A couple good journalism stories:

About a week after Indians’ pitcher Paul Byrd admitted he’s not one of THOSE religious jocks (see Kitna, Jon) but yes, he is a religious jock (read here for espn.com’s article on Byrd’s upcoming book), The San Francisco Chronicle Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada scooped the journo world again, id’ing Byrd buying near $25,000 of Human Growth Hormone.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Ken Rosenthal of foxsports.com got the exclusive interview with Byrd, who admitted to buying HGH, but said it was doctor prescribed who say he suffered from adult growth-hormone deficiency.

“I have not taken any hormone apart from a doctor’s care and supervision,” Byrd said. “The Indians, my coaches and MLB have known that I have had a pituitary gland issue for some time and have assisted me in getting blood tests in different states. I am currently working with an endocrinologist and will have another MRI on my head after the season to make sure that the tumor hasn’t grown.”

Perhaps we’d be more sympathetic if we hadn’t heard excuses from every athlete when they’re caught, if Byrd hadn’t bought from a Florida anti-aging clinic targeted by police for illegally distributing performance-enhancing drugs, or if Indians’ GM Mark Shapiro hadn’t said “I don’t feel I have enough information to comment further”. Paul, didn’t you say The Indians have known for some time?