Cain: Penalties for PED users are 'strong enough'

Matt Cain, the three-time All-Star who has served as the San Francisco Giants' player union representative since 2009, won't be lobbying for harsher penalties for PED users in the wake of Dee Gordon's suspension.

"I think they're doing a good job and the penalties in effect right now are strong enough," Cain told Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News. "I mean, you can argue you could make them harsher in many ways. But … half a season, you would think that would be harsh enough."

Gordon, who received an 80-game suspension Friday after testing positive for testosterone and clostebol, will forfeit about three percent of the total value of his $50-million contract as he serves his time, but some pundits have argued that MLB should allow teams to completely nullify contracts for players who take banned substances. According to Cain, however, enabling teams to void guaranteed deals would "definitely be a slippery slope," and the 31-year-old can't envision the MLBPA going for that.

Related: MLB still reeling after surprising Gordon suspension

Besides, Cain said, some players might be willing to take a banned substance even if it meant their contract could be dissolved with a positive drug test.

"I guess some guys are willing to take that risk," Cain said. "That's up to them. It could be any consequence and maybe they'd still be willing to take the risk. That's what we're trying to do: weed those guys out."