While two Chronicle reporters were ready to go to jail rather than reveal their source for their series of stories on steroids in baseball, a journalist for Yahoo online discovered the source’s name back in December. Yahoo’s Josh Peter (left) was the first to report that Colorado attorney Troy Ellerman (in the cowboy hat at right) leaked confidential grand jury transcripts to Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams. Yesterday, Ellerman agreed to plead guilty to four charges relating to the leak, and he could get up to 17 years in prison. Fainaru-Wada and Williams are now off the hook. The Yahoo journalist, Peter, said in December that he got his information from Larry McCormick, a private investigator who was involved in the Balco case. McCormick told Peter that he went to the feds with the information that Ellerman was the Chronicle’s source. (Photo credit: Brad Mangin, Sports Illustrated)

Coverage includes:

• Chronicle: Lawyer admits to leak; Fainaru-Wada and Williams aren’t commenting

• Bloomberg: Balco probe attorney to plead guilty in leak case

• Mercury News: Reporters avoid jail in Balco case; Victor Conte, Balco’s founder, says he’s “shocked” Ellerman was the leaker