thought the boys in the back were ribbing me!"
Kelly: "No, he really said that. Did they tell you the part about you sitting in the stands, looking all skeptical?"
Austin: "AHAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah... oh man that was too much."
The more and more I read about Ankiel and HGH on the interwebs the less relevant the whole story becomes.
So I'm assuming that Rodney Harrison shouldn't have been suspended and that there should be no suspicion about Barry Bonds?
Yes, because HGH is the only substance Bonds is suspected of doing.
Personally, I've never cared about Bonds and steroids - my only dislike of him is because he's an ass. But your question is inane.
I apologize, I didn't mean to come off as snarky. I just feel that there will be a double standard here because Ankiel is a 'feel good' story.
To be honest, I shouldn't have put in Bonds, as he took other things (and I'm with you, I don't care, I still say he's the best baseball player I've ever seen).
It's all good!
Even as I truly believe the Ankiel news is nothing much, I agree that if it's found that he took something else with it - which I doubt, mostly because I'm a homer - there is the possibility that people would still want to deny the significance.
It'll be interesting to watch the reaction over Troy Glaus, who's now being named this afternoon as an HGH recipient as well. To me it's, again, no big deal, but this thing could swell to be a lot bigger than just Ankiel.
Originally posted by PeterStork Yes, because HGH is the only substance Bonds is suspected of doing.
Personally, I've never cared about Bonds and steroids - my only dislike of him is because he's an ass. But your question is inane.
I apologize, I didn't mean to come off as snarky. I just feel that there will be a double standard here because Ankiel is a 'feel good' story.
To be honest, I shouldn't have put in Bonds, as he took other things (and I'm with you, I don't care, I still say he's the best baseball player I've ever seen).
It's all good!
Even as I truly believe the Ankiel news is nothing much, I agree that if it's found that he took something else with it - which I doubt, mostly because I'm a homer - there is the possibility that people would still want to deny the significance.
It'll be interesting to watch the reaction over Troy Glaus, who's now being named this afternoon as an HGH recipient as well. To me it's, again, no big deal, but this thing could swell to be a lot bigger than just Ankiel.
Not that it really matters, but if you read that article I posted about Glaus he's listed as buying roids, not HGH.
Wang - slight hamstring strain, will be back in April (nyjournalnews.com). Mussina - healthy, solid spring, consistant enough. Pettitte - slight back strain, but as of yesterday (sports.yahoo.com)