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The New York Times seems to think they’ve found a massive loophole in baseball’s testing policy. Reading the article, it appears the front office is given notice the night before so the testers won’t get roughed up at the gate (see how they like it for a change) trying to gain access to the clubhouse. It doesn’t say the players are told, and this information would have to be passed on to the players plus the players would have precious little time to do anything about it. Seems an awful lot like a minor issue to me.

Of course I’m pretty much on record that many of the banned substances ought to be legal and utilized for their ability to help professional athletes deal with the unusual rigors associated with their profession. Football players in particular put their bodies through pure hell, and more than 162 games of baseball in a year definitely leaves a mark. My main complaint with the current environment is that the illegality of these substances is what makes them dangerous. If these substances can be prescribed by a physician, taken safely and can greatly help athletes deal with the demands they places on their bodies, why ban them?

I realize this is not a popular position with most baseball fans, but I think it’s about time some sport took a step back and decided to take a much longer look at the issue. Banning something is very easy, coming up with a solution that allows players to safely reap the benefits of these substances is harder but potentially far more worthwhile. The last people in the world I want deciding this issue is Congress. No problem is so bad that it can’t be made worse by Congressional involvement.

(H/T) Baseball Think Factory