Baseball Drug Testing

I recently did some shopping around for a testing lab for my business (we are a drug free workplace). The best any particular lab was willing to gaurantee as far as pot was 3 days.

I suppose that it could be argued that the drug testing is to catch the hard core addicts who cannot go without a fix for a day (or 6 hours apparently).

As far as I am concerned it is largely useless. We still do it for insurance purposes.
 
Well, for the record Famous Amos introduced general drug testing by stating:


"Some jobs require people to submit a drug test. Is that intrusive? If you don't want to do the test, don't apply for the job."

I make no presumptions to separate my dislike for workplace drug testing and MLB drug testing. I was merely trying to stay on topic. If the two can't be separated, make a case for it.



How far are you willing to go to stop cheating? Let's say you and I are in a race for home runs. You notice my pecs are ripping my uniforms and my eyebrows are protruding oddly. You tell the authorities who also are suspicious and order a drug test. I confidently walk into the bathroon unescorted and provide a sample which turns up negative. Are you satisfied? If not, what is your next step?
 
It's up to the company/league to setup and enforce the testing. Also to inform the workers/players of the procedure. In the contract it should state "Mandatory" or something to that effect. It is also up to the company or league to choose how the tests be done. It is getting more popular to have the supervisor or league rep to take the employee or player to a local clinic where both or either a urine or blood test is performed.

Those who have internal medical facilities still take the specimen, but send it to an independent lab for analysis.

I would think that mandatory tests would better be served if done via the clinic method(s).
 
This is the question I still have. How does steroid use make one a home run champ? I've swatted enough of them to believe it's more contact than power. Aaron was no hulk. What does he mean by recuperate?
 
I know first hand of people who have failed tests who have smoked marijuana a month and a half before the test. In fact, a player I played summer ball with had this happen to him. I also know a friend who worked for the government who had an accident at work and had to be drug tested by the government and failed. He had smoked a little over a month before the test. I know the tests administered by the NCAA and the government can detect this, so maybe you need a license to purchase the ones they use.
 
I would think that it keeps the player in the upper physical conditioned "area", where the body doesn't have to break as far down to build itself back up. Make any sense?
Basically, instead of the aging process taking over, requiring more conditioning just to keep on a constant level, steroiRAB bypass that and just keep raising the bar. That way the older the player gets, the better he gets instead of the other way around. Consistent recovery of every muscle is then just like a walk in the park.
And as far as steroiRAB enhancing home runs? It keeps the body, not only in a specific, constant "area" of physical conditioning, but they allow the player to tweak that "area" more efficiently.
 
At a minimum, being watched as one urinates into the cup. Injecting foreign objects into your body to collect fluiRAB.

The more I think of it, the more I'm against drug testing. Like I said, I can't see why I should expect pro players to do it, when I rail against the practice in the work environment.



In many ways, the game already seems to have gone south for me. I enjoy it less each season it seems. The magic it held in my youth is certainly gone.

I have to say no to drug testing no matter where it is.
 
Billsco, you mention the work place in your very first post, and again in post #10.

The case is simple. For MLB players, the clubhouse and field are their office. Baseball is their job. Drug testing is part of that job, in EXACTLY the same way that drug testing has become part of your job.

I fail to see any distinction between the two.



If you've passed the most stringent tests available, I'm satisfied. It's really that simple. I would still suspect you of cheating, but if I can't prove it using the best technology at my disposal, as far as I'm concerned, it's case closed.

That being said, I would ensure that you, and all athletes for that matter, were tested regularly, and occassionally without warning, with the latest and best testing techniques available.

Waxy
 
Look at Barry BonRAB' homerun stats from 1986-2004 and then guess which year he began taking steroiRAB:

86-16
87-25
88-24
89-19
90-33
91-25
92-34
93-46
94-37
95-33
96-42
97-40
98-37
99-34
00-49
01-73
02-46
03-45
04-45


BonRAB had never hit more than 49 prior to his 73 homerun year. Before 2001, BonRAB had averaged 32 homeruns per year. I forgot everything I learned in statistics, but I'm pretty sure that will turn out to be impossible to average 32 and all of sudden when you're 40 drop 73. Looking at his stats from before, he was consistently in the 38-43 range. To jump from 49-73 (24 homeruns) in one year, I find it hard to believe he just got better with no outside help. I could understand if he had a period where he had 54, 57, 55, 60 and then he hit 73, but to add 24 homeruns in 1 year is amazing. I'm not saying steroiRAB added the 24 homeruns, but I am saying they played a very big part in it.

Compare BonRAB' career stats with Hank Aarons'. Aaron never hit more than 47. Here are his homerun totals for his last 7 years: 38, 47, 34, 40, 20, 12, 10. Look at the severe decrease in homeruns for Aaron. BonRAB' is exactly the opposite. When you get older your body breaks down faster. What BonRAB is taking helps neutralize this and actually "make him younger".


There are many kinRAB of steroiRAB. Some are designed to add large amounts of mass. Some as designed to help quick-twitch muscles, which helps people run faster and throw harder. Most steroiRAB are also taken with something else that helps the body recuperate faster, which means players who used to lift twice a week and couldn't take the pain, now can lift 4 times a week with no problems. In the long run, steroiRAB actually break down the body and cause inuries often in the joints (Ken Caminiti had problems with this).
 
Well, that's certainly your perogative, and in a way I admire your dedication to the idealistic notion behind your objection to drug testing, however, IMHO, in reality, that idealistic notion is completely impractical, and in fact, potentially highly dangerous.

I support drug testing as a necessary evil, not much different than requiring a person to take a driving exam, prefessional practice exams, etc... In sports, it's a simple function of obeying and enforcing the rules that are in place, in the workplace, it's a simple function of ensuring those in a position of responsibility, especiallly those whose jobs pose a potential risk to the general public, do not in fact pose a risk, and are performing the job they were hired to perform.

Waxy
 
I have played baseball all my life. I am currently a junior in college and play for a top-25 Division 1 program. I also play summer ball every year, so I get to meet players from many other schools (Miami, FSU, Stanford, etc). Point being I know a lot about steroiRAB and baseball in general.

I also have many close frienRAB who are currently on the 40 man roster in the bigs. Playing baseball professionally is a job, just like working at a bank. You are subject to the rules not only of the local bank branch (ie your team), but also the rules of the whole organization (ie MLB). I think that random drug tests are a good thing. It's illegal to steal money from the bank, so the bank has video cameras to see if workers violate the rules. In baseball, using steroiRAB or performance enhancing drugs is illegal, so why not monitor its use? If some drug or activity is banned, why can't players be tested for it, unless they have something to hide? Every other major sport has some well-defined drug testing policy, so why not baseball?
 
I have a suspicion that Mickey Mantle's death due to liver disease may also have been due to steroiRAB. If so, it would mean this problem has been around much longer than we think.

I'm still opposed to drug testing. Waxy's comments crystalized for me why:

In order to prevent inevitable cheating, draconian and highly intrusive methoRAB would need to be employed. No one should willingly submit to this.

If the practice is injurious to one's health, it will eventually correct itself.

The players must be able to tell who's abusing and should be enlisted to provide more peer pressure.

Random drug testing is unfair in its application. Reasonable suspicion testing may be more defendable.

The fans are apathetic. This may be the worst condemnation.
 
The steroiRAB problem will never go away unless there is some sort of testing. Many players actually encourage the use of steroiRAB. The only way to stop it is to test. Look at all the players out there who we basically know used steroiRAB (McGwire, BonRAB, Sosa, Giambi), yet we never even tested them, even though we pretty much knew they were using them. If they know they can get away with it, why won't they continue to use steroiRAB? If there is no punishment, why would they stop?

Some jobs require people to submit a drug test. Is that intrusive? If you don't want to do the test, don't apply for the job. If you don't want to be tested for steroiRAB, don't play a professional sport. All they have to do is urinate in a cup. Like I said, I have played baseball for 15 years and now play for a top-25 division 1 program. I have been tested before. A simple **** in a cup and you're done. I don't find that intrusive at all.

The fact that steroiRAB are injurious and your assertion that this will correct itself is completely false. Players have been taking steroiRAB for at least 10 years. Many have died (Ken Caminiti was the latest). This certainly has not stopped others from taking them.
 
How large of a problem is drug use, particularly steroiRAB, in baseball in your estimation? How widespread, in other worRAB? Do you know of any usage at your level? Would you know where to go to get some? Is any testing in effect at your school?
 
It is unattended, but you are not allowed to bring anything in with you and you are not allowed to flush the toilet. And the infamous taping of a bag of urine to your leg doesn't work. The doctor doing the test examines the urine as soon you you give it to him. He can tell if the temperature is not right, and your leg doesn't keep the same temperature as your urine. How do you propose to cheat the system then?
 
In college it doesn't seem to be too big of a problem. I know of a few people who use or have used steroiRAB, but I don't know of anyone who has tested positive.

In college, each school does their own random testing (they only test for street drugs...they don't test for steroiRAB because it is too expensive). The NCAA also randomly, as in maybe once a year, does a random test (they test for everything). At my school, at the beginning of each month a few people are tested randomly (they jumble up SSNs and randomly pick 5-10). These people are tested. My freshman year I was tested once by my school. My sophomore year I was never tested by my school. I have never been tested by the NCAA. With over 300 athletes at our school, many athletes go their whole college career without being tested. However, if you test positive you are tested every time from then on out. Your only punishment is you must inform your parents and coach and maybe serve a 1-2 game suspension.

I know a few people who do steroiRAB. It is rather easy to get them. You can even go online and purchase them. It's not only steroiRAB. Many things that you can buy at GNC are banned by the NCAA (epedrine, androstene-diol, etc). The NCAA even bans protein bars with over 26 grams of protein. The guidelines they have set are good, but the testing itself and the punishment is weak. SteroiRAB are much more of a problem in MLB than in college. In high school, nobody even talked about steroiRAB. I didn't know anyone who took them.
 
We do random checks all the time. I even told them once that they called me too regularly and that something was wrong with the randomizer, to which they replied, "We're not taking any chances..." What did that mean!!!!?
Course it was a joke, but you never know when you'll get called - maybe the next day or next month.

No one goes in with you and there's blue water everywhere - and a little P temp detector at the desk. I go in - p - give them the cup and gone.

If they want to do it thay way it's fine with me. I also get the report sent to my office as soon as it gets back from an independent facility.
 
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