This story is far from over...

September 9, 2007

The story broke in spring training, with Gary Matthews Jr. as the big name. Authorities had busted a national drug ring -- click here to order steroids and other performance-enhancing substances online, without a doctor's examination -- through which the Angels' center fielder allegedly had been sent a shipment of human growth hormone.

The agency heading the investigation, the Albany County (N.Y.) district attorney's office, said it would prosecute the doctors and pharmacists who supplied the drugs but pledged to forward the names of implicated athletes to their respective leagues.

Baseball waits. Perhaps soon -- just in time for the playoffs! -- major league officials might finally learn what investigators have on Matthews and any other baseball players.

The Albany prosecutors passed along information to the NFL last month, and New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison and Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Wade Wilson promptly admitted to HGH use and were suspended. The investigators also forwarded names to World Wrestling Entertainment, which suspended 10 wrestlers last month.

"No names have been provided to baseball," said Heather Orth, spokeswoman for the Albany County district attorney. We asked why the other sports had gotten names and baseball hadn't, and we asked when baseball might get names. She did not get back to us with answers.

Should baseball officials receive evidence linking Matthews to HGH, he probably would be summoned to a meeting in the commissioner's office. In a carefully worded statement in March, Matthews denied ever using HGH, but investigators almost certainly could not prove use. Matthews has refused to address whether he ever ordered or received HGH, although the initial spring report, on SI.com, referenced evidence of a prescription.

The report alleged an HGH shipment in 2004, before baseball banned the substance, although it was -- and is -- illegal to use without a legitimate prescription. If the Albany investigators provided evidence compelling to Commissioner Bud Selig, he could threaten a suspension, even though it probably would be overturned by arbitrators.

Selig wants to talk with Rick Ankiel and Troy Glaus, whose names reportedly were linked Friday with performance-enhancing substances from the Florida pharmacy at the heart of the Albany investigation. And more names could pop up soon, with former Sen. George Mitchell asking some 45 current and former players to cooperate with his steroid investigation and names sealed in separate affidavits from former pitcher Jason Grimsley and former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski.

And there is this: Baseball now tests for steroids but not for HGH, arguing there is no reliable test and refusing to use the potential deterrent of drawing blood now for a test expected to become available in the near future. That means every player could take HGH today and no one would know, unless a name turned up in a government investigation.

The various allegations -- and the prospect of Mitchell naming dozens of players, or more, in his report -- is enough to numb one former major leaguer, Brian Anderson, who pitched for the Angels, Indians and Diamondbacks. Did 5% of players use steroids, or 10%, or more?

"No number would shock me," Anderson said. "If they came out and said 40% of major league baseball players used steroids, it wouldn't surprise me."

He hired me, now he's goneTwo years ago, as the Dodgers limped toward the finish line of a 91-loss season, manager Jim Tracy asked for a two-year contract extension. The Dodgers said no, and Tracy sensed more security in Pittsburgh, where old friend Dave Littlefield was the Pirates' general manager.

Littlefield gave Tracy a three-year contract. But Littlefield was fired Friday -- with the team en route to its seventh consecutive losing season on his watch and 15th in a row overall -- and Tracy could be next to walk the plank.