“I didn’t even know you could get a prescription from your doctor to get it. I’ve never seen it.”

The above quote comes courtesy of Dusty Baker, commenting on Rick Ankiel’s alleged HGH use during last night’s Dodgers/Giants game on ESPN. You’ll note that Dusty didn’t actually utter the words “human growth hormone”, something he has in common with Ankiel himself, who neither confirmed nor denied his use of HGH during a press conference today in Phoenix.

Y’see, Ankiel is claiming, “any medication that I’ve received in my career has always been under a doctor’s care.” But he’s not willing to specify what that care entailed, telling the media “I’m not going into the list of what my doctors have prescribed for me. I’ve been through a lot emotionally and physically. There are doctor-patient privileges and I hope you guys respect those privileges.”

And with that, I hope we’re not violating Ankiel’s rights by sharing the following excerpts from an article that will appear in Saturday’s New York Daily News, as composed by T.J. Quinn and Roger Rubin.

According to the FDA, prescriptions of HGH are limited to adults with serious hormone deficiencies caused by pituitary tumors and conditions such as AIDS “wasting” disease. Doctors have latitude with how they prescribe some drugs, but not with HGH, said Gary Wadler, an associate professor of medicine at NYU and a committee member with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The law “basically says it can only be used for a legitimate disease or medical condition,” Wadler said. “To my knowledge, healing after Tommy John surgery would be an off-label use and therefore would not conform with these very rigid restrictions. That’s the law of the land as relates to human growth hormone.”

Ankiel’s prescriptions were signed by Florida physician William Gogan, who provided them through a Palm Beach Gardens clinic called “The Health and Rejuvenation Center,” or “THARC.”

MLB officials said they thought it odd that Ankiel would get prescriptions from a doctor associated with an anti-aging clinic, rather than receive all his medical care from the Cardinals organization.

Gogan, who did not return calls to his North Palm Beach office, has a checkered medical history.

In 1997 Gogan was identified as one of 104 Florida physicians who had paid three or more medical malpractice claims over the previous five years. The $2.7 million he paid for his three claims was the most paid by any Palm Beach County physician during that period, according to state records. Gogan was also placed on probation by the Florida Board of Medicine in 1996 and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine after investigators determined he made four mistakes while replacing the knee of a 73-year-old patient.

I must apologize. Though Google Image Search is usually reliable, the above photograph is the only one I could find of Dr. Gogan.

Ankiel was 1 for 4 in the Cards’ 4-2 loss to the Diamondbacks Friday evening. Brandon Webb allowed 2 runs and 4 hits over 6 IP while earning his 15th win. The Snakes increased their NL West lead to 2 games over San Diego, who were blown out, 10-4, by the Rockies.

After the injured Elmer Dessens departed in the last of the third, Colorado employed 9 relievers over the next 6 1/3 innings. The total of 10 pitchers represented an NL record, one unlikely to be broken very soon. Unless the Orioles switch leagues.