MLB's New Drug Policy

Major League Baseball and it's Players Association have a new drug policy. Some have called it too little. Some have called it too late. Some have called it a first step. In the end, what it really amounts to is window dressing. It's all just an attempt at public relations. In fact, that's what almost all such drug policies are. Just an attempt to keep the appearance of tradition and fair play alive.

Honestly, does anyone believe that any league's drug testing policy is effective? If you do, I have two words for you. Marion. Jones. Does any sports organization have a more complete drug testing policy than the IOC? Does anyone hand out stiffer penalties for violating said policy? The answer to both questions is no.

Yet, in spite of years of testing, the IOC couldn't pin a single thing on Jones. The organization that stands at the forefront of illegal doping issues in sport can't catch it's best cheaters. Why? Because the tests aren't as advanced as the drugs are.

If Jones, who competed in countless international events, got away with using a designer steroid for years, why would you think MLB is suddenly going to catch it's abusers?

Forget Jones, whose drug use may still be called "rumored", let's focus on those athletes getting caught for a second. Were any of them deter by the possibility of a lifetime suspension? Apparently, not. So much for the "stiff penalties will stop them" theory.

Do we think that one NFL player (the league with the most over-hyped drug policy) or a single baseball player, both of whom stand to make far more money than an Olympic athlete, would be tempted to bypass the use of performance enhancing drugs because they might get caught? What if they don't?

In the NFL or MLB, where income potential far exceeds anything 99% of Olympic athletes could dream of making, to what ends would an athlete go to cover up their violation? If a MLB player making eight million dollars season wanted to buy a masking agent, couldn't he afford the stuff on the cutting edge?

I give MLB and the MLBPA credit for trying to put out a P.R. fire. The average fan demanded a stricter policy and the parties came to an agreement. (If only all of their problems were solved as quickly.) However, I'm not going to be naive. A percentage of athletes in every sport are using banned performance enhancing drugs. If they are not worried about long term side effects, the athletes will not be scared off by a possible suspensions.

I applaud all involved for trying to right a wrong. MLB's revamped drug policy is a positive move. The fans just need to remember that even if the tests come back clean, the possibility of steroid use isn't gone.

Extra Coverage: Check out David Pinto's piece on the dilemma over false positive readings.