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Congress Questions Officials On Steroids Policy

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The Associated Press

Published: June 13, 2008

WASHINGTON - Congress wants to hear more from baseball commissioner Bud Selig and players' union head Donald Fehr about their 2005 testimony on steroids in the sport.

Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Tom Davis, R-Va., the leaders of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, wrote letters to Selig and Fehr on Thursday, saying information about drug testing in the Mitchell Report "raises questions about your assertions in the March 2005 hearing."

In the letters, Waxman and Davis write about "two pieces of new information about the MLB testing program that was in effect in 2004": "that the random testing program was suspended for a large part of the 2004 baseball season" and "that players may have been told of upcoming tests."

In the letter to Selig, the lawmakers say that at the 2005 hearing, "MLB claimed that the steroid testing program in place at the time was a success, citing the testing results from 2004. You described a 'dramatic' decline in the number of positive test results, crediting the program with 'a significant reduction in steroid use.'"

Thursday's letters set out a list of questions about baseball's testing program and ask that Selig and Fehr provide answers no later than June 26.

BREWERS: Have cut ties with veteran right-hander Jeff Weaver, releasing him from their Triple-A Nashville affiliate Thursday.

CARDINALS: Placed first baseman Albert Pujols on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf and activated pitcher Joel Pineiro.

Also, a Naval Academy graduate drafted last week by the Cardinals was denied a bid to play ball and ordered to report for duty.

Mitch Harris, from Ocala, a newly commissioned ensign and Naval Academy graduate, must serve a five-year active duty commitment, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter ruled. He was selected in the 13th round with the 395th pick overall.

CUBS: Alfonso Soriano landed back on the disabled list with a broken left hand after being hit by a pitch from Atlanta's Jeff Bennett on Wednesday.

He could miss up to six weeks but said he hopes to return sooner.

INDIANS: Placed All-Star catcher Victor Martinez on the 15-day DL with an inflamed elbow.

Second baseman Josh Barfield also went on the 15-day DL with a strained left middle finger and right-hander Jake Westbrook was scheduled to have Tommy John surgery.

ROYALS: Pitcher Brett Tomko, demoted from the rotation to the bullpen after several rough starts, was designated for assignment. The 35-year-old righty was 2-7 with a 6.97 ERA.

RANGERS: Outfielder Milton Bradley stormed up four flights of Kauffman Stadium stairs looking for Kansas City Royals TV announcer Ryan Lefebvre after the Rangers' 11-5 victory Wednesday night.

Bradley said he wanted to "introduce" himself to Lefebvre after some negative comments were made on the air.

"I never met him and I heard him talking about me on TV. I was upset and was going to introduce myself. ... All I wanted to do was introduce myself and tell him the stuff you're talking about is uncalled for."

Bradley never made it to Lefebvre. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels interceded and the two went back to the clubhouse. Bradley won't be disciplined, Daniels said.

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