| Spring Training has just started for professional | | | | Bryan Smith, baseball's independent program |
| baseball, while college baseball teams have been at | | | | administrator, to use Ritalin and Adderall, |
| work since January. It is time to get in shape for | | | | stimulants better known as treatments for |
| the 2008 baseball season. | | | | hyperactive kids. |
| I love baseball - always have. I was an "All | | | | Baseball already has made changes in the TUE |
| Conference" pitcher and Captain of my college | | | | process for 2008. Before a player will be allowed |
| baseball team. I coached at a University for four | | | | to use a drug, the team physician must send the |
| years and have coached at the High School level | | | | prescription to the independent administrator for |
| for four more. I was a "bird-dog" scout for the | | | | approval before the player uses the substance. |
| Cleveland Indians and the Texas Rangers for a | | | | So should Ritalin, Adderall, or other stimulants be |
| few years, and I have coached Little League | | | | viewed as "performance enhancing drugs" as |
| teams forever. My nephew is a pitcher in the | | | | steroids and HGH now are? |
| Detroit Tigers organization, and a legitimate | | | | No. Ritalin, Adderall, and other stimulants are |
| prospect. Really, I love baseball. | | | | treatments for a real medical condition called |
| But there is a strange and perhaps disappointing | | | | ADHD. If the condition exists with a player, and |
| story about ADHD and MLB that has come out | | | | he has been diagnosed by a real medical doctor, |
| since the release of the Mitchell Report. | | | | and that player goes through the MLB exemption |
| It seems that in 2006 there were 28 major | | | | process, then he should be allowed to receive his |
| league players who had diagnoses for ADHD, and | | | | prescribed treatment. |
| were receiving treatment with stimulant | | | | This is not to be compared to an athlete taking |
| medication during the season. They were | | | | illegal or controlled substances, without a doctor's |
| permitted to receive such treatment with | | | | prescription, to make that athlete bigger, stronger, |
| stimulants through MLB's "Therapeutic Use | | | | faster, and more competitive. |
| Exemption" program. Now, there is no story here | | | | I have seen Ritalin improve reaction time in |
| - at least not yet. There was no story until MLB | | | | subjects, improve time on task, and improve |
| placed the use of amphetamines on their "banned | | | | focus. During the course of a long season these |
| substances" list. Then things changed. | | | | would be valuable to any professional athlete. But |
| In 2007 the number of TUEs requested by major | | | | Ritalin and other stimulants also decrease appetite |
| league players jumped from 28 to 103 for | | | | and may cause difficulty sleeping, two problems |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This | | | | for any athlete. But the way, I have seen Attend |
| increase was so startling that even some sleeping | | | | improve reaction time in college athletes whose |
| Congressmen woke up and decided to make it an | | | | baseline reaction times were much better than |
| issue for the media as a part of the House | | | | the "middle of the bell curve" too. Perhaps these |
| Oversight and Government Reform Committee | | | | MLB players ought to look into Attend instead. |
| hearings on the abuse of performance enhancing | | | | I have also seen major league players who |
| drugs in Major League Baseball. | | | | certainly had ADHD. One player that I am thinking |
| Other "experts" jumped into the media | | | | of pitched for me at the University that I |
| conversation as well. "This demands an | | | | coached at, and went on to play in the majors |
| explanation. There's something fundamentally | | | | for several years. He was clearly ADHD, and I |
| wrong them going from 28 to 103," said Dr. Gary | | | | knew it before I ever heard of ADHD. Easily |
| Wadler, chairman of committee that determines | | | | distracted, he couldn't focus for more than five |
| the World Anti-Doping Agency's | | | | innings without some kind of stimulation, like being |
| banned-substances list. "If we had this percentage | | | | yelled at. One baseball writer describes him this |
| increase in the general population, it would be on | | | | way, "(He) soon learned to harness his fastball, |
| the evening news as a national epidemic. It's an | | | | completing his array of pitches, but became |
| outrageous number." Wadler said the ban on | | | | known as somewhat of an underachiever. Despite |
| amphetamines in 2006 appears to be tied to the | | | | winning 15 games for (his first team), just a year |
| increase. No kidding. "I can't prove anything. | | | | and a half after his debut, he never really |
| Certainly you put all the facts together, I think | | | | achieved his full potential... He was also suspended |
| that's a reasonable explanation," he said. "Might | | | | for ten days in 1987 when he was caught using |
| there be others? I guess so. It could be an | | | | sandpaper to scuff the ball on the mound. Though |
| anomaly year of some sort." | | | | the incident cost (him) some respect, it ended |
| Even ADHD guru Russell Barkley, a well-known | | | | humorously three years later, when he called the |
| ADHD expert, was interviewed on the topic. He | | | | commissioner's office to ask for his glove back." |
| said that while children with ADHD are often | | | | If this player had known about ADHD, and |
| drawn to sports, which could explain the relatively | | | | legitimate treatment available for it, he would |
| high number, the sharp increase in one year is | | | | have been really good - perhaps even great. But |
| more difficult to explain. | | | | instead he is described as an "under-achiever." |
| Note to Dr. Barkley: In the average baseball game | | | | So, for what it is worth, let the players who have |
| there will be less then 18 minutes of "action" per | | | | legitimate medical diagnoses for ADHD use |
| 150 game. Baseball does not draw ADHD kids to | | | | whatever treatment they feel will benefit them |
| it, except perhaps for pitchers and catchers. Most | | | | the most during the course of their season and |
| ADHD kids who play the outfield will quit by the | | | | their career. Isn't that what any adult with ADHD |
| age of 12. Try martial arts, swimming, tennis, | | | | wants? Doesn't every adult with ADHD want to |
| soccer, basketball, or hockey instead. | | | | be able to choose the best treatment intervention |
| There are 30 Major League teams. They each | | | | for their particular type of ADHD? |
| have a 40 man major league roster, and a 25 | | | | But for the players who want to "get an edge" |
| man roster for "active players" during most of | | | | by using stimulants without legitimate medical |
| the season. As players came and went off of | | | | reasons, let me suggest that you just use our |
| major league rosters there were 1,354 athletes | | | | ADHD eating program plus a cup of coffee |
| who were subject to random drug testing during | | | | before the game. You will get much the same |
| the course of the 2007 major league baseball | | | | benefit, but without giving a bad name to the |
| season. That means 8.2 percent received | | | | players who actually need the treatment. |
| permission from their team physician and Dr. | | | | |