Cut through the eloquent prose, and this is how players union chief Donald Fehr responded to baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s latest proposal to toughen penalties for steroid use: It’s not happening.
Perhaps the two sides can talk seriously again when baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2006 season. Until then, enough is enough, Fehr appeared to say Monday in a letter sent to Selig.
“The players support the current program and are confident that it will deter the unlawful use of steroids and are understandably reluctant to renegotiate the existing agreements,” Fehr wrote. “I am not aware of anything relating to the operation of our program this year which suggests that it is not working. Nor have you asserted. Notwithstanding that, however, you now request that we further modify our agreement.”
Last week, Selig wrote a letter urging the union to revise the policy so the punishment for first-time offenders would be increased from a 10-game suspension to 50 games, second-time offenders from 30 days to 100 days and third- time offenders from 60 days to a lifetime ban. In his letter, the commissioner also asked that amphetamines be added to baseball’s list of banned substances.
“You have to let the policy work,” Rockies catcher Todd Greene said Monday. “You can’t keep reopening it just because (Selig) was embarrassed in front of Congress.”
That sentiment seemed to sum up Fehr’s response. Having negotiated an unprecedented drug policy in 2002 in which players agreed to be randomly tested for steroids, then having taken the unusual step of agreeing to toughen the penalties in January, the union is not expected to reopen talks a third time.
In his letter, Fehr deftly used Selig’s own words against him. When baseball met with the House Government Reform Committee on March 17, the commissioner proclaimed before a nationwide TV audience: “Baseball’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs is as good as any in professional sports.”
One month into its new drug program, MLB already has suspended five players, including on Monday reliever Juan Rincon of the Twins, one of baseball’s premier setup men.
Compare that to the NFL, which has suspended an average of only 3.6 active players per year since its steroid policy went into effect 15 years ago.
The union in baseball was confused about the timing of Selig’s latest proposal, so soon after he defended it in front of Congress.
Selig has said in recent months that while the current policy was an improvement, it didn’t go far enough.
However, the commissioner was able to unilaterally implement the drug-testing program in the minor leagues without union intervention, and the minor-league policy is only slightly more severe – first-time offenders are suspended 15 games, not 10, but otherwise the punishment mirrors the big-league policy.
Selig could not be reached for comment Monday.
He will institute the 50-game, 100-game and lifetime suspensions at the minor-league level next year, but his delayed reaction to stiffer punishment has the players suspicious the commissioner is guilty of pandering to pressure from politicians and fans.
“What is the one thing we’re trying to do?” Rockies first baseman said. “Stop guys from taking steroids or make people happy? We’re only a month into the season, and we’ve already had five guys get caught, and I bet they won’t be using it again. If you start seeing (players become repeat offenders), then that’s when maybe you start talking about making changes.”
Members of the House Government Reform Committee have threatened to legislate a sports- wide, independent drug-testing program. Selig and NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue vigorously opposed independent testing when they addressed the politicians on Capitol Hill.
Staff writer Troy E. Renck contributed to this report.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
