ANGELS NOTEBOOK: DRUG TESTING DEFENDED.Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer TEMPE, Ariz. - Mike Weiner, general counsel of the Major League Baseball Players Association The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union of professional major-league baseball players. History Of MLBPA The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players. , briefed Angels players on union issues Tuesday and then vigorously defended baseball's drug-testing program, calling criticism of the collectively bargained program unfair. Most Angels players echoed that sentiment, even as others around the sport call for a meatier testing program in the wake of a published report that star players Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24 1964 in Riverside, California) is a left fielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds, the godson of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, and a distant cousin of Hall of Famer Reggie , Jason Giambi Jason Gilbert Giambi (born January 8, 1971) is a Major League Baseball player who is the 1st baseman and designated hitter for the New York Yankees. He was the American League MVP in 2000 with the Oakland Athletics, and is a 5-time All-Star who has led the American League in and Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968 in Tampa, Florida) is a Major League Baseball designated hitter and outfielder for the Detroit Tigers. received steroids from a Bay Area nutritional lab. Drug testing began Tuesday at various camps as the second phase of baseball's plan began. Five to 7 percent of players on 40-man rosters tested positive for steroids during survey testing last year, so players will be tested again, with a positive first test resulting only in confidential counseling. It will take five positive tests for a player to earn a one-year ban. ``The players are interested in seeing how this program works,'' said Weiner, filling in for MLBPA MLBPA Major League Baseball Player's Association executive director Donald Fehr Donald Fehr (born July 18, 1946) graduate of Indiana University, and alum of Sigma Alpha Mu Sigma Zeta chapter is the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. He has held the position since 1986. , who recently underwent a minor medical procedure. ``Many (media) wrote that the survey testing was a joke - and then 5 to 7 percent tested positive. The sentiment of players is let's see how this works. We'll see what changes need to be made, if any. We hear both positive and negative things.'' The split among players was evident. When asked if positive test results should be made public, pitcher Jarrod Washburn did not hesitate. ``Personally, I do, yeah,'' said Washburn, a former player representative to the union. ``If you break the rules and get caught, you should be penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. . But that's not how it is. Guys like Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi are in a tight situation. Whether they take steroids or not, people are pointing fingers at them and it may or may not be right. ``I feel bad for them. I don't wish that on anybody.'' Shortstop David Eckstein, the current player rep, said identifying first- time offenders is dangerous because of the possibility of false positive tests. ``With all the supplements out there, you can have a false positive and a guy will have an unfair label,'' he said. ``Now, you can meet with a doctor and get it worked out, and not be labeled forever.'' --A better spring: The Angels begin competition today with a five-inning intrasquad game, and manager Mike Scioscia acknowledged that the club's dreary spring-training performance last year, partly attributed to a shorter off-season, affected them early in the season. He expects a crisper crisp·er n. One that crisps, especially a compartment in a refrigerator used for storing vegetables and keeping them fresh. performance this spring. ``When you really have opening day in sight, you need certain components in play or it will create (regular-season) losses for you,'' Scioscia said. Gabe Lacques, (626) 962-8811 gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com |
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