Chapter[ IX. The Threat Posed By Internet Sales of Steroids and Human Growth
Hormone ]
Section[ Gary Matthews, Jr. ]
Gary Matthews, Jr.
On February 27, 2007, the Albany Times Union reported that the name of
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gary Matthews, Jr. appeared on a customer list of Applied
Pharmacy Services.492 Sports Illustrated later reported that Applied customer records showed
that in August 2004 Applied shipped Matthews a package of human growth hormone
(Genotropin) using a prescription arranged from the “now-defunct” south Florida anti-aging
clinic Health Watch (the same clinic connected to Jose Canseco’s purchases). The substances
490 See Luis Fernando Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim, Another Pro Athlete Named; Others
Clarify Position, SI.com, Mar. 8, 2007. Holmes played for eight teams in Major League
Baseball between 1990 and 2003: the Los Angeles Dodgers; Milwaukee Brewers; Colorado
Rockies; New York Yankees; Arizona Diamondbacks; St. Louis Cardinals; Baltimore Orioles;
and Atlanta Braves.
491 See id.
492 See Brendan J. Lyons, A Web of Easy Steroids: Florida Raid Highlights a Lucrative
Business, Albany Times Union, Feb. 28, 2007, at A1. Matthews has played for seven teams in
Major League Baseball since 1999: the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates,
New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Angels.
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were shipped to Matthews at an address in Mansfield, Texas.493 Reporters learned that the
address belonged to a former minor league teammate and friend of Matthews.494
Several weeks after the report appeared, Matthews issued a statement in which he
said “I have never taken H.G.H., during the 2004 season or any other time. Nobody has accused
me of doing so, and no law enforcement agency has said I am a target of any investigation for
doing so.” In his statement, Matthews did not deny that human growth hormone had been
shipped to him, and he declined to answer reporters’ questions about that omission.495
Chad Allen, who was Matthews’ teammate, told my investigative staff that he had
allowed Matthews to reside in his condominium in Dallas during the 2004 season while they
were both playing for the Texas Rangers. Allen was assigned to the Rangers’ class AAA
affiliate during the season, but Matthews and another player continued to live at the
condominium. When Allen returned to his condominium after the season, he found unused
syringes in a drawer. Allen did not know who left the syringes behind, and he discarded them.
Neither I nor any member of my investigative staff had any prior knowledge of
any allegation about Matthews. Matthews met with officials from the Commissioner’s Office in
November 2007. On December 6, 2007, the Commissioner’s Office announced that there was
insufficient evidence of a violation of the joint program in effect at the time of the conduct in
question to warrant discipline of Matthews.
493 See Matthews ordered drug shipment, SI.com, Feb. 28, 2007; see also Luis Fernando
Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim, Rx for Trouble: Inside the Steroid Sting, Sports Illustrated, Mar. 12,
2007, at 62; see also Angels Outfielder Sent HGH from Busted Pharmacy, SI.com, Feb. 28, 2007.
494 Angels Outfielder Sent HGH from Busted Pharmacy, SI.com, Feb. 28, 2007.
495 See Jack Curry, In Statement, Matthews Says He Never Used H.G.H., N.Y. Times,
Mar. 15, 2007, at D6.
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