Saturday, November 30, 2013

MLB And MLBPA Release 2013 Report On PED Testing


Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association released their report on Performance Enhancing Drug testing from the 2012-2013 seasons today and the results look encouraging. This report was done by independent Dr. Jeffrey M. Anderson and went from the offseason of the 2012 season through the 2013 postseason.

A total of 5,391 drugs tests were conducted including 4,022 urine samples for PED's and stimulants and the remainind 1,369 were blood tests testing for Human Growth Hormone, or HGH. Of all the samples only eight tests were failed tests for stimulants, all Adderall or Morthylhexaneamine, and thirteen "non-analytic positives" were also reported. All told 122 therapeutic use exemptions were handed out, mainly for those players with Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. Zero positive PED tests were identified which is down seven from the 2012 season but we still saw thirteen suspensions in the Biogenesis scandal and fallout which tells you that something is not right here with this testing.

Just as a reminder all players are subject to a urine test before attending Spring Training and one random test at some point during the season before the offseason begins. Every player must also provide a blood sample for HGH at a random point in Spring Training. This is on top of all the other random testing that the Joint Drug Association does including extra testing for those with reasonable cause and formerly disciplined players under the JDA. Doing the math and considering that most of the testing is done in Spring Training the projected number of players actually being tested in all levels of MLB is a bit less than 1%.

It's not a perfect system, and I cannot say with full confidence with the Biogenesis thing that the system is actually working, but it is what it is. Well it is what it is until after the 2016 season when the new system and the new Collective Bargaining Agreement expires.


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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)