Allison placed on restricted list by Marlins

Jeff Allison, the former Peabody High star pitcher and first-round draft choice of the Florida Marlins last June, has been placed on baseball's restricted list for leaving extended spring training without permission last weekend, a Marlins spokesman confirmed yesterday.

A longtime associate of the 19-year-old Allison, as well as a baseball industry source close to the situation, confirmed yesterday that Allison failed at least one drug test, and perhaps two, in the last three weeks. Allison's associate, who has known him since he was a child, said Allison told him that he underwent outpatient treatment this past winter at a rehabilitation program at Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain for his use of OxyContin, a highly addictive painkiller. It could not be confirmed whether Allison's failed drug test was for the use of OxyContin or another prohibited substance.

Allison's associate said the player told him he first experimented with the drug at the end of his senior year in high school.

"Maybe by this getting out, some other player will think about staying away from this stuff," the associate said.

Allison had reported three weeks late to Marlins camp this spring, and there were published reports he had agreed to undergo additional drug testing beyond that required of all minor league players, and to restructure the $1.85 million bonus he received upon signing last July. The club would not discuss the reasons for his departure from the team's facility in Jupiter, Fla., last weekend.

"He has been placed on the restricted list because he left the organization without permission," Marlins spokesman Steve Copses said last night.

Copses would not say whether the club knew of Allison's whereabouts, nor would he comment about a report in the Sun-Sentinel of South Florida that Allison had returned to the Peabody area.

The associate of Allison said yesterday the player had been seen the last couple of days, playing Wiffle Ball with friends and walking in an area mall, while the baseball industry source said the team has been in contact with Allison since he left.

Calls to Allison's mother, Noreen, were not returned yesterday. Allison's agent, Casey Close, also did not return a phone call to his New York office.

"Jeff worked in my office the last two years," said Phil Sheridan, Peabody High's athletic director. "He's a good kid. I don't want to speculate. I just want to know he's OK. We want to make sure what's going on, then support him." Sheridan said he had no knowledge of Allison's participation in a drug rehab program, which would have occurred after Allison graduated. "I saw Jeff and his mother at a number of our basketball games this winter," Sheridan said.

A manager at Primo's Pizza in Lynn, where Allison worked last summer, said last night he had not seen nor heard from him.

Tony Porcello, an assistant baseball coach at Peabody High, said he was unaware Allison had left the Marlins camp until reading a report in the Salem News.

"I wish I could tell you something, but I don't know anything," he said. "We're praying that he's OK.

"But he's young and he'll rebound. A year ago today he was still in high school. I know the kid well enough to know he will rebound."

Allison was rated the top high school pitcher in the country last year by Baseball America, the trade publication. His fastball was clocked as high as 95 miles per hour. Stanley Meek, the Marlins' scouting director, saw Allison throw a no-hitter against Somerville High last spring, one in which he struck out 20 of 22 batters. Allison was the 16th player taken in the draft.

Signed by scout Steve Payne, Allison went 9-0 with a 0.00 ERA as a senior at Peabody, with 142 strikeouts in 64 innings. He allowed just 13 hits, nine walks, and one unearned run. He pitched just nine innings over three starts for the Marlins' rookie league team last summer before being shut down for what the team called shoulder tendinitis.

Being placed on the restricted list means a player is inactive and not being paid.

Christopher Gasper of the Globe staff contributed to this report.