HITTING DRUGS OUT OF THE PARK

Professional baseball's new drug-testing policy is light years ahead of
today's rules but could be tougher still, especially if the goal is to not
only restore credibility to America's pastime but protect young athletes.

The better-late-than-never policy suspends first-time offenders for 10 days
without pay. Under the old policy, first-time offenders would receive
mandatory counseling.

In 2004, the first year that policy was in place, no player was suspended.
Major League Baseball's drug testing was a joke, though it seemed that the
only ones laughing were greedy owners and juiced-up athletes. Owners for
too long ignored pumped-up players as long as they performed
record-breaking feats that kept the fans coming back.

Under the new policy, hammered out by the union and owners, a first
positive test would result in a penalty of 10 days; a second positive test
nets a 30-day ban; a third positive gets a 60-day penalty; and a fourth
positive test results in a one-year ban - all without pay. The commissioner
would mete out the discipline after a fifth positive test - and a lifetime
ban is a possibility.

But does a player really need five strikes before he's out in baseball?

Each player will be tested at least once a year, with random testing
throughout the year. Players in a "reasonable cause" group can be tested
more frequently.

Even though baseball's hand may have been forced by grandstanding
politicians and grand jury leaks in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative
investigation, they've produced a decent policy with some teeth - something
other sports and the Olympics have had for years. (The Olympics, in fact,
have a two-year ban for first-time offenders, and a lifetime ban for
second-time offenders.)

So, baseball can go further if it chooses.

Stimulants, such as amphetamines, aren't covered under this new policy, and
blood tests aren't required for human growth hormones. Such hormones are
illegal but can't be detected through urine tests, which is all the policy
requires.

Called "greenies," amphetamines were left on the negotiating table because
there was no public pressure to ban them - even though some say they're a
bigger problem in baseball than steroids.

But under this policy, which is in effect through 2008, more substances can
be banned. Stimulants should be the next discussion.