OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy becomes uneasy each time he is called to the bathroom for a random drug test, even though he knows he is completely clean.
McCarthy can’t help but become slightly paranoid, fearing a mistake could land him a suspension and alter his career path — if not end it altogether.
He and his A’s teammates talked about Major League Baseball’s drug testing program in the aftermath of pitcher Bartolo Colon’s 50-game suspension for testosterone Wednesday, the second such penalty for a prominent Bay Area player in the span of a week. All-Star game MVP Melky Cabrera of the Giants received his Aug. 15 after he tested positive for testosterone.
With performance-enhancing drugs suddenly making bigger headlines than pennant races, some are calling for even stiffer punishments.
