Editing Major League Baseball (section)

==Performance-enhancing drugs==
{{See also|Doping in baseball|List of Major League Baseball players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs}}
[[File:Palmeiro swing2.png|thumb|[[Rafael Palmeiro]] (batter) was one of the MLB players suspended for steroid use.<ref>{{cite web|title=Players suspended under baseball's steroids policy|work=[[ESPN.com]]|date=June 7, 2006|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2474192|access-date=July 20, 2007|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105073000/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2474192|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
In 1998, both [[Mark McGwire]] and [[Sammy Sosa]] hit more [[home run]]s than the record of 61 set by Yankees right fielder [[Roger Maris]] in 1961. [[Barry Bonds]] topped the record in 2001 with 73 home runs. McGwire, Bonds, and Sosa became the subjects of speculation regarding the use of performance-enhancing substances. McGwire later admitted that he used a steroid hormone that was still legal in baseball during the 1998 season.<ref name=ESPNsteroids>{{cite news|title=The Steroids Era|newspaper=Espn.com|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/topics/_/page/the-steroids-era|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=December 8, 2013|archive-date=December 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208003431/http://espn.go.com/mlb/topics/_/page/the-steroids-era|url-status=live}}</ref> Baseball's original steroid testing policy, in effect from 2002 to 2005, provided for penalties ranging from a ten-game suspension for a first positive test to a one-year suspension for a fourth positive test. Players were tested at least once per year, with the chance that several players could be tested many times per year.<ref name="wnbc">{{cite web|url=http://www.wnbc.com/mikedup/4077510/detail.html|title=MLB Owners, Players Reach Deal On Steroid Testing|access-date=September 6, 2008|year=2005|publisher=wnbc.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009031339/http://www.wnbc.com/mikedup/4077510/detail.html|archive-date=October 9, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A 2006 book, ''[[Game of Shadows]]'' by ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' investigative reporters [[Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada]], chronicled alleged extensive use of performance enhancers, including several types of steroids and [[growth hormone]] by baseball superstars Barry Bonds, [[Gary Sheffield]], and [[Jason Giambi]]. Former [[Senate Majority Leader]] George Mitchell was appointed by Selig on March 30, 2006<ref name="MLB_pre">{{cite web|first=Barry|last=Bloom|title=Mitchell Report to be released today|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071212&content_id=2323307&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|work=[[MLB.com]]|date=December 13, 2007|access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref> to investigate the use of performance-enhancing drugs in MLB. The appointment was made after several influential members of the [[U.S. Congress]] made negative comments about both the effectiveness and honesty of MLB's [[Major League Baseball drug policy|drug policies]] and Commissioner Selig.<ref name="NYT_20071213">{{cite news|first1=Duff|last1=Wilson|first2=Michael|last2=Schmidt|title=Baseball Braces for Steroid Report From Mitchell|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/sports/baseball/13mitchell.html?em&ex=1197694800&en=13aefc5012cd51c1&ei=5087%0A|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 13, 2007|access-date=June 13, 2011|archive-date=December 14, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214172052/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/sports/baseball/13mitchell.html?em&ex=1197694800&en=13aefc5012cd51c1&ei=5087%0A|url-status=live}}</ref>

The day before the [[Mitchell Report]] was to be released in 2007, Selig said, "I haven't seen the report yet, but I'm proud I did it."<ref name="Chicago Tribune 20071212">{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-071212report,1,5400599.story?ctrack=1&cset=true|title=Mitchell report will assess the damage done|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|author=Phil Rogers|date=December 12, 2007|access-date=December 13, 2007 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216050643/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-071212report%2C1%2C5400599.story?ctrack=1&cset=true|archive-date=December 16, 2007}}</ref><ref name="espn">{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3152573|title=Sources: Players, owners to share blame in Mitchell report|work=ESPN|first=T.J.|last=Quinn|author2=Mark Fainaru-Wada|date=December 13, 2007|access-date=December 13, 2007|archive-date=December 15, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215024942/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3152573|url-status=live}}</ref> The report said that after mandatory random testing began in 2004, [[HGH treatment for athletic enhancement]] became popular among players, as HGH is not detectable in tests. It pointed out that HGH is likely a placebo with no performance-enhancing effects.<ref name="report_pg_SR2">{{cite web|url=http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf|title=Mitchell Report|page=SR2|access-date=December 13, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214182448/http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf|archive-date=December 14, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The report included substance use allegations against at least one player from each MLB team.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mitchell report: Baseball slow to react to players' steroid use|work=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3153509|date=December 13, 2007|access-date=December 13, 2007|archive-date=January 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128170522/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3153509|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to [[ESPN]], some people questioned whether Mitchell's director role with the Boston Red Sox created a conflict of interest, especially because no "prime [Sox] players were in the report".<ref name="report_pg_A1">{{cite web|url=http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf|title=Mitchell Report|page=A1|access-date=December 31, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214182448/http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf|archive-date=December 14, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The report named several prominent Yankees who were parts of World Series clubs; there is a long-running and fierce [[Yankees–Red Sox rivalry]]. Former U.S. prosecutor [[John M. Dowd]] brought up Mitchell's conflict of interest,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2006-03-30-mitchell-role_x.htm|author=Mike Dodd|title=Is George Mitchell independent enough?|date=March 31, 2006|access-date=December 24, 2007|work=[[USA Today]]|archive-date=April 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425072654/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2006-03-30-mitchell-role_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> but he later said that the former senator had done a good job.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-mitchell1212,0,7812674.story |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721093442/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-mitchell1212,0,7812674.story |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2012|author=Childs Walker|title=Some question Mitchell as report draws near|date=December 11, 2007|access-date=December 24, 2007|work=Baltimore Sun}}</ref> Mitchell acknowledged that his "tight relationship with Major League Baseball left him open to criticism",<ref name=gregjohnson>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/la-sp-mitchellbio14dec14,1,6912601.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-majorbaseb&ctrack=1&cset=true|author=Greg Johnson|title=Mitchell cites unbiased history|date=December 14, 2007|access-date=December 19, 2007|work=Los Angeles Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221030750/http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/la-sp-mitchellbio14dec14%2C1%2C6912601.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-majorbaseb&ctrack=1&cset=true|archive-date=December 21, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> but he said that readers who examine the report closely "will not find any evidence of bias, of special treatment of the Red Sox".<ref name=gregjohnson />

On January 10, 2013, MLB and the players union reached an agreement to add random, in-season HGH testing. They also agreed to implement a new test to reveal the use of [[Testosterone (medication)|testosterone]] for the 2013 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Baseball to Expand Drug-Testing Program|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/sports/baseball/baseball-and-union-agree-to-in-season-blood-testing-for-hgh.html?emc=na&_r=0|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 10, 2013|first=Michael S.|last=Schmidt|date=January 10, 2013|archive-date=January 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112163938/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/sports/baseball/baseball-and-union-agree-to-in-season-blood-testing-for-hgh.html?emc=na&_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> The current MLB drug policy provides for an 80-game suspension for a first positive test, a 162-game suspension for a second positive test, and a lifetime suspension for a third positive test.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/10690127/major-league-baseball-union-toughen-drug-agreement-provisions|title=MLB, union increase penalties for drug use|work=ESPN|date=March 31, 2014|access-date=May 1, 2016|archive-date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423214747/http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10690127/major-league-baseball-union-toughen-drug-agreement-provisions|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, allegations surfaced against [[Alex Rodriguez]] and [[David Ortiz]], and [[Manny Ramirez]] received a 50-game suspension after testing positive for banned substances. In early April 2011, Ramirez retired from baseball rather than face a 100-game suspension for his second positive steroid test.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rays' Manny Ramirez to retire|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=6310125|work=[[ESPN.com]]|date=April 10, 2011|access-date=October 11, 2013|archive-date=October 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012025941/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6310125|url-status=live}}</ref> He would later unretire, having the suspension dropped to 50 games, and would serve those in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morosi|first=Jon Paul|date=December 5, 2011|title=Source: Manny Ramirez wants to un-retire in 2012|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Manny-Ramirez-seeks-return-in-2012-ending-retirement-120411|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206031748/http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Manny-Ramirez-seeks-return-in-2012-ending-retirement-120411|archive-date=December 6, 2011|access-date=September 18, 2012|work=[[Fox Sports]]}}</ref>