GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Therapeutic use exemptions -- known to players as TUEs -- are given to players taking physician-approved substances otherwise banned under baseball's drug-testing system.
TUEs are also the subject of a lot of unhappy conjecture and gossip in clubhouses across Major League Baseball, with players sharing theories about who among their peers are allowed a TUE, what substances they are taking -- and how much the drugs enhance their performance.
Adrian Gonzalez is among many players who have raised the topic with ESPN the past couple of years, but the Dodgers first baseman is the first willing to speak on the record. "I feel like TUEs should be [a matter of] public record," Gonzalez said Wednesday, sitting at his locker. "Not because they shouldn't be allowed, but because we should all know the reasons why [players] are taking what they're taking -- and are allowed to take."
Gonzalez believes this should happen for the sake of transparency. "The whole system is in place to make it an even playing field," said Gonzalez. "I know I don't have a TUE. I would want to know who has one, for what reasons, and if those reasons are justified."
Over the past year, other players and uniformed personnel have brought up the issue in conversation with this reporter, as Gonzalez did. "I think most players I've talked to feel the same way about it," he said. "You just want there to be the same trust" about how the TUEs are handled.
The players' speculation about PED use in the sport has seemingly grown in recent years, fueled partly by what they don't know about the TUEs. Some players wonder privately about whether peers are being provided an advantage that the vast majority of players are not permitted.
According to Major League Baseball's latest annual release about the sport's drug-testing program, there were 113 TUEs granted last season, and of those, 111 were related to the treatment of attention deficit disorder, one for gynecomastia, and one for olecranon stress fracture/hypercalciuria. In 2014, 112 TUEs were granted for ADD, one for hypogonadism.
Some players are skeptical about the number of players given TUEs for ADD. "It's just another way to get greenies," said one longtime position player. "Players know how to answer the questions in order to get that TUE."
The question of whether or not more information about the TUEs is released -- who is allowed to take what medication and why -- is controlled by the players and the Major League Baseball Players Association. When the initial testing began, for example, the union would not agree to allow MLB to release more information about failed PED tests other than to say that a player had violated the policy. After busted players began offering vague public explanations, MLB pushed to reveal the precise substance that the player had used, and the union changed and went along with that.
In order to reveal the details of the TUEs, questions of privacy would eventually arise, because there presumably would be some players who wouldn't want to reveal their protected medical information.
But in an industry in which physical performance counts for everything, more and more players -- union brethren -- want to know what Gonzalez wants to know: Who is allowed to take pharmaceuticals, and why?
Andrew Miller's wrist injury could surface valid question about protective devices
A CT scan revealed a chip fracture in the non-throwing (right) wrist of reliever Andrew Miller, and now the Yankees reliever -- who was to stand in for suspended Aroldis Chapman as closer in the first 30 days -- will see a hand specialist. The Yankees will learn more about the injury after that, about whether Miller could be out days or weeks or maybe even three months.
Depending on the diagnosis and the treatment, the question may come up about whether Miller can pitch with some sort of protective device on his right wrist, a splint or a soft cast.
Generally, the answer would seem to be no, based on Rule 6.02c (7): "The pitcher may not attach anything to either hand, any finger or either wrist (e.g., Band-Aid, tape, super glue, bracelet, etc.). The umpire shall determine if such attachment is indeed a foreign substance for the purpose of Rule 6.02(c)(7), but in no case may the pitcher be allowed to pitch with such attachment to his hand, finger or wrist."
It's a rule that does seem designed, generally, to pre-empt the use of foreign substances.
There are steps to take before the Yankees and Miller know what is possible and what is not. But in a time when hitters wear protective flaps above their ankles, or elbow guards, and some players wear knee braces, it would seem to make sense for Miller or any other pitcher in a similar situation to be allowed to wear some sort of protective device on his non-throwing hand or wrist, if recommended by doctors. The driving force in the rule changes for baserunners going into home plate and second base has been the effort to keep the players on the field, and if a doctor says Miller could pitch with some layer of protection, it would seem to make sense to let it happen. Any concerns about foreign substances could be easily addressed through pregame and in-game inspections by the home plate umpire.
The Yankees' bullpen picture is muddled, writes George King.
Notables
• On Wednesday's podcast: Tim Kurkjian weighs the possibility of pronouncing the name of the PED for which White Sox pitcher Kameron Loe was suspended, and makes his predictions; Rustin Dodd discusses the notion that the Royals' bullpen could be even better this season, and their push for legacy; plus an important baseball anniversary for longtime ballplayer and cartoon character Charlie Brown.
• Mets pitcher Matt Harvey is angry at the media.
• John Schuerholz is stepping aside as the Braves' president, and moving into a role as the team's vice chairman.
• Pitcher Miguel Gonzalez is being cut free by the Orioles after some ugly outings this spring, as Eduardo Encina writes. Chris Tillman had little to say about it, and it's clear players are upset by the decision, writes Roch Kubatko.
• Cubs infielder Javier Baez is upset he won't be part of Opening Day, as Jesse Rogers writes.
• In a sense, the Indians have nothing to lose in demoting Trevor Bauer to their bullpen. He really hasn't gotten better in his two-plus years in Cleveland's rotation -- he led the AL in walks last season, with 79 in 176 innings, and ranked among the bottom 10 in home run rate -- and last month, Bauer probably raised some ire within the organization with comments of indifference about baseball. Whether Bauer truly meant the words he spoke or not, the Indians have other pitchers devoted to the idea of winning a spot in their rotation, including Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin, who have both thrown well this spring.
Now Bauer may go one of two ways: Either he'll learn from this situation, compete, grow as a pitcher and fight his way back into the rotation, or perhaps he'll continue down the path he has been headed. The Indians need to see progress.
Tribe manager Terry Francona said he understands if Bauer is unhappy with the news.
• Lee Singer of ESPN Stats & Information sent along some follow-up after Clayton Kershaw told the Orange County Register this week that he's not a big fan of defensive shifts. "I think just mentally for me, I can live with a hard-hit ball getting through a hole as opposed to a soft, cheap ground ball that goes through because no one is playing there because of a shift," Kershaw said. "Mentally, it's just easier for me to swallow. You start making excuses in your head like, 'Ah, I made my pitch.' You just don't want to have that in the back of your mind. At least I don't."
From Lee: "With Andrew Friedman taking over as the Dodgers' president of baseball operations last season, L.A. made defensive shifts more of a priority. Baseball Info Solutions tracked the Dodgers as using a defensive shift on 629 batters faced last season, more than the previous three seasons combined (572). Naturally, Kershaw saw an increase in shifts when he was on the mound -- and it didn't go well. He allowed 12 hits with a shift on last season, seven more than the previous three seasons combined (5)."
Despite leading the Dodgers in innings last season, Kershaw ranked fourth among Dodgers starters in terms of most shifts behind him. In fact, looking at it as a percentage of batters faced, Kershaw saw a defensive shift less than half as frequently as any other Dodgers starter and less than any other qualified starter in baseball.
Fewest shifts per batter faced of Dodgers Starters in 2015
Clayton Kershaw: 4.5 percent
Alex Wood: 10.3 percent
Zack Greinke: 10.8 percent
Carlos Frias: 11.7 percent
Brett Anderson: 13.5 percent
Mike Bolsinger: 14.4 percent
Fewest shifts per batter faced of ALL qualified MLB starters in 2015
Clayton Kershaw: 4.5 percent
Gio Gonzalez: 6.5 percent
Chris Sale: 7.4 percent
Madison Bumgarner: 7.8 percent
Max Scherzer: 7.9 percent
Chatter
Scouts and players are raving about 6-foot-5 left-hander Cody Reed, who was acquired by the Reds in the Johnny Cueto trade. … Folks in the Cubs' camp think that Addison Russell is going to hit a lot more this season -- and he did have a great spring. … Royals right fielder Reymond Fuentes could get a lot of playing time against right-handers early in the season, before Jarrod Dyson comes back. Manager Ned Yost has talked about how Fuentes can do a lot of different things: hit, defend and run the bases. … An evaluator referring to the tough at-bats of the Giants' hitters: "They've got the best lineup I've seen this spring." … The Royals are hopeful that Mike Minor could be a factor for them in the final months of the season. Minor, who was encouraged to sign with the Royals by longtime Braves and current K.C. pitcher Kris Medlen, threw off a mound for the first time the other day as he recovers from shoulder issues. … Rival evaluators say the Mariners' lineup is greatly improved.
The fight for jobs
1. Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard has won a job with the Orioles.
2. Juan Nicasio won a spot in the Pirates rotation.
3. The Blue Jays are sticking with Roberto Osuna as their closer.
4. Shortstop Jean Segura had a great spring and has won a spot in the Diamondbacks' lineup.
5. Shane Greene is part of the Tigers' rotation.
6. Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova's strong outing may be too little too late.
7. The Reds shaped their roster.
8. The Marlins finalized their rotation.
9. The Rays told James Loney he won't be on the team, and they cut catcher Rene Rivera.
Moves, deals and decisions
1. The Phillies re-signed reliever Edward Mujica.
2. Pitcher Bobby Parnell is sticking with the Tigers.
3. The Mariners acquired a pitcher from the Padres.
4. The Braves signed outfielder Drew Stubbs.
5. The Angels are nearing a deal with pitcher Kyle Kendrick.
Dings and dents
1. Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez is a long way from returning, writes Peter Abraham.
2. Indians outfielder Michael Brantley is going to get back to hitting Friday.
3. Cardinals reliever Jordan Walden's shoulder is ailing.
4. Kansas City's Ian Kennedy left his last start because of a hamstring issue.
5. Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton's timeline for a return has been altered.
6. Diamondbacks pitcher Josh Collmenter has a shoulder issue.
Wednesday's games
1. Astros ace Dallas Keuchel finished a strong spring.
2. Angels pitcher Jered Weaver did some experimenting.
NL East
• The Nationals won the Grapefruit League, and James Wagner wonders if it matters.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is pleasantly surprised by his power surge.
• The Phillies are breaking camp with many questions and a lot of enthusiasm.
• Barry Bonds sees power and potential in the Marlins' lineup.
NL Central
• The Reds are in no rush with pitcher Homer Bailey, writes C. Trent Rosecrans.
• Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams's stock is on the rise again, writes Rick Hummel.
• Jung Ho Kang has made Pittsburgh his home.
• The Pirates' outfield thrives on communication.
• Brewers second baseman Aaron Hill has had a tough spring.
NL West
• Padres GM A.J. Preller does not expect any big moves before the season opener, writes Dennis Lin.
• Andrew Friedman is resisting the temptation to make a short-term move.
• Rockies pitcher Jorge De La Rosa had an ugly spring, but says he'll be ready when the season starts.
• Giants starter Johnny Cueto finished his spring strongly.
• Rob Neyer writes about the Rockies' latest effort to adapt to the thin air of Denver.
AL East
• Boston's Rusney Castillo is upbeat despite losing out in the left field competition.
• Tim Britton ranks the Red Sox concerns.
AL Central
• White Sox infielder Brett Lawrie's transition to second base has gone well.
• Paul Molitor has eased into the role as the Twins' manager, writes Mike Berardino.
• The White Sox are ready to get on with the season.
AL West
• It's OK to like these Twins, writes Patrick Reusse.
• It's time to see how Scott Servais manages the Mariners, writes Dave Boling.
• The Astros are looking at outside options for pitching.
• Oakland's Chris Coghlan has learned to adapt.
Lastly
• Jose Reyes will not stand trial, but he still faces the possibility of a very long suspension.
• Andrew Baggarly polled Giants players about the … tobacco ban.
• Cubs manager Joe Maddon prefers a piece of paper over an iPad. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had similar thoughts when asked about it in Glendale on Wednesday.
• Vanderbilt has a big series coming up against South Carolina.
And today will be better than yesterday.