Steroids in baseball
Steroids in baseball may be a bigger problem than MLB wants to admit. Over the weekend the first positive test at the major league level was reported to be Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF Alex Sanchez. It's not the allstar the public wanted, but Sanchez's story might be the tip of the iceberg. Monday MLB announced 38 minor leaguers from the Cactus League Spring training tests of 12 teams.
The MLB minor league testing includes testing for "reasonable cause" i.e. if a member of the Minor League Healthy Policy Advisory Committee receives information that gives him/her reasonable cause to believe that a player has in the previous year used or possessed a prohibited substance.
Minor league baseball also subjects all players to up to four unannounced tests per year for drugs of abuse and performance enhancing substances. If a player tests positive for either, he may be subject to additional testing.
A first positive test allows for entry into a treatment program, and a unpaid suspension of 15 games. A second and third positive test result in an unpaid suspension of 30 games and 60 games respectively. A fourth positive test warrants a one-year suspension. A fifth offense results in permanent suspension from baseball.
The list of banned substances includes: Steroids, steroid precursors, designer steroids, masking agents and diuretics plus pro-hormone nutritional supplements, ephedrine, human growth hormone and erythropoietin (EPO). The policy also prohibits drugs of abuse, such as amphetamines, cocaine, LSD, marijuana, opiates (i.e. heroin), phencyclidine (PCP), MDMA (ecstasy) and GHB.
The more stringent policies are the main reason for more positive results. Of the 38 minor leaguers that tested positive 10 were released. Another surprising statistic is that there were 37 first time offenders, and 21 Latin American players tested positive. It is a very surprising trend because it is either bad advice the players are receiving to make it to the majors from a distant country, or a gamble some players are taking in the hopes of a big payday at the major league level. Eventhough the US Dollar isn't worth a lot against the British Pound, the Euro, the Yuan, or the Yen, doesn't mean it isn't valuable in places like Venezuela, the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, or Mexico where some of the Latin American players hail from.
Overall the numbers are shocking when you consider the Grapefruit League Spring Training has 18 teams and their tests haven't been made public yet. The Seattle Mariners had eight players test positive, including two players who previously played at the major league level, and they released one player. The Chicago Cubs had seven players test positive, and released two of them. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had five players test positive, one previously played at the major league level, and they released one. The Oakland A's had five players test positive, including one third time offender, and they released one. The Texas Rangers had five players test positive, and they released three of them. The San Diego Padres had four players test positive, and released two of them. The Colorado Rockies had two players test positive, and the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox each had one player test positive. None of the three teams released anyone.
The MLB major league testing procedure follows these guidelines. One unannounced mandatory test of each player during the season, plus random testing of selected players (with no maximum number) during the season and the off season.
At the major league level MLB tests for: Steroids, steroid precursors, designer steroids, masking agents and diuretics. None of the other drugs and supplements, including ephedrine, are expressly banned in the agreement effective until 2008.
For a first offense players will be suspended without pay for 10 days. A second offense players will be suspended without pay for 30 days. A third offense players will be suspended without pay for 60 days. A fourth offense major league players will be suspended without pay for one year. The fifth offense players are subject to the decision of the Comissioner of Baseball for punishment. Players can also be threatened with a monetary fine.
According to the MLB steroid policy Alex Sanchez received a 10 day suspension. It's kind of too bad for him. He was recently reunited with his mother this spring after her defection from Cuba. They hadn't seen eachother in about a decade. He has been with a couple teams this spring. His positive test came on March 7, 2005, while he was a member of the Detroit Tigers. He claims that he has done nothing other than taking over the counter weight gainer milkshakes, muscle relaxers, and over the counter multivitamins. He has also hired a lawyer to dispute his test results as well. Alex Sanchez doesn't fit the mold of power hitter. He had 4 lifetime homeruns in 1351 at bats. Over his 4 year major league career he is only averaging 73 games played a season. Who's to say what the results are, but what if MLB administered a minor league test to a major league player to get a positive result? What if he is just a barometer of what is to come if MLB adapts to the more stringent minor league policy in 2008 and beyond?
The MLB minor league testing includes testing for "reasonable cause" i.e. if a member of the Minor League Healthy Policy Advisory Committee receives information that gives him/her reasonable cause to believe that a player has in the previous year used or possessed a prohibited substance.
Minor league baseball also subjects all players to up to four unannounced tests per year for drugs of abuse and performance enhancing substances. If a player tests positive for either, he may be subject to additional testing.
A first positive test allows for entry into a treatment program, and a unpaid suspension of 15 games. A second and third positive test result in an unpaid suspension of 30 games and 60 games respectively. A fourth positive test warrants a one-year suspension. A fifth offense results in permanent suspension from baseball.
The list of banned substances includes: Steroids, steroid precursors, designer steroids, masking agents and diuretics plus pro-hormone nutritional supplements, ephedrine, human growth hormone and erythropoietin (EPO). The policy also prohibits drugs of abuse, such as amphetamines, cocaine, LSD, marijuana, opiates (i.e. heroin), phencyclidine (PCP), MDMA (ecstasy) and GHB.
The more stringent policies are the main reason for more positive results. Of the 38 minor leaguers that tested positive 10 were released. Another surprising statistic is that there were 37 first time offenders, and 21 Latin American players tested positive. It is a very surprising trend because it is either bad advice the players are receiving to make it to the majors from a distant country, or a gamble some players are taking in the hopes of a big payday at the major league level. Eventhough the US Dollar isn't worth a lot against the British Pound, the Euro, the Yuan, or the Yen, doesn't mean it isn't valuable in places like Venezuela, the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, or Mexico where some of the Latin American players hail from.
Overall the numbers are shocking when you consider the Grapefruit League Spring Training has 18 teams and their tests haven't been made public yet. The Seattle Mariners had eight players test positive, including two players who previously played at the major league level, and they released one player. The Chicago Cubs had seven players test positive, and released two of them. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had five players test positive, one previously played at the major league level, and they released one. The Oakland A's had five players test positive, including one third time offender, and they released one. The Texas Rangers had five players test positive, and they released three of them. The San Diego Padres had four players test positive, and released two of them. The Colorado Rockies had two players test positive, and the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox each had one player test positive. None of the three teams released anyone.
The MLB major league testing procedure follows these guidelines. One unannounced mandatory test of each player during the season, plus random testing of selected players (with no maximum number) during the season and the off season.
At the major league level MLB tests for: Steroids, steroid precursors, designer steroids, masking agents and diuretics. None of the other drugs and supplements, including ephedrine, are expressly banned in the agreement effective until 2008.
For a first offense players will be suspended without pay for 10 days. A second offense players will be suspended without pay for 30 days. A third offense players will be suspended without pay for 60 days. A fourth offense major league players will be suspended without pay for one year. The fifth offense players are subject to the decision of the Comissioner of Baseball for punishment. Players can also be threatened with a monetary fine.
According to the MLB steroid policy Alex Sanchez received a 10 day suspension. It's kind of too bad for him. He was recently reunited with his mother this spring after her defection from Cuba. They hadn't seen eachother in about a decade. He has been with a couple teams this spring. His positive test came on March 7, 2005, while he was a member of the Detroit Tigers. He claims that he has done nothing other than taking over the counter weight gainer milkshakes, muscle relaxers, and over the counter multivitamins. He has also hired a lawyer to dispute his test results as well. Alex Sanchez doesn't fit the mold of power hitter. He had 4 lifetime homeruns in 1351 at bats. Over his 4 year major league career he is only averaging 73 games played a season. Who's to say what the results are, but what if MLB administered a minor league test to a major league player to get a positive result? What if he is just a barometer of what is to come if MLB adapts to the more stringent minor league policy in 2008 and beyond?
