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NEW YORK -- Baseball players and management hope to reach a new drug agreement this week that would increase initial penalties for muscle-building steroids and allow a decrease of suspensions for some positive tests caused by unintentional use, people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. For future suspensions, the deal also would eliminate the loophole allowing Alex Rodriguez to earn almost $3 million during his season-long ban, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity in recent days because talks are ongoing. The sides hope to reach an agreement by Sunday, when the Los Angeles Dodgers open the U.S. portion of the major league schedule at the San Diego Padres. While the lengths have not been finalized, a person involved with the talks said Wednesday the most likely penalties would be about 80 games for an initial testing violation and a season-long ban for a second. "It will be a significant deterrent because players will know theyre not going to just easily walk back into a lineup," Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said in a telephone interview. "It probably is the best policy in professional sports." For use of a limited group of substances, the sides were discussing giving the arbitration panel that hears appeals grievances the authority to reduce suspensions by as much as 50 per cent if the player proves the positive test was caused by unintentional use, the person said. "What were all here for it to rid sports of the intentional cheats, those who are intending to defraud both the fans and their fellow teammates, the integrity of competition," Tygart said. "You want to have provisions in place that allow for whether theres an inadvertent or a truly non-intentional situation which may arise." Since the 2006 season, the Major League Baseballs drug agreement has called for a 50-game suspension for a first positive steroids test, a 100-game ban for a second and a lifetime penalty for a third. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig called for tougher penalties last March, and then-union head Michael Weiner said players would consider them for 2014. Weiner died in November and was succeeded by former All-Star Tony Clark, who has led the negotiations. Major League Baseballs investigation of the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic led to 14 suspensions last summer, including a 65-game penalty for former NL MVP Ryan Braun of Milwaukee and a 211-game ban for Rodriguez, which was reduced to 162 games in January by an arbitrator. The section covering violations not related to positive tests, which was used by Selig in the Biogenesis case, will be clarified but still will allow discipline for "just cause." Many players have advocated stiffer penalties as a deterrent. Arizona pitcher Brad Ziegler spoke out after Jhonny Peralta, who served a 50-game suspension, agreed in November to a $53 million, four-year contract with St. Louis. "We thought 50 games would be a deterrent. Obviously its not. So we are working on it again," he tweeted then. "It pays to cheat... Thanks, owners, for encouraging PED use." Some players said suspensions should lead to larger monetary losses. San Diego Padres outfielder Will Venable maintained last summer "somehow having to forfeit or void your contract that youre under is something that needs to be the main focus of the penalties." But for the majority of players, that would go too far. "Id venture to guess that even though there are concerns on a number of levels, that we will never end up in a world where player contracts are voided as a result," Clark told the AP during a January interview. Addressing positives caused by inadvertent use was a factor in the talks. Philadelphia infielder Freddy Galvis was suspended for 50 games in June 2012 for a Clostebol Metabolite, which he later claimed was contained in a foot cream he used. Reliever Guillermo Mota, then with San Francisco, was suspended for 100 games in May 2012 after taking a cough syrup with Clenbuterol. The new deal also will state that a player receives none of his salary during a season-long suspension. The current deal said a player loses as many days pay as games he is suspended. Since players are paid over a 183-day season this year, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled Rodriguez was entitled to 21-183rds of his $25 million salary, or $2,868,852. "Thats fantastic," Tygart said. "You hit them in the pocketbook, and thats really where the cheaters are most deterred from attempting to steal money from the other players." Where Can Buy Cheap Jerseys . Kerber will next play Estonias Kaia Kanepi, who beat American qualifier Victoria Duval 6-1, 6-3. In other first-round matches, Lucie Safarova beat 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-4 and American Bethanie Mattek-Sands had a 6-4, 6-3 win over Canadas Eugenie Bouchard. What is a good website to buy sports jerseys . Pinch-hitter Tommy Medica singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in their first home game since Gwynn died of cancer Monday. https://www.wheretobuycheapjerseys.com/. Consider it received. Attacking on offence early and often, the Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night as Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to help give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series. What is the best place to buy knockoff jerseys . Smith has spent the last three seasons with the Rockies, playing both left and right field, and has a .275 batting average with 51 homers and 181 RBIs in 487 major league games. What is the best site to buy team jerseys from China . After all, the No. 8 seed is chasing far loftier goals. Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., defeated American Jack Sock 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in Wimbledons second round on Thursday.Michael Phelps comeback has been sidetracked by more trouble away from the pool. The Olympic champion was arrested for the second time on DUI charges early Tuesday in his hometown of Baltimore, another embarrassment for a swimmer who came out of retirement this year with his sights set on competing at the Rio Games. Phelps issued an apology that sounded very familiar to the ones he made after a drunken-driving arrest a decade ago, as well as when a British tabloid published a photograph in 2009 that showed him using a marijuana pipe. I understand the severity of my actions and take full responsibility, Phelps said in a statement. I know these words may not mean much right now but I am deeply sorry to everyone I have let down. Maryland Transportation Authority police charged the 18-time gold medallist after officers said he was caught speeding and failed field sobriety tests. The arrest came about a month after the 29-year-old Phelps won three golds and two silvers at the Pan Pacific Championships in Australia, setting himself up to compete at next summers world championships and at Rio in 2016. Its too early to say if Phelps might face sanctions from USA Swimming, which took no action after his 2004 arrest but suspended him from competition for three months over the pot picture. The news regarding Michael Phelps and his actions are disappointing and unquestionably serious, the national governing body said in a statement. We expect our athletes to conduct themselves responsibly in and out of the pool. The U.S. Olympic Committee had a similar reaction. CEO Scott Blackmun said the organization was surprised by Phelps arrest and disappointed on a number of fronts. Phelps was charged with driving under the influence, excessive speed and crossing double lane lines in the Fort McHenry Tunnel on Interstate 95 in Baltimore, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority. If convicted on the DUI charge, he would face a maximum penalty of a year in jail, a $1,000 fine and the loss of his drivers license for six months. Under Maryland law, the latest case is not considered a second offence because his first DUI conviction occurred more than five years ago. Phelps could face the wrath of his sponsors, though there was no immediate word of any company planning to drop him. Its too early to tell, said Don Rockwell, the CEO of Phelps new swimsuit sponsor, California-based Aqua Sphere. For the most part, were supportive. We just need to wait and see what happens. This is not a deal-breaker for us, unless we find out something else that happened. Phelps also has deaals with Subway, Under Armour, Omega and Master Spas.dddddddddddd In early August, Phelps announced he was ending his long relationship with Speedo to sign the deal with Aqua Sphere. Just last week, according to Rockwell, company officials were in Baltimore working with Phelps on the sizing of his new suit, which he can begin wearing at meets starting Jan. 1. First, he must deal with a more serious issue. A Maryland Transportation Authority police officer was using radar about 1:40 a.m. when Phelps white 2014 Land Rover came through the tunnel at 84 mph in a 45-mph zone, the agency said in a statement. The officer stopped Phelps just beyond the tunnels toll plaza. Mr. Phelps was identified as the driver by his drivers license and appeared to be under the influence, the statement said. He was unable to perform satisfactorily a series of standard field sobriety tests. Kelly Melhem, a spokesperson for the transportation agency, said department vehicles are equipped with in-car video recording devices. Officials were trying to determine if there was footage of Phelps arrest, which could be used as evidence if the case goes to trial. The statement said Phelps was co-operative during his arrest. He was taken to an authority station and later released. After the London Olympics two years ago, Phelps followed through on his long-stated plan to retire, having won twice as many golds as anyone else and 22 medals overall. Phelps returned to competition in April and set his sights on competing at the Rio Games, which would be his fifth Olympics. His first DUI arrest came in 2004 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Phelps received 18 months probation, a $250 fine and was required to deliver a presentation on alcohol awareness to students at three high schools. I recognize the seriousness of this mistake, he said at the time. Ive learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life. Phelps wasnt charged after the picture came to light of him using a marijuana pipe at a party in South Carolina. He did accept the suspension from USA Swimming for what he called bad judgment and a mistake I wont make again. One of his major sponsors, Kellogg Co., dropped him almost immediately. Subway stayed with him and remains one of his biggest backers. Phelps comeback is going well. We accomplished everything we wanted to, he said after the Pan Pacs. We were able to find out some of the things I need to improve on over the next year, and things I want to improve on. His biggest issue at the moment is outside the pool. ' ' '