50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

[Stu]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

It about time stupid a** Bud Selig got his s*** together. I was getting really angry when Selig didn't have anything in place and congress was getting ready to step in. God forbid the day congress gets involved in baseball.

It's easy to blame Selig but you have to understand he is powerless to make these kinds of changes without approval of the MLBPA. He was publicly encouraging Congress to step in to force the MLBPA into an agreement, which was really his only choice.

[mjb2124]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

It's easy to blame Selig but you have to understand he is powerless to make these kinds of changes without approval of the MLBPA. He was publicly encouraging Congress to step in to force the MLBPA into an agreement, which was really his only choice.

Very true. When it comes to any player dealings, Selig essentially has his hands tied. He might be the Commissioner, but when it comes to the Players Union, he has 0 power.

[Skerik]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Kudos to congress. Selig may be powerless against the beast that is the MLBPA, but congress bent them to their will with the threat of further congressional involvement in baseball's drug problem.

Does this new stricter testing include HGH? If I'm not mistaken, the previous steroid policy didn't even check for that....

[Stu]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Kudos to congress. Selig may be powerless against the beast that is the MLBPA, but congress bent them to their will with the threat of further congressional involvement in baseball's drug problem.

Does this new stricter testing include HGH? If I'm not mistaken, the previous steroid policy didn't even check for that....

Unless they changed from a urine test to a blood test, no.

[Skerik]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Unless they changed from a urine test to a blood test, no.

I see. That would seem to be kind of a gaping hole in the MLB drug detection program, no?

[SPTO]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

It about time stupid a** Bud Selig got his s*** together. I was getting really angry when Selig didn't have anything in place and congress was getting ready to step in. God forbid the day congress gets involved in baseball.

Well to be accurate Congress has had a hand in baseball for almost a century now:

THE ANTI-TRUST EXEMPTION

[Stu]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

I see. That would seem to be kind of a gaping hole in the MLB drug detection program, no?

It's a huge hole but everyone seems content to sweep it under the rug. They are testing for amphetamines now though. The penalties are:

• First positive test -- Mandatory additional testing.
• Second positive -- 25-game suspension.
• Third positive -- 80-game suspension.
• Fourth positive -- Commissioner's discretion, with an arbitrator being able to review.

[dieselboy]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Awesome, awesome news.

[mjb2124]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

I see. That would seem to be kind of a gaping hole in the MLB drug detection program, no?

True. We probably won't see blood tests in pro sports....which means HGH won't be detected. I'm not sure why, but some feel that a blood test is WAY too intrusive, but a urine test is not?

I'm pretty sure that the NFL is a urine test as well. Not sure though.

[p2xgamers]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

I give props for stiffening the penalty but I still think it should be:

1st Offense - Out 1 year
2nd Offense - Banned from playing baseball for life

But at least they improved it.

[southside_hitmen]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Good Job!!! Ten games was a joke. Under a ten game suspension a pitcher missed 2 starts... big deal. Now they will miss ten starts, should be a good deterrent, although I would have liked it to be even more strict.

[Wolfeye]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

See this is my one problem with this. They could test all they want and be as strict as they want but if MLB isn't going to put money on testing facilities and procedures then what's the point? Players will find other substances that won't be spotted in the tests they're given nowadays.

At least they've got harsher penalties now tho.

That's not a big problem. Now how do they know it's not spotted by the tests? It used to be well if it is spotted by the test then I guess there goes 10 days. Now if you are wrong there goes 1/4th of a season. The harsh penalty alone might be enough to keep a lot of guys off the juice.

[OSUG1]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Great news. Is this retroactive or in effect as of today? Or is there a future date where it's set to take effect?

I am pretty sure that it will be effect for the 2006 season. Any player that was caught last year and suspeneded will be suspended 50 games like its their first offense and so on.

[SPTO]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

That's not a big problem. Now how do they know it's not spotted by the tests? It used to be well if it is spotted by the test then I guess there goes 10 days. Now if you are wrong there goes 1/4th of a season. The harsh penalty alone might be enough to keep a lot of guys off the juice.

Because there are a lot of other substances that can't be detected unless they do blood tests which is not covered under the agreement. Urine samples can only go so far.


BTW here's something interesting that was stated by Steve Philips on SportsCentre here in Canada. This is in regards to amphetimines. Philips said it's a widespread problem and the reason being is that players get banged up and basically they can't go through a 162 game season without them.

He then said that training and prep for games will need to be changed or we may have to have a 120 game season if we want players to be healthy and strong enough to go for the full year.

[mjb2124]

Re: 50 Game ban for 1st time offenders/Lifetime ban for 3rd timers

Because there are a lot of other substances that can't be detected unless they do blood tests which is not covered under the agreement. Urine samples can only go so far.

Bingo. I applaud MLB for going with a harsher penalty, but don't fool yourself. There will ALWAYS be steroids or other things that go undetected. Those that create different steroids/HGH are ALWAYS months/years ahead of the testing procedures.

Think about it. If they make these things, don't you think they know the testing procedures? Don't you think they create a steroid (or masking agent for that matter) that will pass these tests? Sure they do.

As SPTO pointed out, the problem is the difference in a blood/urine sample. Urine samples are improving and getting better, but still weak. A blood test is nearly impossible to fool.