Byrd meets with officials over use of HGH

NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Indians pitcher Paul Byrd met with baseball officials Monday to discuss his use of human growth hormone.

It’s uncertain whether Byrd will face any discipline from the commissioner’s office or when a potential punishment might be handed down.

Among those at the meeting were Rob Manfred, baseball’s executive vice president for labor relations, and Michael Weiner, general counsel for the players’ association.

Before Game 7 of the AL championship series in Boston, Byrd acknowledged taking HGH after the San Francisco Chronicle reported he spent nearly $25,000 on the banned drug and syringes from 2002-05. His name was included last week in the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

The 37-year-old right-hander claims he took HGH for a medical condition and did so only under a doctor’s supervision.

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.

The Chronicle reported Byrd purchased HGH while pitching for Kansas City, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Angels.