Drug Test Tipping in 2004? That’s Ain’t Cool

Earlier this week, the Commissioner’s Office contacted the Major League Baseball Players Association due to concerns about specific allegations that union executive Gene Orza tipped off a player before the latter was scheduled to be tested for performance enhancing drugs last 2004, all these under The New York Times Friday edition report.

It was said that the contact was made in line to the allegations that was revealed in the Sports Illustrated cover story that was published this week about Alex Rodriguez, in which the Yankee infielder admitted that he honestly took performance enhancing drugs during his three year stint with the Rangers.
In accordance to The Times, the Commissioner’s Office contacted the union in line to that exact incident that was cited in Sports Illustrated saying that the union’s chief operating officer (Orza) warned an anonymous player last September 2004 that he would be tested on the 24th, also stating to the player that “there should be nothing in your system”. In addition, SI said that Orza also warned ARod that there would still be an upcoming test that same month.
The League’s executive vice president Rob Manfred Told The Times that he already raised the issue to the union officials.

“I have discussed with the Major League Baseball Players Association the more detailed allegation about advance notice given to a player of a test on Sept. 24, 2004,” Manfred said. “The union has been unable to provide any additional information and stands by its previously issued denial that any tipping occurred.”

Greg Bouris, the union’s spokesman confirmed to The Times that Manfred spoke to a union official, saying that they (the union) did not give nor told anyone in advance that they are instituting a test in 2004.
“We have done nothing improper,” Bouris said.

Earlier this week, Orza denied all the magazine’s charges against him. “It makes juicier stuff to suggest there were tip-offs,” Orza said on Monday. “But there weren’t. I don’t care about the press coverage. It’s irrelevant.”

In an announcement released Saturday, the union said that “there was no improper tipping of players in 2004 about the timing of the drug tests.” In that same statement, MLBPA executive director Don Fehr said that he gave out a 10-page letter, clarifying that to Representative Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, following that of the Mitchell Report.

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