Ryan Braun Tests Positive for PEDs

[GGGG]

Ugh.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7338271/ryan-braun-milwaukee-brewers-tests-positive-performance-enhancing-drug

Potential 50 game suspension.

[ecompt]

Watch the NL take away his MVP award.

[godzilla]

Just broke on ESPN

50 game suspension

[Markusquette]

He faces a 50 game suspension and appealing everything

check the superbar too: http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=29052.0

[MUMac]

Watch the NL take away his MVP award.

Isn't the award given by the Baseball Writers of America?  Does the league have any influence over the award and can they take it away?

This would kill any chance the Brewers had this year.

[ecompt]

The league could ask the writers to void the award.

[MUMac]

The league could ask the writers to void the award.

I see.  I was not certain of the answer when I asked it.  I could see the Baseball Writers Association taking it away themselves without any influence by MLB, as well.

[MU B2002]

If this is true they should take it away and award it to Kemp.  Asap.

[chapman]

What's the response from Attanasio?  Does this cause the team to drop the pursuit of free agents, scale things back?  Or does he look for someone else to try to be the "face of the franchise" and up the offer to Fielder?  Milwaukee has always seemed to be a town that loathed PED users even more than most, having this happen to their biggest revenue generating piece is a killer.

[MUBurrow]

What's the response from Attanasio?  Does this cause the team to drop the pursuit of free agents, scale things back?  Or does he look for someone else to try to be the "face of the franchise" and up the offer to Fielder?  Milwaukee has always seemed to be a town that loathed PED users even more than most, having this happen to their biggest revenue generating piece is a killer.

First: I was legitimately shocked and distraught when I heard the news. Invested a lot in this team this year, and having a tough time settling everything up in this turbulent offseason.

That being said, looking ahead I think you follow the same plan you had before going after Fielder. Whatever was your bottom line before is your bottom line now. In the new NL central, a Brewers team without Braun but with Fielder can keep close enough those first 50 games to still be the favorite - thats assuming Braun comes back relatively close to the same player. No way anyone can guess what will happen with Braun's long term history right now, but I'll subscribe that he's still ridiculously talented and despite the long term affects on power, etc still being up in the air, gotta stay the course.
That being said, if you don't get Prince I really think you look at blowing things up. Without Prince or Braun through 50 games, this team is lucky to win 20. Even with Braun, the way the NL race is projected, I still don't think they're the favorites - plus you have to figure in the extra uncertainty as to the player Braun will be. With the uncertainty of Braun (you can shore some of that offensive uncertainty up if you get Prince, hence my different view of post-suspension Braun now) you have to invest in the future. Trade Greinke. Trade Marcum. Trade Hart.  -- A huge shame. You probably lose the fanbase. But you have a better chance to get them back more quickly than if you're a .500 team for the next x years and your best player is a known PED user.

[muzzwilliams]

Strip the MVP award from him

[dwaderoy2004]

Discuss

[VegasWarrior77]

Superbar.

[dwaderoy2004]

Sorry im on my phone... Just realized i didnt post this in the superbar.

[Jam Chowder]

Quick thoughts:

• 2nd test was negative
• Emphatic and aggressive denial from agent
• Numerous sources close to the situation saying they believe MLB will find him innocent

Don't get me wrong, I'm not optimistic, but remember that these are anonymous sources and there has been no official word from MLB. There is at least enough cause for doubt to wait until this plays out before closing the case. With that said, this is terrible. Terrible for the Brewers and their fans, as well as for the sport as a whole.

[DCWarriors04]

cheater

[Slim]

So ESPN sits on the Bernie Fine child sexual abuse tape till it is past the staute of limitations but broadcasts the Braun report despite insider knowledge it is bogus and follow up tests are negative. Nice!

[TallTitan34]

MarqPTM, robmufan, and Jimbo were all at Ryan Braun's Graffito as the news broke before the MU game!

[dwaderoy2004]

Of course the follow up tests were negative.  But maybe he knew that whatever he took was already out of his system.  That's why a negative test cannot negate a positive test. His reps are saying he didn't knowingly take something but we all know that excuse doesn't work.  No player has ever arguef their way out of a suspension and it ain't gonna happen now. 

[wadesworld]

Of course the follow up tests were negative.  But maybe he knew that whatever he took was already out of his system.  That's why a negative test cannot negate a positive test. His reps are saying he didn't knowingly take something but we all know that excuse doesn't work.  No player has ever arguef their way out of a suspension and it ain't gonna happen now.  

From Tom Hardricourt:


"I just talked to someone familiar with Ryan Braun's positive drug test and he insisted that the Brewers' star left fielder will be cleared on the appeal process and that this information never should have come out.

But a source familiar with the situation told the Journal Sentinel that a second test requested by Braun was negative and was being used in the appeal process to overturn the first results. That source also indicated the banned substance was not a performance-enhancing drug.

“The truth will prevail; I really feel good about that,” said the source. “It just stinks that this got out before the appeal process is finished. Initial positive tests have been overturned before, proving the player is innocent, and nobody ever knows.”"

I'll trust him that 1) It has happened before and 2) It very well may happen again.

For the record, I, a lifelong Brewers fan and fan of Ryan Braun's, have said for the last 2+ years that I think Braun probably HAD been on some kind of PEDs before.  I didn't think recently had used them, but he was at the University of Miami while ARod was making a cool quarter billion and shooting up during the off season at The U.  Figured he had done it during then.

[MUBurrow]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/will_carroll/12/10/braun-positive-test/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a4&eref=sihp

Link to a cnnsi article that lays out the testing process. Unfortunately I still think this ends very badly, but this is a nice outline of how the system works.

[dwaderoy2004]

From Tom Hardricourt:


"I just talked to someone familiar with Ryan Braun's positive drug test and he insisted that the Brewers' star left fielder will be cleared on the appeal process and that this information never should have come out.

But a source familiar with the situation told the Journal Sentinel that a second test requested by Braun was negative and was being used in the appeal process to overturn the first results. That source also indicated the banned substance was not a performance-enhancing drug.

“The truth will prevail; I really feel good about that,” said the source. “It just stinks that this got out before the appeal process is finished. Initial positive tests have been overturned before, proving the player is innocent, and nobody ever knows.”"

I'll trust him that 1) It has happened before and 2) It very well may happen again.

For the record, I, a lifelong Brewers fan and fan of Ryan Braun's, have said for the last 2+ years that I think Braun probably HAD been on some kind of PEDs before.  I didn't think recently had used them, but he was at the University of Miami while ARod was making a cool quarter billion and shooting up during the off season at The U.  Figured he had done it during then.

I just read the article.  The source Hardicourt uses is someone from Braun's camp, which lacks some  credibility in my opinion.  Every article I've read says that no player has ever overturned a positive test through an appeal.  I just can't see how this one gets overturned, either.  Especially with statements coming out from Braun's agent saying: "there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program".  The source from that article also says that "That source also indicated the banned substance was not technically classified as a performance-enhancing drug", so they admit he used a banned substance (unless it is just poorly written by the author).  Plus, MLB had a SECOND company double check the results, and the test came back as having synthetic testosterone.  At this point, the only facts we know is that Braun had a greater than 4:1 testosterone ratio, and that the extra testosterone was synthetic.  Pretty damning.

[wadesworld]

I just read the article.  The source Hardicourt uses is someone from Braun's camp, which lacks some  credibility in my opinion.  Every article I've read says that no player has ever overturned a positive test through an appeal.  I just can't see how this one gets overturned, either.  Especially with statements coming out from Braun's agent saying: "there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program".  The source from that article also says that "That source also indicated the banned substance was not technically classified as a performance-enhancing drug", so they admit he used a banned substance (unless it is just poorly written by the author).  Plus, MLB had a SECOND company double check the results, and the test came back as having synthetic testosterone.  At this point, the only facts we know is that Braun had a greater than 4:1 testosterone ratio, and that the extra testosterone was synthetic.  Pretty damning.

I didn't mean to say Braun certainly would be cleared of this, I just meant to say, based on what this inside source said, that it has happened and that it may happen in this case. Maybe the source is incorrect and that it has never happened, but I don't know why he would say it has then. To be honest I haven't read much on this besides the JS blogs, so I really don't know if it has a chance to be overturned or not. From what I have heard MLB has not confirmed he failed a drug test. I guess time will tell

[MUBurrow]

Sounds to me like all of the above is possible. There's some confusion over what constitutes an "appeal" that has never been successful. Guys have tested above 4:1 before, and then been cleared - but this is not the same as appealing and winning. Instead after testing above 4:1, the second sample came out below that level, or did not test for artificial testosterone, or for some other reason did not show PED use.  This is not the same as winning an appeal, and never becomes public.  Has probably happened to many guys.
An appeal only needs to happen once the second test of the same sample turns up impropriety. This is the level at which no defense has ever been successful

[Goose]

If this does indeed turn out to be true my attitude towards MLB will sink to all time low. Bud Selig continually gets  praised as the commish and in my opinion outside of MLB making a ton money there is no integrity in the sport.

On another note, if I were Aaron Rodgers I would distance myself from Braun real quickly. We just saw Jim B. support his friend of 50 years and end up with a ton of egg on his face. Unfortunately in today's soceity you have to protect yourself now more than ever.