St Louis Cardinals' new natural slugger Rick Ankiel: Growing by artificial (HGH) leaps and bounds

In a surprising new development, the New York Daily News says new St Louis Cardinal wunderkind, Rick Ankiel may have grown alot the past few years.  Grown not only in hitting, but in stature.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel, baseball's feel-good story of the season, received a 12-month supply of human growth hormone in 2004 from a Florida pharmacy that was part of a national illegal prescription drug-distribution operation, the Daily News has learned.

Shocking news to say the least.  This is a kid, who just a few weeks ago delivered one of the hot new stories of a long contentious sports summer.  At a time when everyone argued about Barry Bonds steroids this, and Hank Aaron's steroids snub that, baseball needed a bright new star.  Ankiel's Phoenix resurrection from doomed pitcher to 'The Natural' slugger blossomed to put a new feelgood spin on the summer.  Oops.  Ankiel just may have been 'injected' into MLB all too quickly and too artificially.

Ankiel compiled a ton of stats the past few weeks as he debuted in the Cardinals lineup:

Ankiel, who flamed out mentally and physically as a pitcher earlier this decade, only to return to the majors as a slugging outfielder last month, has evoked comparisons this season to Roy Hobbs and Babe Ruth. He hit two home runs, a double and had seven RBI yesterday against the Pirates at Busch Stadium, giving him nine home runs in 81 at-bats since his remarkable major league comeback began on Aug. 10.

However, the catch on The Natural is this:

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.

Wow.  Documented evidence of numerous shipments to Ankiel.   Remember too, that HGH by itself may not be a great anabolic.  Insulin and or steroids generally are taken in conjunction with HGH for maximal anabolic effect.  Ankiel may say he took the HGH for 'rehab' which is certainly an undocumented indication for the drug.

Ankiel's prescriptions were signed by Florida physician William Gogan, who provided them through a Palm Beach Gardens clinic called "The Health and Rejuvenation Center," or "THARC." The drugs were shipped to Ankiel at the clinic's address. THARC also provided a shipment of steroids and growth hormone to former major league pitcher Steve Woodard, who pitched for Milwaukee, Cleveland, Texas and Boston during a seven-year career that ended in 2003, according to records. Woodard and Ankiel were teammates with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds in 2004.

The Cards are surprised:

"This is the first I've heard of this," Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty told The News yesterday. "If it's true, obviously it would be very tragic, along with everything else we've had happen to us this year."

We will have more on this story as it develops during the day.

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