Allgemeines » But for the majority of players

NEW YORK -- Baseball players and management hope to reach a new drug agreement this week that would increase initial penalties for muscle-building steroids and allow a decrease of suspensions for some positive tests caused by unintentional use, people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Tony Perez Jersey . For future suspensions, the deal also would eliminate the loophole allowing Alex Rodriguez to earn almost $3 million during his season-long ban, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity in recent days because talks are ongoing. The sides hope to reach an agreement by Sunday, when the Los Angeles Dodgers open the U.S. portion of the major league schedule at the San Diego Padres. While the lengths have not been finalized, a person involved with the talks said Wednesday the most likely penalties would be about 80 games for an initial testing violation and a season-long ban for a second. "It will be a significant deterrent because players will know theyre not going to just easily walk back into a lineup," Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said in a telephone interview. "It probably is the best policy in professional sports." For use of a limited group of substances, the sides were discussing giving the arbitration panel that hears appeals grievances the authority to reduce suspensions by as much as 50 per cent if the player proves the positive test was caused by unintentional use, the person said. "What were all here for it to rid sports of the intentional cheats, those who are intending to defraud both the fans and their fellow teammates, the integrity of competition," Tygart said. "You want to have provisions in place that allow for whether theres an inadvertent or a truly non-intentional situation which may arise." Since the 2006 season, the Major League Baseballs drug agreement has called for a 50-game suspension for a first positive steroids test, a 100-game ban for a second and a lifetime penalty for a third. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig called for tougher penalties last March, and then-union head Michael Weiner said players would consider them for 2014. Weiner died in November and was succeeded by former All-Star Tony Clark, who has led the negotiations. Major League Baseballs investigation of the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic led to 14 suspensions last summer, including a 65-game penalty for former NL MVP Ryan Braun of Milwaukee and a 211-game ban for Rodriguez, which was reduced to 162 games in January by an arbitrator. The section covering violations not related to positive tests, which was used by Selig in the Biogenesis case, will be clarified but still will allow discipline for "just cause." Many players have advocated stiffer penalties as a deterrent. Arizona pitcher Brad Ziegler spoke out after Jhonny Peralta, who served a 50-game suspension, agreed in November to a $53 million, four-year contract with St. Louis. "We thought 50 games would be a deterrent. Obviously its not. So we are working on it again," he tweeted then. "It pays to cheat... Thanks, owners, for encouraging PED use." Some players said suspensions should lead to larger monetary losses. San Diego Padres outfielder Will Venable maintained last summer "somehow having to forfeit or void your contract that youre under is something that needs to be the main focus of the penalties." But for the majority of players, that would go too far. "Id venture to guess that even though there are concerns on a number of levels, that we will never end up in a world where player contracts are voided as a result," Clark told the AP during a January interview. Addressing positives caused by inadvertent use was a factor in the talks. Philadelphia infielder Freddy Galvis was suspended for 50 games in June 2012 for a Clostebol Metabolite, which he later claimed was contained in a foot cream he used. Reliever Guillermo Mota, then with San Francisco, was suspended for 100 games in May 2012 after taking a cough syrup with Clenbuterol. The new deal also will state that a player receives none of his salary during a season-long suspension. The current deal said a player loses as many days pay as games he is suspended. Since players are paid over a 183-day season this year, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled Rodriguez was entitled to 21-183rds of his $25 million salary, or $2,868,852. "Thats fantastic," Tygart said. "You hit them in the pocketbook, and thats really where the cheaters are most deterred from attempting to steal money from the other players." Fake Reds Jerseys .2 million deal for the upcoming season with right-hander Garrett Richards.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the announcement hadnt been made. Jimmy Herget Jersey . The Thornhill, Ont., native, who is ranked 11th in the world, said hed hoped he would be ready when Canada begins its World Group first-round tie against Japan in Tokyo on Friday. https://www.cheapredsjerseys.us/1495s-eric-davis-jersey-reds.html . Bring on Freddy Garcia. The well-travelled 36-year-old right-hander earned his second NL victory since 2007, and his first since he joined the Atlanta Braves last month, pitching six innings to help beat Miami 6-1 Thursday.ANAHEIM, Calif. - Derek Jeter gave the Los Angeles Angels fans something special to remember him by in his final game at the "Big A." And he received something equally special in return. Jeter ended a home run drought of 161 at-bats in his final regular-season game against the Angels, and the New York Yankees kept Hector Santiago winless in seven starts with a 9-2 victory on Wednesday night. Vidal Nuno (1-0) allowed a run and four hits in 6 13 innings, struck out three and retired 14 of his last 15 batters. The left-handers only other victory in seven big league starts was May 13 of last season, when he pitched five scoreless innings of three-hit ball at Cleveland in a 7-0 decision. Unless both clubs meet in the playoffs, this was Jeters swan song against the Halos, who dropped two of three in the Bronx 1 1-2 weeks ago. Jered Weaver, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Howie Kendrick carried a 12-foot-long pinstriped paddleboard with Jeters No. 2 and the Yankee logo to the middle of the diamond and presented it to him following a milestone-studded video tribute as the sellout crowd of 44,083 roared its approval. "That was a cool gift. I thought that was awesome. I can use that in my backyard," Jeter said with a grin. "But I dont expect something everywhere I go. I mean, this was a surprise to me. The fans have been awesome here from the first game of the series. Its something that youll remember, and I appreciate it. Ive played a lot of games here in the regular season and post-season, so I have fond memories of playing in Anaheim." It was the second time in two years that the Angels management went out of the way to honour a member of former manager Joe Torres "Core Four." Last season it was Mariano Rivera, who retired as the all-time saves leader and received a painting of himself. "Mos different from me," Jeter said. "I play every day, so I have to go out there and play (after the pregame ceremony). Mo got massaged for five innings and went out on to the bullpen in the seventh, so its completely different." Jeter made it 6-0 in the second with a two-out drive to left-centrre for his 257th career homer and first since July 28, 2013, against Tampa Bays Matt Moore at New York. Freddy Galvis Jersey. In Mondays series opener, the Yankees captain doubled to end a drought of 55 at-bats without an extra-base hit. "Its good to get one," Jeter said. "Im not catching Babe Ruth or anything, but at least youd like to get one. The important thing is that we got a win. It was a good game for us in a lot of different ways." Eleven of Jeters last 12 home runs have been solo shots, including one against Santiago when he pitched for the White Sox in August 2012. "When he came up to the plate the first time, I kind of gave him a little head nod, like Hey, we appreciate what youre doing here. But then you just battle, man," Santiago said. "I felt like I made a good pitch to him his next time up. Hes gotten me in the past on off-speed stuff, so I just went away from that. It was one of the better cutters Ive thrown my last seven starts, and he got me." Jeter got a standing ovation before his final at-bat during the Yankees three-run eighth. He hit a fielders choice comebacker to reliever Cory Rasmus for a force at the plate after a two-run single by John Ryan Murphy, and Carlos Beltran added a sacrifice fly. Santiago (0-6) was charged with six runs, five hits and three walks in 2 1-3 innings. Four of the runs were unearned, the result of errors by Santiago and right fielder Cowgill. NOTES: One day after the publication of Riveras book, "The Closer: My Story," Yankees manager Joe Girardi sidestepped questions about the combustible content — which included Riveras opinion that Bostons Dustin Pedroia was a better second baseman than ex-teammate Robinson Cano. "Those are Marianos comments, and its probably why I chose not to write books," Girardi said. "I had plenty of opportunities with some of my experiences, but right now I just dont think it would be a good idea." ... Jeters first game in Anaheim was May 27, 1996, when he batted ninth and went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly and two walks in Andy Pettittes 16-5 win over future Yankee Jim Abbott. ' ' '