Tim Brown: Romero deserved his punishment

Here’s what happened: Romero’s positive test was for a drug not listed among the ingredients of the product – 6-OXO Extreme – he purchased. Baseball officials bought a random bottle of the same supplement and, sure enough, its laboratory found traces of the same banned drug. Romero, then, was correct; the manufacturer screwed him, and maybe the manufacturer will be kind enough to reimburse Romero the million-plus dollars he’s going to lose during his suspension. Maybe the manufacturer will need a little legal prodding. Whatever.

But, that’s not baseball’s problem. And it is not the union’s battle.

The message from baseball – both the commissioner’s office and the union – to its players regarding over-the-counter supplements has been consistent: It’s risky. Contamination is possible, a player ought to surmise, with products that promise, say, “maximum testosterone production.” The supplement industry is inadequately regulated. If a player chooses to use a supplement, he’d best adhere to baseball’s program that certifies certain supplements. The league also maintains a hotline that, in part, helps players distinguish the safe products from the potentially hazardous ones. Romero, apparently, chose not to make that call.

In fact, according to sources familiar with Romero’s story, the pitcher was told by a wise soul last summer to quit using 6-OXO Extreme, a product he picked up at a nutrition store. And he did. Then started up again. Then he tested positive. His fault.

So, Romero will miss the Phillies’ first 50 games of 2009. Sergio Mitre, another pitcher who has a similar story with a different over-the-counter product, will serve his suspension recovering from surgery.

This is what zero tolerance looks like, what would have saved us from the freaks that turned baseball into a league for over-inflated clowns.