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St. Louis' Ankiel Met With MLB About HGH

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The Associated Press

Published: September 15, 2007

Updated: 09/15/2007 01:11 am

ST. LOUIS - Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he met earlier this week with baseball officials to answer questions about human growth hormone.
Major League Baseball had requested a meeting after a New York Daily News report that Ankiel received eight shipments of HGH in 2004.

'I think it was a good thing to do, and I was happy to help,' said Ankiel in Friday's edition, adding he met with representatives from the commissioner's office before Tuesday's game in Cincinnati. 'I answered whatever questions they had. I was in full compliance with whatever they needed.'

Ankiel has said that while he was recovering from elbow surgery he took what a doctor prescribed, but declined to discuss specific medications.

Under its current drug policy, baseball does not test for HGH, and the drug was not banned until 2005.

Phillies' Alfonseca Suspended 4 Games

NEW YORK - Phillies reliever Antonio Alfonseca was suspended for four games Friday, a day after he was ejected for hitting Colorado's Todd Helton with a pitch.

Alfonseca appealed the suspension and was available for the opener of Philadelphia's crucial weekend series against the NL East-leading New York Mets.

'I think four days is kind of harsh,' manager Charlie Manuel said. 'I think that's a little tough.'

Alfonseca, who also was fined an undisclosed amount, hit Helton in the arm with two outs in the seventh inning of the Phillies' 12-4 win over the Rockies.

BRAVES: Chipper Jones was in the Atlanta lineup against the Nationals on Friday night after missing three starts because of a strained muscle on his right side.

The third baseman hurt himself Monday during batting practice and was a late scratch for that night's game against the New York Mets. Jones missed the entire series in which the Braves lost two of three.

CARDINALS: Scott Spiezio was activated from the restricted list on Friday, about five weeks after leaving the team to undergo treatment for substance abuse.

Spiezio said he received daily treatment on an outpatient basis. The rehabilitation process began on Aug. 10, the day after the Cardinals removed him from the active roster.

'I was out of control for a while,' Spiezio said. 'I learned a lot and I'm ready to start contributing in a good way now.'

Spiezio, who turns 35 next week, was plugged into the lineup at third base and batted sixth against Chicago.

PIRATES: Mets VP Tony Bernazard has emerged as a candidate for the Pittsburgh GM job.

The Pirates have received permission from New York to speak with Bernazard about the position, but the former ML infielder wouldn't say whether he already had interviewed.

Bernazard, a former players' association executive, joined the Mets in December 2004 as a special assistant to GM Omar Minaya and is currently the VP for player development. .

TRADE: The Nationals got Class-A batting champion Andrew Lefave from the Brewers on Friday to complete the Sept. 4 deal that sent reliever Ray King to Milwaukee.

The 23-year-old Lefave is an outfielder and first baseman who hit .345 with 17 homers and 79 RBIs in 112 games in the South Atlantic League this season.

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