Pittsburgh – Even the recollection left him shaken.
Commissioner Bud Selig spent plenty of time Tuesday discussing drugs with members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, but he focused on amphetamines, not steroids and human growth hormone. Selig recalled conversations with doctors and trainers last season regarding amphetamines.
“They came in separately on two different occasions and said, ‘You have to do something about this or somebody is going to die,”‘ Selig said. “I spent a long night in my (Milwaukee) office staring at Lake Michigan. They expressed more concern about this than anything else.”
At that time, current and former players acknowledged to The Denver Post that amphetamine use was prevalent throughout baseball. Veteran outfielder Dustan Mohr predicted it would be “bigger than anyone expected” in affecting the quality of play this season.
When asked how many players have tested positive for amphetamines this season, Selig said, “The policy is working.” He cited confidentiality agreements for not providing specific numbers.
“We need to stay ahead of the curve,” he added. “The technology is exploding, and there are other things (such as designer amphetamines) to come – there’s no question about. There’s no use deluding yourself.”
Under the new policy, a first positive amphetamines test triggers mandatory additional testing and a second offense draws a 25-game punishment. It’s 80 games for a third, with discipline for a fourth failed test at the commissioner’s discretion. No player has been suspended for amphetamines.
Selig praised baseball’s twice-revamped drug policy, believing it has been effective in addressing the steroids problem that threatened the integrity of the game.
HGH remains a hot-button issue after pitcher Jason Grimsley’s admission to federal agents that he specifically began using the drug because baseball doesn’t test for it. There’s been plenty of discussion in recent weeks on whether baseball will adopt blood testing to combat HGH use.
“I don’t care what anyone says, there’s no reliable test,” said Selig, who ruled out the idea of storing urine samples for potential retroactive justice, explaining doctors told him that it would be a waste of time because those samples “would not be stable.”
When the Grimsley story broke, baseball hadn’t yet funded the HGH test study promised in spring training. Selig indicated Tuesday that UCLA’s Dr. Don Catlin has received his first grant of $500,000 and “there will be more to come.”
Selig addressed several topics, including a report that Barry Bonds soon will be indicted for committing perjury. Highlights of Selig’s question-and- answer session included:
- Revenue sharing: Since its inception, revenue sharing has increased from $48 million to $323 million, according to Selig, leaving the commissioner to suggest baseball is “getting close” to erasing payroll concerns as an excuse for small- market teams not being able to compete. He said baseball continues to document “where every nickel” of that money is spent by teams receiving payments and that there have been no complaints from those providing the funds.
- Manny Ramirez’s absence: Selig criticized the Red Sox outfielder for skipping the All-Star Game festivities. Ramirez cited a knee injury, though he played 19 innings Sunday. “He ought to be here. Tommy Glavine isn’t pitching, but he did the right thing by coming. It’s a privilege to be an all-star,” Selig said.
- Labor talks: The World Baseball Classic’s success went beyond the field, according to Selig. The joint partnership between the players association and the owners to pull it off should be construed as a positive sign when the sides negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement this winter. “I believe that,” Selig said.
- All-Star Game mechanics: In a rather surprising admission, Selig said that how selected pitchers are used in the days leading up to the game would be discussed. This season several pitchers were unavailable Tuesday because they worked on Sunday.
- The state of baseball: Selig said baseball is more popular than ever, citing attendance records the past two seasons – a trend he expects to continue this year. “I would call this the Golden Era. But like any era, it has significant warts,” said Selig, acknowledging the shadow of drug use that hangs over the game.
