The players may not know it, but big brother is watching:

Major league teams are monitoring players during the period between when they are notified they must take a drug test and when they provide a urine sample, according to The New York Times.

The procedure was instituted in July 2005 and covers a period that can last up to several hours, the newspaper reported on its Web site Saturday night.

"Players may not be aware they're under observation, but we're watching," baseball executive vice president Rob Manfred was quoted as saying. "It doesn't mean we tell them we're watching."

Three general managers are monitors, 18 assistant GMs, four vice presidents, four directors of baseball operations. The title of the other monitor wasn't disclosed.

This was in response from criticism by Gary Wadler, who has yet to land the contract to test MLB samples.

Update: Dr. Wadler writes:

For the record, I would like to clarify that I am not employed by any entity that does drug testing, nor do I do personally do any drug testing. Therefore I am not sure what was meant by the following: "This was in response from criticism by Gary Wadler, who has yet to land the contract to test MLB samples." that appeared in Baseball Mussings.

So noted. It was meant as a snarky comment on Wadler's organization wanting to control all drug testing for all sports. I'm sorry if I conveyed the wrong impression.