[RedBean]

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If this is so regarding testing for it in October 2003, why does an article posted on November 13th talk about testing of it in the future tense, "next year."


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Because the media is infallible?

Sheesh....

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For somebody trying to sort out which of you is giving the correct facts, this is confusing.

Please clarify with source.

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Clarify which one?

- His original assertion that MLB doesn't test for THG?

He's already conceded that they at least began testing for it in the 2004 season.

- His original assertion that THG was illegal by federal law "for at least 10 years".

He's already conceded that THG was not made illegal until Oct 2003.

- The issue discerning between my assertion of testing occuring in 2003 as meaning the calendar year or as a baseball year?

I acknowledge that THG was not tested for during the 2003 season, as it wasn't a banned substance, nor was it illegal under the law.

It was, however, tested for during the 2004 season as he concedes.....the semantical difference being that the 2004 season, in regards to the CBA, begins in Oct of 2003.

Thus, testing began shortly after the substance was made illegal, in the calendar year of 2003, as I stated.

Much like the CBA that established the survey testing in the 2003 season actually took effect on Sept 30th, 2002. The 2002 calendar year.

The CBA defines a "baseball year" as beginning at the end of the previous season's championship event, and extending throughout the offseason, thru spring training, and up until the end of that seasons championship event.


All in all, simply put, we're having a mightily complex and stupid argument over his interpretation of my assertion of testing within a calendar year against his finding a description of events along a baseball year.

Aside from all that, it doesn't make a hill of beans difference either way.

Simply put, and restated for clarity:

It wasn't illegal nor banned during the 2003 season, nor was it tested for during that season, which ended in Oct 2003.

It was illegal and banned during the 2004 season, for which it was tested for during that season. A season which began in the calendar year of 2003.

This is why it gets confusing mixing and matching the CBA definition of "baseball year" with calendar years and the traditional understanding by fans of a "baseball season".

Compund that with the difficulty added when folks are wanting to argue just for the sake of argument and their personal distaste with me.