Baseball Steriod Penalties

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Fehr: MLB Union Open to Steroids Penalties

By BEN WALKER

AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK - The baseball players' union told commissioner Bud Selig on Monday that it was willing to talk to him about his call for harsher steroids penalties.

"We will look forward to discussing the points you raised, and other appropriate matters," union head Donald Fehr said in a letter to Selig.

Last week, Selig wrote to Fehr, asking players to agree to even tougher penalties than the ones that took effect at the start of the season. Selig now wants a 50-game suspension for first-time steroid offenders, a 100-game ban for a second offense and a lifetime suspension for a third violation.

Earlier in the day, Minnesota Twins reliever Juan Rincon was suspended for 10 days after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. He was the fifth player banned under the Major League Baseball policy, and the most well-known.

Under current rules, the first offense draws a 10-day suspension. The penalties increase to 30 days for a second positive test, 60 days for a third violation and one year for a fourth. The penalty for a fifth failure is at the commissioner's discretion.

Along with stiffening the penalties under his "three strikes and you are out approach," Selig also wants the union to ban amphetamines, to increase random tests and to pick an independent person to handle the big league drug-testing program.

Fehr noted in his letter that the union agreed in January to tougher penalties and said the program was working, adding, "You now request that we further modify our agreement."

"Given the players' demonstrated commitment to make certain that the goals of our program are met, and their desire to continue to strive to make sure that is done, we are willing to discuss the matter with you," he wrote.

Selig responded in a statement: "I am fully committed to the proposal made last week in my letter to Don Fehr."

"Restoring public confidence in our sport through the elimination of the use of performance-enhancing substances and the establishment of more vigorous and effective testing programs are my highest priorities," Selig said.

Washington Nationals catcher Brian Schneider, the team's player representative, liked what he heard.

"If Mr. Fehr talks with Selig, obviously it's good news and they're going to try to work something out," Schneider said before the Nationals played at Los Angeles on Monday night.

"You don't know if they're going to agree on it, and that's the thing we're waiting on. But whatever happens, something positive is going to come out of it," he said. "It's a serious issue, and everybody's going to deal with it. We're not going to take it for granted, and people aren't ignoring it anymore."

Players agreed in the offseason to reopen the drug agreement, which was set to run through December 2006.

"It was a signed document that I thought was etched in stone - at least until 2006," Dodgers catcher Jason Phillips said Monday night. "And for us to amend it at that point in time has never been done before. So it's not a surprise that they're going to keep talking about it."

Along with Rincon, four other players have been suspended for 10 days: Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez, Colorado outfielder Jorge Piedra, Texas minor league pitcher Agustin Montero and Seattle minor league outfielder Jamal Strong.

Fehr suggested that the sides "negotiate at the table, and not in the media."

"Accordingly, I will not here otherwise respond to your letter," Fehr wrote.

Baseball does not have any penalties for amphetamine use by players on 40-man major league rosters. Amphetamines, however, are banned for players with minor league contracts.

[TopDawg14]

It's about time that Bud Selig showed some gusto on this issue. I still don't think it's harsh enough but so be it.

I know Donald Fehr is going to try and block this and I hope he is unsuccessful.

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Yeah Selig finally put together a good proposal, he shoulda handled this more himself in the firstplace, the government shouldn't have to get involved in this issue.

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What's up with Barry Bonds, 3 knee surgeries in 3 months? Something sounds funny there, I don't think it's just aging, it's a shame that the best player in baseball's a cheater! I don't think anyone'll even come close to hitting 70 home runs 'cause of the penalties coming now.