Gary Matthews Jr. name tied to steroid bust?

[Sawman]

According to the Houston Chronicle.....

A downtown pharmacy here was raided by a law enforcement task force on Tuesday, apparently as a result of a large New York state grand jury investigation into Internet drug sales.

The Times Union has learned that investigators in the year-old case, which had remained quiet until now, uncovered evidence that testosterone and other performance-enhancing drugs may have been fraudulently prescribed over the Internet to current and former Major League Baseball players, National Football League players, college athletes, high school coaches, and a former Mr. Olympia champion and another top contender in the bodybuilding competition.

The customers include Los Angeles Angels centerfielder Gary Matthews Jr., according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.

Link

[Goose]

Oops.

The Times Union has learned that investigators in the year-old case, which has been kept quiet until now, uncovered evidence that testosterone and other performance-enhancing drugs may have been fraudulently prescribed over the Internet to current and former Major League Baseball players, National Football League players, college athletes, high school coaches, and a former Mr. Olympia champion and another top contender in the bodybuilding competition.

The customers include Los Angeles Angels center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.

Jose Canseco and Evander Holyfield were also named.

That 5 year, $55 million contract just got a little worse.....

[kfkorn]

That contract the Angels gave Gary Matthews Jr. was bad enough to begin with, now this just makes it look even worse (if that is even possible).

[bigheadache]

On the evening news here in Pittsburgh, they said the Steelers team physician had been brought in for questioning. They showed him getting put in a squad car. No charges have been filed against him at this point, but it doesn't look good.

[all4phillysportsfan]

I heard about the Steelers team physician this morning, and you're right this doesn't look good. He says he bought the HGH for elderly patients.

[bigheadache]

What I thought I saw on the news last night was him being taken into custody. Apparently not. Apparently, he was getting into a car with his lawyer.

[BravesRule22]

From Rotoworld

According to documents reviewed by Sports Illustrated reporters Luis Fernando Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim, Gary Matthews Jr. ordered HGH from an Orlando pharmacy in Aug. 2004.

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. The reporters traced the address and found it to be a residence of a former minor league teammate of Matthews', who said that he is friends with Matthews. The reporters further discovered that Matthews received a prescription for HGH through a doctor at Health Watch, a now-defunct anti-aging clinic in south Florida.

[bedir than average]

Considering the money involved, and an NFL team doctor, the only thing that keeps this from being bigger than BALCO is that Bonds name trumps everything so far.

But this has the smell of something pretty huge, and now the shadow of doubt grows well beyond those who played in SF/Oakland.

[Hellwig]

Like Gary Matthews Jr., Jerry Hairston Jr. was sent HGH by Allied Pharmacy in 2004, SI.com reports.

Investigators told SI.com the drugs were sent to addresses in Maryland and Arizona that trace to Hairston, but the then Oriole denied ever taking anything illegal. "Not one time have I taken steroids or anything like that," he said. "I would never do anything like that to jeopardize my career or my family's name."

Rotoworld

He never denies whether or not he ever took HGH; he just denies steroids.

[all4phillysportsfan]

Hairston and Matthews Jr need to come clean.

[bedir than average]

Ummm, they probably would come clean if they were clean...

[all4phillysportsfan]

Now a days, who knows who to believe. Obviously if their names are being thrown out there, then where there is smoke there is fire. I am not accusing these guys if taking steroids, but Matthews Jr was bouncing around many organizations before his career year in Texas. Obviously if Hairston took anything, it didn't help.

[Nimajneb]

Two more people linked to a nationwide investigation into the illegal sale of steroids were arraigned Tuesday on drug-related charges as published reports implicated more athletes, including former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker and veteran third baseman David Bell.

ESPN.com - GEN - Rocker reportedly linked to steroids customer list

Sad to hear Bell implicated, as much as I resented what I veiwed as an overabundance of playing time he was given.

Rocker, of course, fuels all sorts of stereotypes... and any further smearing of his name on top of what has already been accomplished isn't all bad.

[all4phillysportsfan]

Obviously the steroids didn't help David Bell.

[Nocahoma]

Well, Rocker pretty much came right out and said (shocking for him, I know) that he was prescribed HGH after his rotator cuff surgery. HGH is an accepted form of treatment to accelerate injury recovery -- at least in the medical community and when properly administered. I'm not so sure that MLB agrees with its use in ANY fashion, however. I'm also sure that any pharmacy targeted in a federal raid is likely to be suspect in the administration of HGH and similar agents.

It does amuse me that this was first reported by the NY Daily News, though. lol