Jeff

Allison

Allison, who also missed the first three weeks of camp for personal reasons, is back with his family in Massachusetts. Sources say he has not failed a drug test, but may have self-reported a problem with a recreational drug.

Allison left Marlins’ camp in Jupiter last weekend and has been placed on the team’s restricted list. Reports say he was seen this week playing wiffleball in a park near his old high school. The Marlins have declined comment on his latest absence, other than to confirm he was transferred to the restricted list and that nobody knows when he will return.

Florida’s first-round pick in 2003 left camp in Jupiter last week and is on the restricted list.

Despite the admission, Allison, who is addicted to the pain-killer OxyContin, is afraid to return to the Marlins because he believes they will enroll him in a drug rehabilitation program. The 19-year-old also admitted to testing positive for marijuana and being fined $200,000 by MLB. ''It’s basically all on me when I want to come back,’' Allison said. ''It has nothing to do with [the Marlins] unless they release me.’' He doesn’t want to go through rehab because ''I don’t really agree with that because I don’t have a problem anymore and I haven’t in a while. I haven’t for four to five months.’' The Marlins have declined comment and Allison remains on the restricted list.

He’s in stable condition now. Allison was one of the most talented pitchers available in last year’s draft, but it no longer looks like he has a future with the Marlins.

Allison was considered to be perhaps the most talented high school pitcher in the draft, but he fell to the 16th pick because of concerns about his bonus demands. The right-hander went 8-0 and didn’t allow an earned run in 63 1/3 innings this season.

Allison, 21, also overdosed on heroin in July 2004. He resumed pitching in the minors last year, but he was suspended indefinitely this spring and hadn’t been heard from since. Following this week’s incident, Allison was taken to Winchester Hospital and released the same day, according to friends and witnesses. Medford Police Lieutenant Paul Cavino said no charges had been filed against Allison, but police have sought a complaint and Cavino could not rule out charges being brought.

It appeared that the Marlins had cut ties with Allison because of his substance-abuse problems, but according to the talented right-hander, that isn’t the case. “I talked with the club a month ago, and they said I’m welcome. I’m very hopeful,” Allison said. The Marlins have yet to comment.

The highly touted prospect has battled addiction problems since being drafted in June of 2003. Allison remains on the team’s ''restricted’’ list and the team refuses to say if Allison will be allowed to report to minor-league training camp.