Monday, April 21
Updated: April 22, 11:36 AM ET

Steroids? Amphetamine use troubles ex-big leaguer

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Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Baseball players are still using muscle-building drugs and amphetamines despite the sport's new steroid-testing plan, The New York Times reported in Tuesday's editions.

Players have switched from using steroids to drugs like human growth hormone, The Times reported, citing interviews with 40 current or former players, baseball ????utives and medical officials.

Some players told the newspaper that the union is jeopardizing the health of its members by not allowing mandatory testing of certain drugs.

“ Sooner or later, it's going to get out that there's a greenie problem, and it's a huge one. Guys feel like they need an edge. ”
— Tony Gwynn

This spring, 16 members of the Chicago White Sox were ready to refuse a drug test so they could be counted as testing positive for steroids. Their idea was to send a message that more extensive monitoring is needed.

Players on an unidentified National League team also considered refusing to take the test, The Times reported.

Former San Diego Padres All-Star Tony Gwynn said that more attention needs to be focused on amphetamines. He estimates that 50 percent of position players use "greenies" routinely.

"People might think there is a steroid problem in baseball, but it's nowhere near the other problem; the other, it's a rampant problem," Gwynn told the paper. "Guys feel like steroids are cheating and greenies aren't.

"Sooner or later, it's going to get out that there's a greenie problem, and it's a huge one," Gwynn said. "Guys feel like they need an edge. It didn't seem like there was a lot of it earlier in my career, but I know that coming down to the end of my career, it was rampant on my club."

Last year, former players Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti also made claims of widespread steroid use in baseball.

New York Mets pitcher Tom Glavine, the NL player rep to the union, called Gwynn's comments "irresponsible."

"I have a problem with all these guys that aren't playing anymore now coming out and saying that all these problems exist," Glavine told the paper. "If the problems were there and they were so pr????ent, how come nobody said anything when they were playing?

"Is there stuff going on? Sure," Glavine said. "Is it 50 percent? I don't think so."

There is no testing for amphetamines in the labor agreement reached between players and owners last summer.

The policy calls for all players to be tested for steroids once during the 2003 season, and for 240 players to be tested at random again. If more than 5 percent test positive, a second step will go into effect in 2004, in which players could be subject to penalties for testing positive. In 2003, however, players who test positive for steroids would not be penalized -- or even identified.

It is a weak drug policy when compared with the NFL, NCAA and International Olympic Committee, all of which test for more than just steroids and have more stringent penalties.