Itsme

Major League Baseball Stiffens Drug Penalties
Tuesday, November 15, 2005

WASHINGTON — Major League Baseball players who test positive for steroids will face a mandatory 50-game suspension for their first offense under the terms of a new drug policy to be announced Tuesday by the players and the owners.

A second offense will result in a 100-game suspension; a third offense will mean a lifetime ban from the game. A player who is banned for life may apply for a reinstatement hearing before an arbitrator after two years.

The deal also adds testing for amphetamines, with a suspension of 25 games for a second positive drug test and 80 games for a third.

A formal announcement was planned for later Tuesday.

Baseball's current steroid penalties, agreed to in January, are a 10-day suspension for a first offense, 30 days for a second offense, and 60 days for a third. The earliest a player could be banned for life is a fifth offense.

The sport's second new steroids agreement in 10 months came after lengthy negotiations prompted by urging from Congress — including the threat of legislation that would require higher penalties and stricter testing standards.

Merlin

I really like these punishments. What they had earlier in the year was just not enough. These seem about right.

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Itsme

I agree, this should put an end to it once and for all.

guiseppewv

Glad to finally see some real penalties. I guess Barry Bonds will be retiring.

Itsme

I hadn't thought of that...might see a few retirements.

Merlin

Nah, Bonds uses HGH and that can only be detected by a blood test. A urine sample only get the low level steroid user. The real exotic stuff will still go undetected for a while.

SpikeDig

Did the MLB players union stamp their approval also? I would hope so. Roids gotta go.

zero2dash

I like the new stipulations.

It's funny how baseball went from "small ball" to "long ball" (late 90's-early 2000 with the HR races) and now back to "small ball".

No more room or fanfare for these "juiced up" HR hitters.

tupacboy

there is no way the steroid tests will be able to keep up with the new enhanced ones... all it means is that the rich and roided up players will continue to do so... but in the long run.... it should clean up the game... i find it funny how so many players are commenting on the amphetamines more then steroids...

cadetevon

I think it's a matter of, "Hey! Look over there!" while they attempt to continue on their way using 'roids.

I'm glad for the new, harsher standards. And really... no one should complain because if you're not using, what do you care about the penalties, right?

We'll see though.

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Yvonne
Funny: My Next Wife.

Grubbie

The steroids aren't the biggest part of this. It is the greenies, MLB finally admitted it had a problem that it has been trying to hid for 50years.

cadetevon

I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with the term 'greenies'.

Unless it means pot (just a guess).

zenbooty

Nope. Amphetemines. They've been in baseball for years and years. Willie Mays took them.

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Common sense is what tells you the Earth is flat.

Grubbie

Correct

Some ex players have said it has been a huge problem but it was always ignored. Tony Gywnn I believe said he thought 50% of all players were taking them. Other ex players said they felt pressue to take them so they were't out in the field naked(not on them).