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Sean Marshall tossed 4 scorless innings tonight in a 7-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. Marshall who is fighting for the 5th starters role has now pitched 9 innings of ball this Spring and has only given up the single run, Sean Marshall and Aaron Heilman are battling it out on equal footing right now.

Milton Bradley singled in his first AB against his former team, Micah Hoffpauier had a hit in his only AB, and has a Spring BA of .303. A-Ram is batting .316 after having two hits in two AB’s tonight. Koyie Hill who is battling for the back up catcher spot had two hits in 2 AB’s.

Discussions involving the sale of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley field are moving forward according to Bud Selig.

Hello All,

We have been receiving A LOT of interesting visitor inquiries as of late, and many of the questions (5 to be exact) have been on this very topic (or close to it).

So I will give my opinion to those who asked:
- Jim (Illinois)
- Gina (Chicago)
- Jason (New York)
- Bill (Connecticut)
- Susan (Washington DC)

* This post has drawn even more emails since it was posted (5 to be exact) and I will post some of that here as well! *

Ok, so the question went something like this: “Do You Feel MLB Should be testing EVERYONE in order to preserve the sanctity of the game from this point forward?”

First, I want to also say the floor is open to ALL visitors to give your opinion here as well.

I truly feel that this would be a wonderful first step for the MLB to take. I understand the players unions has some say in this, but let’s face it, if you throw away the random aspect of testing it will certainly make players think twice about these performance enhancers.

The only thing that should be random about this testing is the dates, EVERYONE should be tested, and EVERYONE should be unaware as to when. Let’s let the truth come out, if no one is taking them anymore than why should the have any issue with this? If everyone is so squeeky clean, then why should the union even have an issue…Let’s get real here, there are still a great deal of offenders in baseball..and I dread the day that list gets released…

So in conclusion, I feel YES they should test EVERYONE. If this rule started today, barring any undetectable substances, it would restore some purity to this wonderful sport we love so much. It would mark 2009 as the true re-initiation of official non tainted record keeping.

I want to open the floor to the other authors here to make some comments and critique what I have said here…also, visitors let me know your thoughts.

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.