Ueberroth Suspends Seven Players for Use of Drugs

Infielder Enos Cabell of the Dodgers, outfielder Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds, first baseman Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets and pitcher Joaquin Andujar of the Oakland A’s were among seven players suspended conditionally for the 1986 baseball season Friday as a result of Commissioner Peter V. Ueberroth’s investigation into drug abuse in major league baseball.

They were among 24 current or former major leaguers who testified at or were mentioned in testimony during cocaine-trafficking trials last summer in Pittsburgh.

The seven--also including infielder Dale Berra of the New York Yankees, outfielder Lonnie Smith of the World Series champion Kansas City Royals and outfielder Jeff Leonard of the San Francisco Giants--fell into a group that showed a prolonged pattern of drug use and distribution, Ueberroth said at a New York City news conference.

The suspensions, however, will be held in abeyance and each of the seven will be permitted to play this year if they accept and adhere to the following stipulations, Ueberroth said:

--Each must donate 10% of his 1986 base salary to a drug program or facility in his club’s home city.

--Each must agree to random urinalysis testing under a program to be administered by the commissioner’s office for the rest of his career.

--Each must contribute a minimum of 100 hours of drug-related community service work approved by the commissioner’s office in the next two years and, if asked, volunteer to assist in any promotional or educational drug prevention program administered by baseball.

The full suspension, including the absence of pay, will be imposed immediately if any player tests positive, refuses to test or otherwise fails to fulfill the commitments, Ueberroth said.

The same holds true for a group of players who received lesser penalties, Ueberroth said.

Outfielder Lee Lacy of the Baltimore Orioles, pitcher Al Holland of the Yankees, pitcher Lary Sorensen of the Chicago Cubs and outfielder Claudell Washington of the Atlanta Braves have been suspended conditionally for 60 days.

Ueberroth said his interviews and investigation showed they were engaged in more limited drug use and that there was insufficient evidence of distribution.

He said former Oakland pitcher Mike Norris was a candidate for the second group but that a final disposition will not be made until Norris finishes facing criminal charges for drug possession in California.

Those in the second group will be allowed to play if they meet the previously stated conditions, except that they must donate only 5% of their base salary and contribute 50 hours to community work.

Third Group of Players

Ueberroth said there would be no disciplinary action in regard to a third group of players except that they will be required to participate in the testing program established for the other groups.

The third group, he said, included A’s outfielder Dusty Baker, Cub outfielder Gary Matthews, and two unsigned free agents, infielder-outfielder Derrel Thomas and pitcher Manny Sarmiento. Each was mentioned in the Pittsburgh testimony, but Ueberroth said there was insufficient evidence of impropriety.

The third group, he said, also includes San Francisco pitcher Vida Blue, Montreal Expo outfielder Tim Raines, Yankee pitcher Rod Scurry, Baltimore infielder Alan Wiggins, Texas Ranger pitcher Dickie Noles and first baseman Daryl Sconiers, a former Angel who is now an unsigned free agent.

History of Drug Use

Each has a documented history of drug involvement but their cases have already been handled through other procedures, Ueberroth said.

Ueberroth’s announcement prompted Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League Players Assn., to issue a prepared statement in which he said that the decisions raised serious questions. He added, however, that the union would not have a definitive response until it had thoroughly studied the four-page statement delivered to the union’s Manhattan office by Telex.

Fehr said the union would review each case with the respective player and his attorney before suggesting a course of action, which could include the filing of an appeal, requiring arbitration. The suspended players have until April 7 to decide whether to accept the conditions.

Attorney Tom Reich, who represents more than 90 players, among them Cabell, Parker, Holland and Lacy, said from Los Angeles that his clients would have no decision until he had read the complete transcript and then met with them.

‘Areas of Concern’

“From what I can gather, I see some areas of concern and others that I have no problem with,” he said, alluding to the stipulations for lifting the suspensions.

Reich, who recommends to his clients that they accept testing clauses in their contracts and participate in drug awareness programs, implied that he would be quick to accept the testing and community service aspects, but wanted more information as to how the salary donations will be handled.

The 1986 salaries for those required to donate 10% are: Andujar, $1,270,000; Berra, $512,500; Cabell, $450,000; Hernandez, $1,350,000; Leonard, $800,000; Parker, $875,000, and Smith, $850,000.

The 1986 salaries for those required to donate 5% are Lacy, $600,000; Sorensen, $200,000, and Washington, $750,000. Holland’s salary could not be obtained.

‘This Is the Solution’

Ueberroth, responding to questions, said he had never considered unconditional suspension because some of the drug incidents are three and four years old.

“Some will think I was too easy and some will think I was too tough,” he said.

“But when you analyze the whole situation, this is the solution and it’s going to work.”

Ueberroth said it took him two weeks to prepare the decision after completing interviews with 23 of the 24 players who either testified with immunity during the Pittsburgh trials or were named in the testimony.

The trials, which Ueberroth had called an embarrassment to baseball, resulted in the conviction of Curtis Strong, a former clubhouse caterer with the Philadelphia Phillies, for selling cocaine to ballplayers.

Strong Got 7 Years

Strong, one of seven men indicted for selling drugs, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Ueberroth said he based his decision on his interviews with the involved players, a reading of the trial transcripts and advice of people familiar with both the drug problem and legal ramifications.

An informed associate who requested anonymity said Ueberroth considered the decision his most difficult since becoming commissioner and that he agonized over both the legal complexities and his desire to treat the players with fairness.

“He has repeatedly said that he is fighting drugs and not players,” the source said, “and he was determined to treat each case on its own merits. He sought advice, but the bottom line is that the decision was his. He was the key.”

There were other aspects to it.

Infielder-outfielder John Milner, who retired from the Pittsburgh Pirates after the 1982 season and testified with immunity during the drug trial, was the only player who refused to meet with him, Ueberroth said. Thus, in announcing his decision Friday, Ueberroth said no club--either major or minor league--could make any kind of job offer to Milner.

Stargell Exonerated

Ueberroth, who had previously exonerated Dodger infielder Bill Madlock of amphetamine use and distribution, said Friday that he was exonerating former Pittsburgh slugger Willie Stargell, now a coach with Atlanta, of the same accusation.

Trial testimony had linked Stargell and Madlock to amphetamine use.

The commissioner also announced that all drug testing in baseball, previously handled by the individual teams, will now be under the direction of his office and supervised by Dr. Anthony Daly of Los Angeles, former head of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee’s medical section.

“I want a centrally administered program handled by medical people, a program producing valid test results and trusted by the public,” Ueberroth said.

“I want to keep it away from owners and managers who want their players in the lineup as soon as possible.”

Cites ‘Public’s Concern’

Ueberroth said he had no knowledge of clubs’ hiding drug users but “the public’s concern regarding the overall problem demands complete integrity.”

“Drug testing is not a cure-all and end-all for anything,” he said, “but this is an emergency time for baseball.

“It (testing) allows for early detection and provides a far greater chance for recovery. You wait until a player is on his belly and everybody is a loser. I can show you examples in baseball, football and basketball.”

Although he has yet to advance an overall drug plan, Ueberroth’s sweeping announcement Friday seemed to emphasize his determination to attack the problem on his own terms, which has already raised the ire of the Major League Players Assn.

Union Files Grievance

The union, responding to Ueberroth’s decision to have the owners unilaterally terminate the joint drug agreement, filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board in November. The union has since submitted a series of grievances stemming from the clubs’ refusal to guarantee the salary terms of multiyear contracts unless the player agrees to include a drug testing clause.

Times staff writer Sam McManis in New York contributed to this article.