ST. LOUIS — When trying to kickstart a slowed rehab from shoulder surgery, then-Anaheim Angels third baseman Troy Glaus turned to a banned performance-enhancing drug because he was “willing to take the risk,” according to a report published this afternoon on The New York Times web site.

The quote is taken from an interview Glaus allegedly had with a federal agent and was recently showed to a New York Times reporter by an anonymous source identified only as a lawyer involved in a pending case concerning a California anti-aging doctor. The article goes into great detail about how in November 2003 Glaus, now a third baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals, began using steroids because he was discouraged by the pace of his rehabilitation. The article draws quotes from federal agents’ reports on their interviews with Glaus as part of a wide-ranging investigation into the anti-aging doctor who is alleged to have written prescriptions for steroids and Human Growth Hormone.

The article cites several players, but it goes into tremendous depth on Glaus’ experience in 2003, writing:

Frustrated with his rehabilitation, Glaus contacted (Ramon Scruggs, the anti-aging doctor), whose only request was for a blood sample to see whether Glaus’s testosterone levels were low enough to warrant a prescription for steroids. Medical files seized from Scruggs’s office show the steroids were sent before Scruggs reviewed Glaus’s blood test.

Asked by the investigators whether he was concerned that Scruggs did not ask to see him, Glaus was quoted in the report as saying: “I just wanted to get better, it didn’t alarm me. I just wanted to get better and play.”

…

“It worked, and I was getting better,” Glaus is quoted saying.

Glaus returned to the Phoenix area this past week to continue his rehab from an unrelated shoulder surgery — one he had in January to cleanup the labrum and rotator cuff. Glaus moved his rehab to Phoenix and to a trainer associated with Dr. Lewis Yocum because he and the Cardinals felt it was idling and improving with his work in Jupiter, Fla. The Cardinals have said it could be until June before a time table for Glaus’ return is even considered.

Yocum performed the surgery on Glaus in January.

The article published today by The New York Times aims to show “how pervasive steroids were in baseball from 2000 to 2004″, and it does so through the investigation of Scruggs and the interviews of Glaus.

The article said Glaus did not return a request for comment, nor did his agent. Glaus was mentioned in the Mitchell Report by way of a SI.com report that alleged he received a shipment of banned substances in September 2003. He has consistently declined to discuss any specifics about the allegations.

“I cooperated fully with MLB and their investigation,” Glaus said the day he first met with St. Louis media. “They came to the conclusion that there was no discipline needed. That is all I’m going to say about that. Look forward.”

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