I just heard on the news that Palmero tested positive before he got 3000 hits, and that MLB wanted to keep the test quiet till after that. They ran a full page add in USA Today in honor of that, so it looks like he had to pay the piper after reaching that milestone.

As for paying and keeping this quiet, that could not have happened considering the information was leaked to the press--illegally mind you--and once it got out, it would have looked worse had he paid the fine and not done the time as it were...