off, Bernier slid behind Perkins to kick away the shot. "Once

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." New York Mets Shirts . Goergl, the 2011 world champion, started 28th after the other top contenders had already gone down but had the fastest time at each interval. Goergl finished the demanding 3-kilometre Kaelberloch course in 1 minute, 47. Mets Jerseys 2020 . It led to his downfall on Tuesday. The Major League Soccer club fired Rennie after a second straight up-and-down season that saw the Whitecaps start strong before limping across the finish line. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/ . After losing a shutout bid in the dying seconds of Sundays win over the Colorado Avalanche, Luongo would not be denied against the punchless Oilers and is now just one back of Patrick Roy for 14th on the all-time list. New York Mets Store . Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract. Wholesale Mets Jerseys . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- Frank Klopas was happy with his players effort Saturday night. The officiating, on the other hand, left the Montreal Impact coach frustrated and angry. Dillon Powers scored on an early penalty kick to give the Colorado Rapids a 1-0 lead, and three goals in the second half helped them cruise to a 4-1 win over Montreal. Klopas expressed his dissatisfaction with referee Chris Penso, who made the call that awarded Colorado the penalty kick, after the game. "We were controlling the game and its unfortunate," Klopas said. "When the referee is a protagonist in the game its never good. So its a shame. He did a very, very poor job. For me, he had a very bad game." Powers, Kamani Hill and Shane ONeill scored in the second half as Colorado (5-4-3) snapped a two-game losing streak. Powers penalty-kick goal came in the fifth minute of the match, on what the Impact considered a borderline call on midfielder Sanna Nyassi. "Whatever the call was they still had a point-blank shot that was saved," midfielder Justin Mapp said. "Looks like a pretty good advantage to me. Not sure what the call is there." For a team that has struggled to find some footing away from home it was a tough night. The Impact (1-6-4) kept it close until the second half, but Colorado scored two goals in a span of five minutes to put it away. Anders Romero scored the lone goal for Montreal, which is now 0-4-2 on the road. "For us, we have to regroup fast," Klopas said. "We have the Canadian final coming up." The Impact had some chances right after Powers penalty kick but couldnt cash in. Mapp got through the defence on the left side and put a shot on Colorado goalie Clint Irwin, who made the save in the eighth minute. Mapp had another chance in the 16th minute but couldnt convert, and he hit a post in the 50th minute with his team down just a goal. He also was takenn down in the box but no call was made, which didnt sit well with the Impact.dddddddddddd "I thought so but I might be a little biased," Mapp said when asked if the takedown should have resulted in a penalty kick. An offside call that negated a goal by Issey Nakajima-Farran in the 66th minute added to the frustration. "I know the game is fast and people make mistakes, but today when we can talk mainly about the decisions of the referee its never good," Klopas said. The Rapids had several chances early but some good defence and key saves kept the Impact close. Deshorn Brown got a step on midfielder Patrice Bernier and then deked goaltender Troy Perkins in the 14th minute, but as Brown got a low shot off, Bernier slid behind Perkins to kick away the shot. "Once he dribbled I saw he didnt really see me coming from behind," Brenier said. "I dove, made a play and kept us at 1-0. Cant give up." Later, Brown leaped over midfielder Wandrille Lefevre but hit the post. Those near misses didnt cost the Rapids, however. Goals by Hill in the 54th minute and ONeill in the 59th gave the Rapids a 3-0 lead. Hills goal, his first since October 2012, came at the top of the box and faded over Perkins outstretch arm. ONeill dropped his shot over Perkins and just under the crossbar to make it 3-0. Powers finished the rout when he spun at the top of the box and sent a low shot past Perkins in the 84th minute for his second of the game. Romero scored his second goal of the season with a strong individual effort. He took the ball from the sideline, dribbled past three defenders and beat Irwin with a shot to the far post in the 88th minute. "It was a great goal. It just seems for us we have to score a goal for the Oscars," Klopas said. "We had some good chances. It is what it is. My players, they gave everything. Theres nothing I can complain about." ' ' '