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PWTRPWR
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 2:39 pm Post subject: Report: Indians' Byrd bought HGH |
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Report: Indians' Byrd bought HGH, syringes from Florida clinic
Report: Indians' Byrd bought HGH, syringes from Florida clinic
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
October 21, 2007
BOSTON (AP) -- Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd, whose win in Game 4 of the ALCS moved the Indians within one victory of the World Series, bought nearly $25,000 worth of human growth hormone and syringes from 2002 to 2005, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.
Byrd, known for his old-school windup and savvy on the mound, purchased the HGH from a Palm Beach, Fla., anti-aging clinic under investigation by authorities for possible illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs, the paper said.
During the time of the alleged purchases, the pitcher was with the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels. HGH was not banned by baseball then and was added to the sport's list of prohibited substances in 2005.
Byrd is the latest major leaguer accused of buying HGH, joining Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gary Matthews, St. Louis outfielder Rick Ankiel and Texas Rangers infielder Jerry Hairston Jr.
Byrd, a 36-year-old devout Christian, has publicly denied using steroids in the past.
The allegations against Byrd came as the Indians once prepared to play the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the AL championship series at Fenway Park on Sunday night. Cleveland led the series 3-1 after Bryd's Game 4 win but have lost two straight.
"We aware of the story regarding Paul," general manager Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "I have spoken with Paul about the situation, however, at this time I don't feel I have enough information to make any further comments on the matter.
"He has been an important member of this organization -- on and off the field -- over the last two years and we support him in this process."
The Indians said Byrd will address the HGH allegations before Sunday night's game.
Byrd won Game 4 for the Indians at Jacobs Field on Tuesday. In the AL playoffs, he earned the victory in Cleveland's Game 4 series-clinching win over the New York Yankees.
According to the Chronicle, which reviewed the clinic's business records, Byrd used his credit card and spent $24,850 on more than 1,000 vials of HGH, an injectable prescription drug with muscle-building properties. He also bought hundreds of syringes.
The Chronicle said it reviewed records of shipping orders and payment information on Byrd such as his Social Security number. The records were provided to the paper by an unidentified source.
Based on the paper's review, Byrd had some shipments sent to his home in Alpharetta, Ga., $1,050 worth of syringes and HGH to the Braves' spring training facility in Kissimmee, Fla., and a $2,000 order to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, when the Braves were in town to play the Mets.
The Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center, the clinic where Byrd made the alleged purchases, is part of a network of anti-aging clinics and online pharmacies targeted by the Albany, N.Y., district attorney for alleged illegal sales of steroids and growth hormone.
Citing an anonymous law enforcement source, the Chronicle said two of the prescriptions Byrd used to buy the growth hormone were written by a Florida dentist. The dentist's license was suspended in 2003 for fraud and incompetence. Byrd was slowed by an elbow injury in 2003, and records show he made six purchases of HGH.
Byrd went 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA this season, his second with the Indians. He signed him to a two-year, $14 million free agent contract in December 2005, and Cleveland holds a club option on the right-hander for 2008.
After shoulder surgery in 2002, Byrd began toying with a double-pump windup favored by pitchers from decades ago. He found that the arm-swinging motion helped him better hide the ball from hitters, and the windup became his signature.
Byrd, who has a 97-61 career record, relies on location and off-speed pitches to get outs. Following Game 4, Byrd, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, joked about finding some extra speed on his fastball.
"I hit 90 mph," he said, "which happens a few times a year."
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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BOSTON – Accused of purchasing human growth hormone and syringes for a period of three years through 2005, Cleveland Indians pitcher Paul Byrd contended Sunday that he was being treated for a tumor on his pituitary gland, took the drug under medical supervision and regretted that the story surfaced hours before Game 7 of the American League championship series.
In an email to Yahoo! Sports, Byrd wrote, "I'm not sure there is a story here since I didn't do anything illegal. The tragedy in all of this is the timing. I am in the bullpen tonight and don't want this to be a distraction for our team."
In his email, he continued, "I have not taken any hormone apart from a legitimate doctor's care and supervision. My team, my coaches and MLB have known that I have had a pituitary gland issue for some time and have assisted me in getting blood tests in different states. I recently found out from an MRI that I have a tumor on my pituitary gland. I am currently working with an endocrinologist and will have another MRI on my head after the season to make sure that the tumor hasn't grown."
Byrd was the winning pitcher in Game 4, the victory that gave the Indians a three-games-to-one advantage in the series. The Boston Red Sox have since won two consecutive games, forcing Sunday night's Game 7.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Byrd bought nearly $25,000 worth of HGH, which was banned by baseball in 2005, from an anti-aging clinic that is the subject of a federal investigation into illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.
Major League baseball issued a statement that read: "We will investigate the allegations concerning Paul Byrd as we have players implicated in previous similar reports. Since Mr. Byrd and his club, the Cleveland Indians, are currently active in post-season play, we will interview Mr. Byrd prior to the start of the World Series should the Cleveland club advance."
Byrd, who claims to have a medical condition that requires hormone treatment, said he would hold a news conference before Sunday's game.
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