Report: Guillen, Williams bought steroids from Florida clinic
Veteran outfielder Jose Guillen purchased thousands of dollars worth of steroids and human growth hormone from a Florida clinic under investigation for illegal drug sales, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday.
Citing business records, the Chronicle reported Guillen, who played for the Seattle Mariners last season, bought more than $19,000 worth of drugs from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center between May 2002 and June 2005. Guillen had some of the shipment sent to the Oakland Coliseum during the 2003 season, after he was traded to the A's.
Major League Baseball began testing for steroids in 2003 and put growth hormone on its list of banned substances in January 2005.
In examining the records provided to the Chronicle by a confidential source, the newspaper also found that:
• Retired third baseman Matt Williams, a five-time All-Star who played 17 seasons in the majors, purchased $11,600 worth of HGH, steroids and other drugs from the Palm Beach clinic in 2002. Williams, the cornerstone of the San Francisco Giants' infield for a decade, was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks at the time.
Reached by phone Monday, Williams told the Chronicle he used HGH on the advice of a doctor to treat an ankle injury he suffered during spring training in 2002.
• Right-hander Ismael Valdez, who spent parts of 12 seasons with seven teams and last pitched in the majors in 2005, purchased $11,300 worth of performance-enhancing drugs in 2002 following his trade from the Texas Rangers to Seattle.
Valdez's former agent didn't return messages left by the Chronicle.
The newspaper's examination of the Palm Beach clinic's records found that Guillen ordered three different types of HGH, two forms of testosterone and the steroids stanozolol and nandrolone between 2002 and 2005.
Guillen did not reply to requests for comment left with his agent and business manager.
Some prescriptions for Guillen, Williams and Valdez were written by the same Florida dentist whose license was suspended in 2003 for fraud and incompetence. The dentist also reportedly prescribed HGH to Paul Byrd; citing an anonymous law enforcement source, the Chronicle reported in October that the Cleveland Indians pitcher bought nearly $25,000 worth of growth hormone and syringes between 2002 and 2005.
Byrd said he no longer is taking HGH.
Tuesday's report comes as all of Major League Baseball braces for the release of George Mitchell's report on steroids use in the game. Mitchell, a Boston Red Sox director and former Senate Majority Leader, was hired by commissioner Bud Selig in March 2006 and is expected to issue his report before the end of the year.
Interviewed during the World Series, Selig first said he doubted he would see the report before it is made public, then suggested he might get it a few hours before others so he could "digest it."
Selig wouldn't speculate on possible discipline for players who may be implicated.
"I just don't want to comment because I don't know what's going to come out," he said.
The Palm Beach anti-aging clinic, as well as others plus online pharmacies in Florida and Alabama, have been targeted by the Albany County, N.Y., district attorney for illegal sales of drugs, including steroids and HGH. In addition to MLB players, the businesses' customer lists have contained the names of pro football players and wrestlers. No athletes have been indicted.
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Jose Guillen, Matt Williams bought steroids
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Originally Posted by bigboydan
