Suspensions on the first offense will carry a maximum length of 10 games, a baseball source told ESPN the Magazine's Buster Olney. The penalty would increase to a one-year suspension for a fourth positive test, a high-ranking official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. ...
...All players will be subject to year-round random testing. Every major league player will be tested at least once a year.
There are no stipulations requiring that a player be tested more than once. But an unspecified number of players will be selected at random to be tested numerous other times throughout the year. So unlike the current system, a player would not know, following his one mandatory test, that he had no future tests to worry about for the rest of the year.
Players can now be tested during the offseason. In the first two seasons of the agreement, testing took place only between the opening of spring training and the last day of the season.
A large number of substances would be added to the list of banned drugs, including THG and various steroid precursors. The new agreement does not address the issue of stimulants.
It's a step in the right direction and first time offenders do get the notoriety that goes along with a positive test and that probably is worse than the ten game suspension. At least players don't know exactly when or if they will be tested this year unlike the old plan where they knew in advance. I still think a lot of players will test the system until they actually find some people. I'm guessing 6-10 guys go down with one two timer in there this year.
If they want to get tough, test once a month. ALL PLAYERS once a month. And, make it known, first offense is ten games, second is a season, third is a lifetime ban. THAT would make it stringent enough that it would be a true deterrent.
Testing lags behind drug development. It's just like the Olympics, a game between who has the best "doctor" to supplement their natural talent. You can't even test for a lot of the things that guys take.
"When did they pass a law that says the people who make my sandwich have to be wearing gloves? I'm not comfortable with this. I don't want glove residue all over my food; it's not sanitary. Who knows where these gloves have been?" - George Carlin
So what? The Feds are going to be one step behind those who print money. We are always going to be one step behind drug smugglers. We are always going to be one step behind hackers.
We still have to go after people(not necessarily legally, but within sporting organizations). Otherwise, what is the point?
Of course, I think there should be testing but people are going to pretend that it's the cure all to steroid use in sports. It will just catch those who are stupid or have bad doctors. It won't really do anything to curb the use of performance enhancing drugs, IMO. Even the lowest paid guys in the league are rich enough to beat the system.
"When did they pass a law that says the people who make my sandwich have to be wearing gloves? I'm not comfortable with this. I don't want glove residue all over my food; it's not sanitary. Who knows where these gloves have been?" - George Carlin
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