Poll: No ’roid rage
American adults rank steroid use among adolescents as less of a problem than alcohol, bullying, marijuana and sexually transmitted diseases, according to a study released Thursday that was co-commissioned by baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Those polled also ranked cocaine, obesity and eating disorders as bigger problems. While 97 percent of the respondents believe steroids cause negative health effects, just 19 percent think steroid use is a big problem among high school students.
“Steroids and performance-enhancing substances remain a mystery to the American public,” Hall President Jeff Idelson said.
The survey of 1,002 adults by was conducted by the Gallup Organization from Oct. 9 to Nov. 10.
“We have an adult population that is virtually oblivious to the fact that the problem even exists,” said Don Hooton, whose 17-year-old son Taylor committed suicide in July 2003, an act doctors attributed to depression caused after he stopped using performance- enhancing drugs.
Umpire, three Rays fined over comments
Major League Baseball fined umpire Tom Hallion and Tampa Bay pitchers David Price, Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore for their dustup last weekend.
Hallion was the plate umpire and crew chief during a game Sunday at Chicago against the White Sox and Price thought he missed a pitch. They exchanged words and Price accused Hallion of directing an expletive at him. Hallion called Price a “liar” after the game.
Price, Hellickson and Moore later made comments about Hallion on Twitter. The pitchers were fined for violating MLB’s social media policy that forbids “displaying or transmitting content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a major league umpire.”
Clearing the bases
Joba Chamberlain is joining the Yankees’ crowded disabled list. The reliever has a strained right side and will be put on the DL retroactive to April 28. … The Rockies have agreed to a minor league deal with three-time All-Star pitcher Roy Oswalt, who is expected to report to extended spring training. Oswalt, 35, hasn’t pitched in the majors since Oct. 2, when he was with the Rangers.