Pressed by Sen.

Baseball players offered to accept a stiffer penalty for first-time steroid offenders -- 20 games instead of 10 days -- along with agreeing to amphetamine tests, but their proposal Monday still fell short of what commissioner Bud Selig wanted.

Sammy Sosa's unproductive season with the Baltimore Orioles is apparently over.

Rafael Palmeiro's tumultuous season came to an end Friday when the Baltimore Orioles, tired of the distraction stemming from his suspension for steroids, told him he was no longer welcome on the team.

Rafael Palmeiro cited a vitamin he received from Baltimore Orioles teammate Miguel Tejada as possibly causing the positive test for steroid use that led to the first baseman's suspension.

A congressional committee is investigating whether another Orioles player gave Rafael Palmeiro a substance that might be linked to the first baseman's positive steroid test, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Brian Roberts left Baltimore's loss to the New York Yankees in the second inning Tuesday night with a dislocated left elbow, ending a breakout season for the All-Star second baseman.

Congressional investigators looking into whether Rafael Palmeiro lied under oath are interviewing players who know him, including a Colorado outfielder suspended this year for steroids.

Rafael Palmeiro is expected to rejoin the Baltimore Orioles for their final homestand, although he will see limited action after being sidelined at home in Texas with knee and ankle injuries.

Rafael Palmeiro was sent home to Texas to rehabilitate knee and ankle injuries, leaving his baseball future unclear during a season in which he was suspended for a positive steroids test.

Keep your ears open around baseball, and you can hear some people speculating that former Cubs star Sammy Sosa will be lucky to get minor-league contract offers in the offseason after the poor season he has had in Baltimore.

After being released by the Orioles earlier this week, pitcher Sidney Ponson will have a grievance filed on his behalf by the Major League Baseball Players' Association, The Washington Post reported.

GM Brian Cashman said it was too early in the process to formulate an opinion whether the Yankees would be interested in Sidney Ponson, who was released by the Orioles yesterday.

Sidney Ponson was released Thursday by the Orioles, who voided the pitcher's contract on the theory that his behavior over the past nine months gave them grounds for his dismissal.