NEW YORK - Major League Baseball has banned THG, the recently unmasked steroid at the center of the case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.
The health policy advisory committee of management and the players' association unanimously determined March 11 that THG builds muscle mass and should be added to baseball's list of banned substances.
"Testing for THG is an important step toward reaching our goal of zero tolerance," commissioner Bud Selig said. "I am committed to that goal and advocate a more stringent and effective drug-testing program in the major leagues, similar to our program in the minor leagues."
The Food and Drug Administration ruled Oct. 28 that THG, which stands for tetrahydrogestrinone, is an illegal drug that lacks federal permission for sale in the United States.
Because baseball and other sports did not know about THG before October, drug testing was unable to detect it.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Some are approved by FDA for prescription-only sale to treat certain diseases.
Selig told a Congressional committee last week that he hopes to have a tougher testing plan than the one called for in baseball's labor contract.
Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said the current system "is not working" and is angry that a federal grand jury has subpoenaed results from last year's survey tests for several players.
"I don't trust the people that run the game to handle drug testing," he said. "We were told last spring that we were taking anonymous tests. (I've) come to find out that that's not the case."
He said tests should be administered by someone not aligned with the union or management.
Though the survey tests last year were administered by third parties Comprehensive Drug Testing and Quest Diagnostics, the results for certain players have been subpoenaed by a grand jury in California in the case against BALCO. The subpoenas are returnable April 8.
CHAVEZ, A'S NEAR DEAL: Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez is expected to finalize a contract extension thought to be worth $66-million over six years today after weeks of negotiations. Neither Chavez nor the A's would comment, but the team plans to make what it says is an important announcement today. In recent years, Oakland has let stars Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada go for financial reasons, but it has won 91 or more games for four straight seasons anyway.
CARDINALS: Centerfielder Jim Edmonds doubled in his first two at-bats, stole a base and scored St. Louis' first run in his first spring game since offseason shoulder surgery.
EXPOS: A Massachusetts real estate developer has submitted a bid to move the team to Connecticut, but baseball is not giving the plan much consideration. John Alevizos of Wellesley, Mass., who helped Toronto land an expansion franchise in the mid 1970s, has organized a group of investors who want to buy the team and relocate it to Connecticut.
PADRES: Rey Ordonez, a former Devil Ray competing for the starting shortstop job, is expected back in camp today after flying to Miami to deal with a family issue.
REDS: Injured outfielder John Vander Wal agreed to a minor-league contract after clearing waivers. Vander Wal is expected to miss four to nine months after injuring a knee while shoveling snow.
