Selig awaits union response on steroids
By Hal Bodley, USA TODAY
Commissioner Bud Selig should know this week if baseball's players union will embrace his request for a much stricter steroids policy.
Selig's proposal, outlined in an April 25 letter to union chief Don Fehr, calls for a 50-game suspension for any player who tests positive a first time, a 100-game ban for a second offense and a lifetime ban for a thirdviolation. Selig also wants amphetamines included. To be adopted, the plan must be approved by the players.
Fehr said over the weekend the union wasn't ready to discuss the plan, which comes four months after the players opened the current collective bargaining agreement and approved a stricter policy. He predicted a response by early this week.
Selig, citing an improved relationship between the commissioner's office and the union, wrote: "Last winter, we reopened our agreement to deal with steroids. I am asking you now to demonstrate once again to America that our relationship has improved to the point that we can act quickly and effectively deal with matters affecting the integrity of our great sport." Selig added, "Don, I continue to believe that time is of the essence in addressing this issue."
Selig, in admitting the current program isn't strong enough, said: "Regardless of whatever incremental progress we have made under the current agreement, we continue to have a serious integrity issue with regards to our current policy and our great game."
Said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) ranking minority member of the House Government Reform Committee that held a hearing on steroids in baseball on March 17: "It's weaker than the policy Congress is considering, but significantly stronger than baseball's current policy."
Former union executive director Marvin Miller told USA TODAY on Sunday the players erred when they reopened the current agreement in January and approved a somewhat stronger policy.
The current CBA expires after the 2006 season, but the steroids policy extends through 2008.
"I expect that in the next go-round we will perhaps see that spitting on the clubhouse floor will be at least two lifetime penalties to be served consecutively," said Miller.
When asked if he'd discussed reopening the CBA with Fehr, Miller said: "Nope. He hasn't asked me. I know why he hasn't asked me; he knows what I think."
Selig, who does not need union approval for players not on 40-man rosters, said he will make changes to the minor league program, including tougher discipline.
Atlanta catcher Johnny Estrada said, "It's about time they stiffened it (policy) up. But the testing has got to be better if the penalty is going to be that stiff for a first offense. I don't want to be getting a positive test for taking supplements."
Contributing: Wire reports
Baseball commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig has proposed a new steroids use policy for the game.  The plan calls for a 50-game suspension of a player testing positive for the first time, a 100-game ban for a second offense, and on a third violation the player is out with a lifetime ban from the game.

In an April 25th letter written to Don Fehr (Executive Director of the Players Association) and all major league team owners, Selig wrote, "Steroid users cheat the game." So far this season, four less-than-big-name major league players have been suspended. Under the current policy, each player is forced to sit out 10 games.

The ball is now thrown to Fehr, who said over the weekend the union was not ready to discuss it. An answer from the players union will probably be forthcoming some time this week.

Congressional hearings on steroids in baseball were held March 17. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the ranking minority member of the House Government Reform Committee, said, "It's weaker than the policy Congress is considering, but significantly stronger than baseball's current policy."

Testifying at the hearings, Fehr said, “My personal view, this is not an institutional view I'm expressing now, my personal view is that our job with violations of substance abuse is not to destroy careers. Our job is to stop it."

Selig also wants to add amphetamines list of banned substances in the major leagues.