MSNBC Slimes Rick Ankiel

MSNBC reports that Rick Ankiel was another member of the MLB to receive Human Growth Hormones to improve his baseball abilities...

in 2004.

Look at Rick Ankiel's statistics.

In the entire year of 2004, Rick pitched all of 10 innings in 5 games the entire season. Then from 2004-2007 HE DID NOT PLAY FOR THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AT ALL! He was kept in the minors for nearly three years.

It's not until late in the story that you see this little blurb.

"Authorities have not accused Ankiel of any wrongdoing, the newspaper said. According to the Signature records the News cited, he stopped receiving HGH just before baseball banned it in 2005."

So in 2004, he was doing something that was perfectly legal in baseball, then ceased once it had been banned, and there's something wrong with that?

MSNBC writer Mike Celizic gets the point across very well though.

I guess baseball and sportswriters didn’t get the memo, so let’s repeat it for them: the fans don’t care what Rick Ankiel did three years ago.