the reason steroid testing works is that steroids are synthetic testosterone – meaning, you aren’t testing the athletes testosterone levels, you are testing for the other substances present in the drug *or* testing for metabolites that are the result of your body breaking down the synthetic testosterone molecules.

GH on the other hand had always (in the past) consisted of nothing other than pure synthetic growth hormone, and was injected into an area of body fat so that it would be absorbed directly into the bloodstream without having to be metabolized. If it doesn’t have to be metabolized to work, then there is no way to test for metabolites (the byproduct of being broken down). So either the GH of today is different than it used to be, or they are going to be taking a lot of tests to establish a baseline for everyone in MLB.

“Normal” GH levels for adult males is “under 5 ng/mL” of blood. You could very easily be injecting GH and getting the benefits and still test in the normal range. Because your values would stay at 5ng 24 hours a day and not move up and down like a non-enhanced athlete’s would. You’d recover from exercise faster and carry less bodyfat than a non-enhanced athlete.

My statements are based on information from about 5 years ago, so as I said, it’s possible they’ve found a new way to test. I just can’t imagine what it is.

Oh I forget, I’m dealing with an industry that thinks a 3-5 game sample size is justification for arm-chair psychoanalyzing a player.

Also GH levels in blood vary significantly throughout the day and depending upon the type and duration of activity for the previous 24-36 hours.

Of course if there is some new testing protocol none of this matters.

That’s the exact thought I had when Olney’s tweet came up on my screen. Wait, haven’t we been here before?

It’s up to all parties involved to prove they’re not in the business of witch-hunting, and they’ve yet to do so…