Union's Steroids CounterProposal

[KCBOOMER]

The Union released its counter proposal to MLB's steroids policy proposal. They propose a 20 day first offense suspension. A second offense is to get 50 days and a third offense is to be punished at the judgment of the commissioner. MLB's proposal had been 50 days, 100 days, and permanent ban. Sen. McCain said this proposal falls "well short of the mark". It was unacceptable to him without a "three strikes and your out provision".

McCain aside I really have only two comments on the Union proposal. First, I think it once again shows that the Union leadership is more interested in what they want than what their constituents want. Second, the third offense punishment is simply a code phrase for "if we don't like it we will file a grievance".

The time frames of the first two penalties don't bother me too much. They are things that can be worked out (flip a coin, divide by two, etc.), but the third thing sucks.

[captain_napalm]

IMO, I don't think the steroid policy should be any different from the recreational drug policy.

I have a hard time believing that the owners have their teams/players best interests at stake. If that were the case, this issue would've been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

[Crash Course]

Commish judges for the 3rd? Great. Bud's always been fair, right? Go ask the parking lot guy from Boston.

[KCBOOMER]

I have a hard time believing that the owners have their teams/players best interests at stake. If that were the case, this issue would've been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

You must be dreaming. The Union has unalterably opposed random drug tests. This has previously been a "no prisoners" issue with Fehr & Orza. Or are you saying that if you were commissioner you would have sought a war with the Union you could not win??

[captain_napalm]

You must be dreaming. The Union has unalterably opposed random drug tests. This has previously been a "no prisoners" issue with Fehr & Orza. Or are you saying that if you were commissioner you would have sought a war with the Union you could not win??
I oppose random drug tests as well.

I'm saying that all this crying about steroids being terrible for the game, that the integrity of the game needs to be protected rings a bit hollow with me. If there supposedly is some sort of "rampant steroid use/abuse" in MLB, it didn't happen overnight. The owners, to a degree, HAD to have looked the other way.

You can't have a permanent ban on steroids, yet have someone like a Steve Howe or Darryl Strawberry get multiple chances. It isn't right, and it isn't fair.

[hopbitters]

You can't have a permanent ban on steroids, yet have someone like a Steve Howe or Darryl Strawberry get multiple chances. It isn't right, and it isn't fair.

I couldn't agree more. We're talking about an illegal drug here. The fact that it's an illegal drug that the everybody likes to see the positive results of (but won't admit it publicly) is irrelevant.