Suspensions Unlikely in Mitchell Report

[March 13, 2008]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Baseball has taken no steps to discipline players mentioned in the Mitchell Report since the detailed account of drug use was released three months ago. That makes it increasingly unlikely players will be punished before opening day.

No players have been called in for investigatory interviews since Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd spoke with baseball lawyers Dec. 17, several attorneys with knowledge of the disciplinary process said Wednesday. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The interviews are the first step in baseball's disciplinary process.

In addition, no hearing dates have been scheduled for the grievance filed by the players' union on behalf of Kansas City outfielder Jose Guillen, who was suspended for the first 15 days of the season by baseball commissioner Bud Selig on Dec. 6.

Selig could rescind the suspension, the lawyers said, or discipline could be put on hold pending a decision by arbitrator Shyam Das.

Baseball's drug agreement says players who file grievances following a first positive drug test receive automatic stays, but it doesn't address suspensions stemming from non-analytical positives.

The union has taken the position any discipline against Guillen should be stayed if the case hasn't been decided.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported in November that Guillen bought human growth hormone, two types of testosterone and the steroids stanozolol and nandrolone between May 2002 and June 2005. Guillen has declined to address the allegations.

Former Senate majority leader George Mitchell recommended Selig not punish players implicated in his report "except in those cases where he determines that the conduct is so serious that discipline is necessary to maintain the integrity of the game."

When the Mitchell Report was released Dec. 13, baseball officials said players likely would not be disciplined for conduct before Sept. 30, 2002, when the management-union drug policy began.

"We have approached these cases by looking at the period of time during which the conduct occurred and what our policy looked like for that point in time," Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, said then.

Manfred traveled to China on Wednesday for the weekend two-game exhibition series between Los Angeles Dodgers' and San Diego Padres' split squads in Beijing, and Selig also is making the trip. Selig then will return to the United States before heading to the season-opening two-game series between Boston and Oakland in Tokyo on March 25-26. That leaves little time to schedule investigatory interviews before other teams begin play March 30.

Last weekend, Selig said his review process was ongoing.

"I haven't made any decisions on that yet," Selig said. "We are working to finish off all of Sen. Mitchell's recommendations."

If Selig rescinds Guillen's suspension, he also could drop a 15-day ban against Baltimore's Jay Gibbons. The outfielder, whose penalty was announced at the same time as Guillen's, admitted receiving a shipment of HGH in January 2005. Gibbons apologized and didn't contest the penalty.

Selig has still not announced whether he will discipline Byrd and Jerry Hairston Jr.

Before Game 7 of last year's AL championship series in Boston, Byrd acknowledged taking HGH for a medical condition under a doctor's supervision. His admission came after the Chronicle reported he spent nearly $25,000 on the banned drug and syringes from 2002-05.

Hairston got a prescription for HGH in May 2004, SI.com reported last year, then denied taking "steroids or anything like that." He is at spring training with Cincinnati after signing a minor league contract.

[Associated Press; By RONALD BLUM]

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