Jan
10
2013

MLB and Players Union Agree To Introduce Random HGH Blood Testing In 2013

An article by Hojo's Mojo

hgh Major League Baseball is about to take the next step in its attempt to rid the sport of performance enhancing drugs.

MLB is set to announce an agreement with the players’ association for random, unannounced, in-season blood testing for HGH, according to WFAN and CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman.

The testing will begin this upcoming season. The league will also keep a profile of players’ testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratios (T/E).

Prior to this, such HGH blood testing was only performed randomly during spring training.

The announcement will come on the heels of Wednesday’s much-discussed Hall of Fame election, an obvious statement on the Steroids Era, which produced no inductees by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for the first time since 1996.

About the Author: Rob Johnson

18 Comments + Add Comment

Alex68 January 10, 2013 at 2:45 pm

UH OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
- Just-Da-Damaja January 11, 2013 at 2:37 am
  
  Thats what David Wright said ?
Metro12 January 10, 2013 at 2:54 pm

Excellent. Too bad HGH testing is inherently flawed, because it can only detect HGH taken within the last few days. But this is better than nothing and should have some impact.
- Perseus January 10, 2013 at 2:55 pm
  
  Hey Metro,
  
  You sure about that? I don’t know much about the process of HGH testing.
  - Metro12 January 10, 2013 at 3:08 pm
    
    Perseus, many years ago, at the time MLB strengthened its steroids testing, there was much debate about HGH because of the small window for testing. To this day, I have not heard that they’ve improved on that window at all.
    
    Here is an excerpt from a 2011 SI article regarding the NFL and HGH testing:
    
    “As far as the detection window, it is true that a football player who injects HGH may get away with it even if he is tested 36 hours later, as the testing window is probably two days at the very outside, which is longer than the window for some administration methods of testosterone and EPO.”
    
    Link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/david_epstein/09/02/nfl.hgh/index.html#ixzz2HbZMGb3Q
    
    So, it is a flawed test. But IMO it is still important to have as I believe it will act as a deterrent in at least some cases.
    - Perseus January 10, 2013 at 3:20 pm
      
      Wow. You think about all the advancements in technology we have made, and our steroid testing is still flawed. At the very least, random testing looks to improve on that because players are still at risk of being caught if they inject consistently.
      - Metro12 January 10, 2013 at 3:35 pm
        
        Steroids testing is fine and effective. It doesn’t have a short window. It’s only HGH testing that has that inherent flaw.
        
        Perseus January 10, 2013 at 3:37 pm
        
        Ah, I see now. It’s the specific HGH testing that has the flaw. Good to know.
- Alex68 January 10, 2013 at 3:02 pm
  
  What part of RANDOM you didn’t understand???? You could’ve just taken it right now and then bum, someone shows up to test you and you are busted..
  - Met Maniac January 10, 2013 at 3:12 pm
    
    Alex, I’m only commenting to show Angelo that we can and he CANT! We should all toast his disappearance with a nice cold German beer. Angelo, any good recommendations? Let us know in the Drunk Tank.
    - BadBadLeroyBrown January 10, 2013 at 3:35 pm
      
      LMAO! What!
      
      Angelo finally got the “Thor Ban Hammer” ?
      
      What nasty insults did he hurl at someone or do now?
      
      Holy Schnitzel.
  - Metro12 January 10, 2013 at 3:14 pm
    
    Are you talking to me, lol? Of course someone could be caught right after he injects, which is why I said it’s better to have the test than not, and that it will at least act as a deterrent. But the more flawed either a test OR a testing program is, the more some may feel it’s worth it to take risks and try to cheat the system.
    
    Steroids testing is not flawed in the way HGH testing is. It’s pretty good from what I understand. And look how many players went ahead anyway and took risks? Braun and Melky Cabrera just recently. So if they already take risks with steroids testing, I can imagine the number will be much higher with HGH testing.
  - Alex68 January 10, 2013 at 3:15 pm
    
    Lmao!!!!
Donal January 10, 2013 at 3:37 pm

So, when is the open and honest discussion about PEDS, their effects and side effects? Or am I expecting too much?
- Perseus January 10, 2013 at 3:41 pm
  
  If we find out ever player in the steroid era took steroids, then they’ll talk…
  
  Otherwise, they’ll do their best to sweep that era under the rug and keep those named players out of the spotlight/HoF.
BadBadLeroyBrown January 10, 2013 at 3:38 pm

Damn! Well there goes Jason Bays hopes of a glorious comeback to form.
- Met Maniac January 10, 2013 at 3:45 pm
  
  Alderson must be thinking damn it, I just told Johan to make sure he gears up with some PEDs for his walk year so I can trade his ass at the deadline.
Joey D. January 11, 2013 at 1:42 am

It seems too much a coincidence that the day after the hall of fame announcement comes an announcement that the Players Union and MLB agreed with a Random testing for HGH.

Sounds as if somebody anticipated there would be major fallout on the hall of fame ballot and timed the announcement to come 24 hours later. Their public relations people went overtime with this one.

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