MLB to increase drug tests

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball players and owners agreed Friday to more frequent drug testing and increased — but not total — authority for the program’s outside administrator.

All players implicated in December’s Mitchell Report on peformance-enhancing drugs were given amnesty as part of the agreement, which toughens baseball’s drug rules for the third time since the program began in 2002.

Thus, the deal eliminated 15-day suspensions assessed against Jose Guillen and Jay Gibbons.

Complete story in Saturday’s edition.