Barring further, actually damning evidence, this is going to be a sad and unnecessary derailment of what is–remains–the best baseball story in years.

The gist: he bought HGH legally when he was rehabbing. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but HGH would probably be a good thing to have when one was rehabbing. It was MLB kosher at the time he’s supposed to have used it, and he acquired it via prescription, however shady said prescribers are.

Interesting Thought Experiment:

Ankiel stopped receiving the shipments before HGH was banned. See how many times you see a talking head make each of the following assumptions, based on that fact:

1. Ankiel took these supplements, obtained legally, three years ago, therefore he is now taking illegal supplements.

2. Ankiel stopped taking these supplements before they were banned, therefore he does not take banned supplements.

And then frown about the sad shape of sports journalists–the ones in the public eye–who seem to be fast becoming the pro wrestling referees of journalism: They answer to the same job description, and they wear the same clothes, but they aren’t really doing the same job.