Much between the lines in 12/17/07 AP story re MLB, Paul Byrd and others

AP report, 12/17/07: "Byrd said baseball officials knew he had been taking the drug, which he said he often stored in clubhouse refrigerators. MLB officials did not confirm they knew Byrd was taking HGH....

• This month,(Dec. 2007), baseball suspended outfielders Jose Guillen and Jay Gibbons for the first 15 days of the 2008 season

• after their names were linked in media reports to receiving human growth hormone.

The players association filed a grievance to overturn Guillen's suspension. Gibbons chose not to fight his penalty....

• Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus, Gary Matthews Jr. and Scott Schoeneweis also were linked to performance-enhancing drugs

but -- before*** the Mitchell report was released -- baseball*** decided there was "insufficient evidence" to determine they committed a doping violation.

• They were accused of receiving the substances before 2005.

HGH was banned by baseball in 2005. The Chronicle reported Byrd made his final purchase of HGH a week before the ban began." (end of AP report)

***3 Questions only a non-BBWAA member would ask:

• When exactly is "before?"
• Who exactly does the AP mean by "baseball" when they say "baseball decided?"
• Either Paul Byrd is lying when he says "MLB knew" or MLB is lying. If MLB denies what Byrd said, then they're saying he's lying. Will he be brought up on charges of slander against MLB for a drug-related issue?

Reference AP story published on SportingNews.com, 12/17/07, "Tribe's Byrd Meets With MLB Officials about HGH."

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