| A Shocker in St. Louis |
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| Written by Troy Chuinard | |
| Wednesday, 12 September 2007 | |
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Just when Cardinal fans thought that their emerging superstar Rick Ankiel was one of baseball’s most exciting stories this season, the news leaked out: Ankiel received HGH supplements during his rehabilitation. However, Ankiel has gone on the record to say that the supplements he received were all prescribed by his doctors. Therefore, he was doing nothing illegal. Or was he? 
According to various reports, Ankiel received roughly a year’s worth of shipments from Signature Pharmacy, which is based in Orlando, Florida. It’s no question that he will be hounded by the media for the rest of the season, which will consequently have an indirect effect on his game play. One of the biggest prospects in the Cardinal organization at one time, St. Louis fans never would have thought that Ankiel would come back to provide such a significant offensive spark. Ankiel claims that the HGH aided in his recovery of Tommy John surgery, which he underwent after the 2003 season. However, various medical experts (in addition to the Food and Drug Administration) have claimed that HGH supplements are not a known method of aiding a patient who has undergone Tommy John surgery. It is uncertain as to whether or not Ankiel is currently on any HGH enhancements, and he has refused to release any details regarding what he has taken. "I'm not going to go into the list of what my doctors have prescribed for me," he said. "I've been through a lot emotionally and physically. There are doctor and patient privileges, and I hope you guys respect those privileges." A highly-touted pitching prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2000 season, Ankiel has no doubt made a shocking return as an outfielder. It was during his 2005 season (in the minor leagues) that Ankiel made the decision to convert to an everyday position player rather than a starting pitcher. Ultimately, the surgery that he underwent played a large role in his decision. While no immediate action is expected to be taken for Ankiel’s known actions, it is certain that he will meet with MLB executives after the season to discuss an appropriate penalty.
Not only has Ankiel been accused of using illegal substances, but Toronto Blue Jay’s third baseman Troy Glaus has also been classified as a known recipient of the HGH substance. Glaus also received the enhancers from Signature, and it is expected that he too will meet with MLB executives to discuss possible ramifications. Glaus has not responded well to the media, and many baseball fans are beginning to grow speculative of the emerging superstars in the league. After the controversy surrounding Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa, there is one question that every MLB fan has to be pondering: How will Commissioner Bud Selig and the rest of the MLB Administration respond to the ongoing steroid allegations?
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