Palmeiro Suspended For Steroid Violation

After saying he had never used steroids at a congressional hearing earlier this year, Rafael Palmeiro has been suspended for violating baseball's drug policy. (Otto Greule Jr - Getty Images)

"It has a unique fingerprint. It can't be mixed up with anything else," Wadler said.

But if the test detected a substance known as nadolone, which is one of the most commonly found in steroid tests, it would be evidence that Palmeiro had taken the steroid known as Andro. And that steroid is known to have contaminated permissible protein powders sold in many nutritional supplement stores.

"The manufacturers of dietary supplements have problems with contamination of their products, such as their protein powders. Someone might take a protein powder and the next thing they know they show up positive," Wadler said. "It's a very possible scenario."

An Orioles team official who requested anonymity said Baltimore players were repeatedly warned about using substances that could violate baseball's drug testing policy.

"Whether or not it was accidental, you're kind of disappointed in the guy, too. It's depressing," said the team official. "The doctors and the trainers have been harping on this stuff all year. There was no one in that clubhouse who was uneducated about what you should or shouldn't be putting into your body."

Palmeiro declined to talk about the specifics of his testing or the subsequent appeal filed by the players' union because the proceedings are confidential under baseball's labor agreement. It is not known if the test was taken before or after Palmeiro testified.

Palmeiro is the seventh player caught since baseball, after tense negotiations with the union, implemented a steroid testing policy in March after allegations that a recent increase in home runs was due to players using performance-enhancing drugs.

"There couldn't have been a worse player to get nabbed, from our standpoint, than him," said one players' union source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "And from his standpoint, it's baffling. Of everyone in the game, he had the most to lose."

Canseco wrote a book in which he stated that he injected Palmeiro with steroids while they were teammates in Texas, an allegation that Palmeiro strongly denied. Orioles owner Peter Angelos, a powerful Baltimore attorney, threatened to sue Canseco on Palmeiro's behalf after the book was published. Angelos issued a statement Monday reiterating his support for Palmeiro.

Staff writers Tarik El-Bashir, Thomas Boswell, Eli Saslow, Dave Sheinin and Rob Stein contributed to this report.