Report ties Guillen to steroids

The ever-expanding web of baseball's unfolding steroids revelations touched former Mariners outfielder Jose Guillen on Tuesday.

The San Francisco Chronicle published a story linking Guillen to the purchase of more than $19,000 worth of steroids and human-growth hormone between May 2002 and June 2005. Former Mariners pitcher Ismael Valdez, and former all-star Matt Williams were also reported to have purchased performance-enhancing drugs.

Neither Guillen nor his agent, Adam Katz, could be reached for comment. Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said, "Jose Guillen was an outstanding member of our team this year. Testing is in place. We had no suspicions he was doing anything this year. He was a great citizen and a great teammate. Obviously, we have no idea what might have occurred before he came here."

It is possible Guillen will be asked to meet with the commissioner's office to discuss the allegations. Baltimore's Jay Gibbons met with baseball officials shortly after a report alleging he received shipments of steroids and human-growth hormone from 2003 to 2005, as did the Cardinals' Rick Ankiel.

"As in the other cases, we will look into it," said MLB spokesman Pat Courtney.

Commissioner Bud Selig has reportedly not ruled out suspending players even if they didn't violate baseball's drug policy. Baseball began testing for steroids in 2003 and banned human-growth hormone in 2005.

"Nothing has been determined as regard to any potential discipline, Courtney said, referring to players linked to the purchase of performance-enhancing substances.

Guillen signed a one-year deal with Seattle last December, and hit .290 with 23 homers and 99 runs batted in as the Mariners' regular right fielder.

Guillen is eligible for free agency after the Mariners last Friday declined a one-year, $9 million option on him for next season. Guillen still can invoke a player option that would return him to the Mariners next season with a one-year, $5 million contract.

If he does so, however, the Mariners can still elect to opt out of the contract. Guillen has indicated a desire to test the free-agent market in pursuit of a multiyear deal.

Armstrong said the Mariners had no prior knowledge of Guillen's alleged steroids link last week when they declined his option.

The Chronicle reported that Valdez, now retired, bought $11,300 worth of performance-enhancing drugs in 2002 after he was traded to the Mariners from Texas.

"With respect to Valdez, if he was on performance-enhancing substances when he was with us, it certainly didn't help him any," Armstrong said.

Valdez was 2-3 with a 4.93 earned-run average in eight starts for the Mariners in 2002.

Williams was a five-time All-Star during his 17-year major league career. He was playing for the Diamondbacks in 2002 when records indicate he purchased $11,600 worth of growth hormone, steroids and other drugs.

According to the Chronicle, Guillen made the purchases from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center, the Florida anti-aging clinic that has been targeted by the Albany, N.Y., district attorney for illegal sale of drugs, including steroids and growth hormone.

The Chronicle said that Guillen's orders were detailed in records provided the newspaper by a confidential source.

According to the Chronicle, records from the center show that Guillen ordered three types of human-growth hormone, two forms of testosterone and the steroids stanozolol and nandrolone during the three-year period.

The purchases reportedly occurred in May 2002, when he was playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks; in September 2003, when he was playing for the Oakland Athletics; and July 2004, when he was playing for the Anaheim Angels.

The Chronicle also said it was unclear from the records it received whether orders for human-growth hormone and syringes that Guillen apparently placed in September 2003, when he was with the A's, and June 2005, when he played for the Washington Nationals, were delivered.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com