New Drug Policy By End Of Week, A-Rod The Reason?

Sep 21, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (13) grounds out allowing a runner to score and a man to advance during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball and it’s Players Association are hoping to have an agreement on a new drug policy by the end of this week, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

The current policy states that the first time a player tests positive for a banned substance he will be suspended 50-games, a second positive finding will warrant a 100-game ban, while a third positive test will earn the player a lifetime ban. The reported new policy will increase punishments for players who use “muscle building” PEDs (Performance-Enhancing Drugs), but will decrease the penalty for those who used these substances accidentally.

This is likely a result of the Biogenesis findings, which landed star players such as Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez extended suspensions. The only one of the suspensions that is still ongoing is Alex Rodriguez‘s, who will be out for the entire 2014 season after long and drawn out court cases.

After receiving a 211-game ban back in August,Rodriguez appealed and eventually sued Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball’s Players Association, sighting a possible “witch-hunt” against him.

Though Rodriguez eventually dropped his charges against both, it is clear that Major League Baseball does not want to have the same situation happen again. This is one of the many clear reasons for this adjustment to the agreement.

Another reason might be that Major League Baseball doesn’t want to have any more of  these drawn out investigations, court hearings, and scandals. Whether it’s Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, or A-Rod, Major League Baseball looked bad and they want that image to be removed from the minds of the public.

Maybe it was Alex Rodriguez’s case that brought Major League Baseball to this point, but changes like these have been a long time coming.