Still throwing softballs

When it comes to steroids, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is all windup and no pitch.

In March, Mr. Selig denied before Congress that baseball has a major steroid problem and defended a drug-testing program, begun last year, that is really a license to use. A first-time offender can expect only a 10-day suspension; only after four violations is a year's ban possible. For a fifth offense, the penalty is left to the commissioner's discretion, a scary prospect.

Mr. Selig also did not see a steroid problem during the 1990s, when baseball's attendance spiked as sinewy home-run hitters had record seasons. The commissioner personally benefited from this long-ball boom because he owned the Milwaukee Brewers. With balls flying out of the parks and the turnstiles spinning, no owner dared even to mention the word steroids.

Last week, Mr. Selig sent a letter to union leader Donald Fehr asking the players to agree to a 50-game suspension for a first-time offender and a lifetime ban for a third offense. He also asked the union to endorse a ban on amphetamines, more frequent random tests and the appointment of an independent administrator to oversee the program. The "three strikes and you're out" plan sounds good when compared with the current "five strikes and we'll see." But there's no better reason to take Mr. Selig seriously than there was two months ago.

The commissioner and baseball's hierarchy continue to act as if they are trying to invent something unprecedented. But the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and the Olympics have run effective programs for years. The formula is simple: year-round random testing and penalties that inflict financial pain.

The ineffectiveness of last year's cosmetic changes is apparent. Five of the 750 players have tested positive this season. Like Congress and the fans, the players aren't taking Mr. Selig seriously, either.