MLB to possibly suspend A-Rod, Braun, others

[WI inferiority Complexes]

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9301536/major-league-baseball-suspend-20-players-including-alex-rodriguez-ryan-braun-part-miami-investigation

[jesmu84]

whoa whoa whoa... braun was/is clean. a lot of people here said so.

[tower912]

If Detroit loses Peralta for an extended period, it will hurt.   Ironically, he bulked up a year ago and stunk.  Lost a bunch of weight this year, a contract year, and he is tearing it up. 

[🏀]

Do not get me started on this.

[TallTitan34]

To everyone who believed his last sample was tampered with:

Give me your new excuses.

[4everwarriors]

The ghosts at the Pfister tampered with Braun's piss.

[MerrittsMustache]

To everyone who believed his last sample was tampered with:

Give me your new excuses.

My best guess...
He used Bosch as a consultant. That's the only reason his name was on the list. Besides, just because he bought PEDs that doesn't mean he used them. He probably bought them for Alex Gonzalez and since the Brewers were aware that this news was about to break, they released Gonzo to wash their hands of the whole thing.

Either that or MLB is doing this because they're a bunch of butthurt Bulls fans.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Well, if they want to suspend him it must be because he's guilty as sin. What other reason could it be?

[reinko]

So let me get this straight.

1.) The MLB sues this guy and this lawsuit shuts down this guys clinic and he goes broke.  
2.) The MLB then offers him support on his trial, AND will pay him for his testimony.
3.) ESPN catches wind of this, everyone circle jerks themselves into a frenzy.

And, MLB still hasn't talked to this guy (who from everything I have read is not the best of characters), players have no positive drug tests, AND they will try to make this a 2nd offense meaning a 100 game suspension.

[damuts222]

The Yankees could get out of the A-Rod deal if its proven that he used PED's??

[reinko]

The Yankees could get out of the A-Rod deal if its proven that he used PED's??

Nope:

The Yankees also saw the possibility of an escape hatch from their financial commitment to an injured player in apparent decline. They considered the possibility of voiding Rodriguez's contract over the supposed misdeeds. But baseball's substance-abuse policy mandates the punishment through suspensions; financial penalties are prohibited.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/sports/baseball/yankees-hitched-to-alex-rodriguez-an-aging-star-anatomy-of-a-deal-and-doubts.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[mu03eng]

So let me get this straight.

1.) The MLB sues this guy and this lawsuit shuts down this guys clinic and he goes broke.  
2.) The MLB then offers him support on his trial, AND will pay him for his testimony.
3.) ESPN catches wind of this, everyone circle jerks themselves into a frenzy.

And, MLB still hasn't talked to this guy (who from everything I have read is not the best of characters), players have no positive drug tests, AND they will try to make this a 2nd offense meaning a 100 game suspension.

Completely agree.  Ryan Braun might very well be guilt as sin on using PEDs (I have to think he is), but keep in mind there is an agenda here and if the report is coming out of ESPN I guarantee you MLB leaked it.  MLB has a major PR issue with PEDs on their hands and (smartly) they are trying to get out ahead of it and spin it their way.

This is going to be tried in the court of public opinion and the faster and louder you get your version of the story out there, the more likely it is to become the prevailing narrative.

[GGGG]

Completely agree.  Ryan Braun might very well be guilt as sin on using PEDs (I have to think he is), but keep in mind there is an agenda here and if the report is coming out of ESPN I guarantee you MLB leaked it.  MLB has a major PR issue with PEDs on their hands and (smartly) they are trying to get out ahead of it and spin it their way.

MLB had a major PR issue with PEDs about five years ago.  Now people kind of have gone through steroid-overkill and have a ho-hum attitude about the whole thing.

Honestly, MLB has no reason to pursue this the way they have unless they are thoroughly convinced of their guilt, OR they are misreading the public sentiment.

[GGGG]

Let me also say that I think in the public's mind, there is a big difference between "steroids" that bulk a person up and turn them into something they aren't, and a "PED" like synthetic testosterone that helps a player come back from injury quicker but doesn't seemingly change the players outward appearance AND allows that person to run ragged over the record books.

I'm not saying that there *should* be a difference...just that the public views it that way.

[MerrittsMustache]

Let me also say that I think in the public's mind, there is a big difference between "steroids" that bulk a person up and turn them into something they aren't, and a "PED" like synthetic testosterone that helps a player come back from injury quicker but doesn't seemingly change the players outward appearance AND allows that person to run ragged over the record books.

I'm not saying that there *should* be a difference...just that the public views it that way.

Disagree. To most of the general public, the terms "PEDs" and "steroids" are interchangeable.

[mu03eng]

MLB had a major PR issue with PEDs about five years ago.  Now people kind of have gone through steroid-overkill and have a ho-hum attitude about the whole thing.

Honestly, MLB has no reason to pursue this the way they have unless they are thoroughly convinced of their guilt, OR they are misreading the public sentiment.

I think MLB is pursuing it hard because they feel they have to look tough on PEDs.  They were very slow out of the gate and have had numerous missteps to date.  Even in ESPN's reporting, it states MLB doesn't even know exactly what Bosch will cop to.  Again, I think there is something there, but MLB is going to overaggressively pursue it and go after all players associated with the whole thing.

What's going to be funny is ESPN is going to foam at the mouth for a couple of days and then this will go away for a while, because MLB has a lot of interviews and data to collect before they can even decide to punish someone.  It's probably going to be 6 months before we hear anything more definitive on this.  That's why I think this is all PR, MLB doesn't have a case built yet and they're leaking news of a potential 100 game suspension.

[mu03eng]

Disagree. To most of the general public, the terms "PEDs" and "steroids" are interchangeable.

I agree with your disagreement

[GGGG]

Disagree. To most of the general public, the terms "PEDs" and "steroids" are interchangeable.

Well then if that is the case, then the public has lost much of their outrage about it.

[GGGG]

I think MLB is pursuing it hard because they feel they have to look tough on PEDs.  They were very slow out of the gate and have had numerous missteps to date.  Even in ESPN's reporting, it states MLB doesn't even know exactly what Bosch will cop to.  Again, I think there is something there, but MLB is going to overaggressively pursue it and go after all players associated with the whole thing.

What's going to be funny is ESPN is going to foam at the mouth for a couple of days and then this will go away for a while, because MLB has a lot of interviews and data to collect before they can even decide to punish someone.  It's probably going to be 6 months before we hear anything more definitive on this.  That's why I think this is all PR, MLB doesn't have a case built yet and they're leaking news of a potential 100 game suspension.

OK...that makes sense.

[MerrittsMustache]

Well then if that is the case, then the public has lost much of their outrage about it.

That I agree with. A large number of sports fans believe that a very high percentage of pro athletes are taking some form of performance-enhancers and they just don't care. It's all about entertainment. If athletes are bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic, hit the ball farther, throw the ball harder, make bigger hits, then sports are more fun to watch. The PED issue only came to a head in baseball because cherished records were being shattered by players who were blatantly cheating.

[Lennys Tap]

Ryan Braun was guilty as sin but got off due to a good lawyer and MLB's incompetence. Now there going to try to nail him big for a lesser infraction by turning one of the bad guys. Reminds me of the OJ mess (without the dead body).

[reinko]

Heaven forbid the worldwide leader actually post something that is rooted fact and logic, and not innuendo.

www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/6/5/4398224/biogenesis-bosch-mlb-suspensions-ryan-braun-alex-rodriguez

[LAZER]

Well, if they want to suspend him it must be because he's guilty as sin. What other reason could it be?

This is pure speculation, but I bet there are guys at MLB that want to get Braun bad after he got off on that technicality.  However, this case does seem to be bigger than Braun.

[4everwarriors]

My best guess...
He used Bosch as a consultant. That's the only reason his name was on the list. Besides, just because he bought PEDs that doesn't mean he used them. He probably bought them for Alex Gonzalez and since the Brewers were aware that this news was about to break, they released Gonzo to wash their hands of the whole thing.

Either that or MLB is doing this because they're a bunch of butthurt Bulls fans.

Yeah, maybe he made the purchase to hand them out for trick or treat.

[Jay Bee]

Ryan Braun was guilty as sin but got off due to a good lawyer and MLB's incompetence. Now there going to try to nail him big for a lesser infraction by turning one of the bad guys. Reminds me of the OJ mess (without the dead body).

Except that NBS and RG were killed by Glen Rogers!