The Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. - Baseball's player union will await results of toxicology tests into the death of Baltimore pitcher Steve Bechler before deciding whether ephedra should be banned.

Union head Donald Fehr said Sunday that taking a stand on whether to ban the supplement would be premature at this time.

"You can't, it seems to me, draw any conclusions from this tragic event at the very least until we see what the toxicology reports show," he said. "We'll go from there, and if it's appropriate, obviously we'll take another hard look at the overall situation and see where it takes us."

Bechler died last Monday, a day after collapsing at spring training with heatstroke. A Florida medical examiner said the death may have been linked to an ephedra-based diet pill, Xenadrine RFA-1.

While ephedra is banned by the NFL, the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee, use of the substance, which is available without prescription, is allowed in baseball.

During labor bargaining last summer, owners talked about banning ephedra but the union would not agree to it.

Commissioner Bud Selig has called for new talks with the players' union to ban ephedra.

Rep. Henry Waxman, the ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Government Reform, sent letters Friday to Selig and Fehr asking why they have not acted to ban ephedra.

Fehr, who met with Colorado Rockies players for 90 minutes Sunday, also reported no developments into the union's investigation of alleged collusion by the owners. During the offseason, some agents reported receiving similar offers from different teams for the same players.

"It's something that every year since 1985 we pay attention to," Fehr said. "When you have changes in market conditions, you look at it. It's no secret we've requested information from the commissioner's office. We don't have a response yet. We're certainly not going to form any conclusions until we can put together what we get from them with the other information we have and see what's there, if anything."

On a personal note, Fehr said he had no interest in becoming CEO of the troubled U.S. Olympic Committee.

"No," he said. "I know my name has been thrown out there, but no."

Fehr has close ties to the USOC, having been on the USOC's board of directors since 1996 and serving on a commission that investigated the Salt Lake City bid scandal four years ago.

He called Sunday's meeting with Rockies players "a basic review and information meeting. It was a short meeting compared to the last few years because we didn't have a lot of bargaining stuff to go over. We talked about the new pension plan and investment plan and stuff like that."

Asked if players specifically brought up the issue of ephedra, Fehr said, "All I can say is you can assume that we talked about anything of current topical interest."

Fehr also said random testing for steroids, approved in the recent labor agreement, "will begin during spring training and will go on over the course of the year."

DIAMONDBACKS: All-Star infielder Junior Spivey signed a two-year contract.

Spivey finished last season with a club-leading .301 batting average, 103 runs scored, 162 hits and 34 doubles.

"It's a little security, and getting a chance to play everyday, knowing that you are going to be with this ballclub. It's a good day. A good day for my family, a good day for the organization, as well as for myself," Spivey said.

EXPOS: All third baseman Fernando Tatis wants is a season free of injuries.

"My goal is to stay healthy all year, to keep my shoulder strong, that's all," Tatis said Sunday.

Tatis, 28, has battled shoulder and knee injuries since he was acquired on Dec. 14, 2000.

The Expos hope Tatis returns to his 1999 form, when he batted .298 with 34 home runs for St. Louis.

YANKEES: Pitcher Jon Lieber, coming off elbow surgery, is expected to start throwing off a bullpen mound this week.

Lieber, who turns 33 in April, had a ligament in his right elbow replaced in August.

Lieber, a former All-Star who agreed to a $3.5 million, two-year contract earlier this month, figures to be part of the rotation in 2004.