Despite usage, Byrd on board

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Closer Joe Borowski, left-handed relief pitcher Aaron Fultz and Byrd will be back with the Indians.

GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

CLEVELAND — Paul Byrd, whose status with the Indians is clouded by his admitted use of human growth hormone, was one of three players whose 2008 contract options were exercised by the club Tuesday.

"I think it's safe to say we considered very carefully, in a detailed fashion, every component of this decision," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.

"There is no concern at all that this is a distraction or will be. When you look at Paul's on-field contributions and the person he's been in our clubhouse and our community last two years, it's a decision we feel very comfortable with."

Closer Joe Borowski, left-handed relief pitcher Aaron Fultz and Byrd will be back with the Indians next season. All three contracts called for Cleveland to decide on the options within 10 days of the completion of the World Series.

Byrd finished 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts. He walked just 28 batters, and his average of 1.31 walks per nine innings was best in the American League. The 36-year-old right-hander also won both of his postseason starts.

But on the morning of Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Byrd purchased nearly $25,000 of HGH and syringes between 2002 and 2005. Byrd said the substance was prescribed to help fight low levels of the hormone, caused by a tumor on his pituitary gland.

The final purchase came one week before Major League Baseball formally banned the use of HGH. MLB has said it may still recommend penalties for players who engaged in the illegal purchase of HGH. Two of Byrd's prescriptions were written by a Florida dentist whose license was suspended in 2003 for fraud and incompetence.

"I have not had any at-length conversations with Paul since the end of the year," Shapiro said. "Any conversations I have had, I'll keep between Paul and I."

Shapiro said he has not been contacted by MLB about Byrd's situation.

"It's still in their hands," Shapiro said. "I don't have any more information."

Borowski, 36, led the league with 45 saves. Jose Mesa (46 in 1995) is the only Indians pitcher to finish off more victories in a single season. Borowski converted 45 of 53 save opportunities (85 percent).

"Our bullpen unit collectively was a real strength for us," Shapiro said. "He obviously was a very important part of that. His performance and contribution was, without a doubt, one of the key differences between last year and this year."

"I couldn't have asked for a better fit," Borowski said. "I couldn't have been happier. It's definitely a first-class organization."

The right-hander's overall ERA (5.07) was the highest of any league leader since the save became an official statistic. Borowski's ERA in save situations was 3.73, his ERA in non-save situations 6.86.

"I had a couple outings that blew those numbers out of the water," Borowski said. "Was I pleased overall? Yes. Are there areas I need to improve on? Yes."

Fultz, 34, was 4-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 49 appearances. Left-handed batters hit .191 off him, and the first batters he faced hit .146 (6-for-41).

Byrd's salary will increase from $7 million to $8 million. Borowski will be paid $4 million, as he was in 2007. He also earned $1 million in incentives by finishing 58 games. Fultz's $1.5 million salary will remain the same next season.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007