(The following was originally published at SB*Nation’s Pinstriped Bible)
I told you so! (Photo: Getty Images)
For years, the Major League Baseball Players’ Association resisted a comprehensive drug policy out of fear that their constituents’ rights and privacy would be violated. Marvin Miller and Donald Fehr have been vilified by some for their refusal to budge on this issue, with some accusing the two union leaders of aiding and abetting the sport’s steroid culture. However, recent events have proven these concerns to be well founded.
Over the past decade, baseball has enjoyed relative labor peace. The players, led by new union chief Michael Weiner, and the owners, represented by Commissioner Bud Selig, have managed to not only avoid acrimony, but also collaborate on many issues, from economics to rule changes to drug testing. Because of this period of détente, baseball has enjoyed exponential growth and increasing popularity, both worldwide and in the United States. Considering the fruits of this harmonious relationship, it would stand to reason that both sides would be extremely careful about violating the other’s trust. Unfortunately, when it comes to performance enhancing drugs, Selig and his owners have seen fit to abandon reason, opting instead to overzealously pursue even the slightest hint of abuse regardless of the collateral damage. If every action deserves an equal and opposite response, baseball’s current posture regarding the use of steroids seems designed to cancel out the depraved indifference of its past.
Since baseball’s drug testing agreement was implemented, there have been several privacy violations. The highest profile case belongs to Ryan Braun, whom, despite having his failed drug test vacated on appeal, is still regarded by many as being a cheat. Those who believe Braun was guilty anyway probably consider this to be justice. To them, improper testing procedures are only a mere formality. However, regardless of where you stand on his guilt, the validity of Braun’s appeal is really a secondary issue. The most egregious violation occurred when the results of the test were revealed, despite a policy calling for confidentiality until the process had run its course. The leak that thrust his name into the headlines effectively robbed Braun of his due process. Although his camp has stated it doesn’t believe the MLB hierarchy purposely revealed the results, the league is still responsible for the confidentiality of the process. After all, if baseball can’t ensure privacy, then none exists, which means Fehr and Miller were right all along. Continue Reading »
