MLB and MLBPA officials are "engaged in talks about the possibility of increasing penalties" for positive PED tests "beyond the current scale of 50 games, 100 games and lifetime bans," according to a source cited by Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSPORTS.com. The source said that MLB and the MLBPA "aren't necessarily reopening the Joint Drug Agreement for large-scale changes but rather discussing 'a number of issues' as part of an annual review process." MLB is "less likely to engage the union this offseason in dialogue on another contentious issue facing the sport: draft-pick compensation for free agents under the collective bargaining agreement" (FOXSPORTS.com, 2/4).
WHO'S YOUR BUD? In Cleveland, Paul Hoynes notes Indians President Mark Shapiro for the "has been mentioned" as a possible successor to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. Shapiro said, "It's an honor to have your name mentioned, but that's about all the time I spend thinking about it." While "most of Shapiro’s experience has been directed toward the field, he has spent the last three years getting acquainted with the business of baseball." The three names "most mentioned as Selig's successor" are MLB COO Rob Manfred, MLB Exec VP/Business Tim Brosnan and MLBAM President & CEO Bob Bowman. The "best bet among the three may be Manfred," whose "skills as a negotiator and his relationships with the players association could help his cause." Shapiro is 46, so "time is on his side," although previous commissioners Bowie Kuhn (43), Happy Chandler (47) and Peter Ueberroth (43) were "in the same age bracket when they were named." Still, the "more experience Shapiro gets, the better off he'll be." Some believe that Selig "will hand-pick his replacement" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/5).
