Ryan Braun has won the appeal of his failed banned substance test and will not be suspended for the first 50 games of the season, reports Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel. The union officially announced the win, saying both parties agreed to the announcement despite what is usually a confidential process. MLB has issued a statement saying it "vehemently disagrees" with the decision.
"It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation," said Braun in a statement passed along by MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. "We were able to get through this because I am innocent … This is not just about one person, but about all current and future players, and thankfully the process worked."
Haudricourt says the appeal went Braun's way not because of the test result, but because of a technicality with the testing process. CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman and The New York Post's Joel Sherman report that part of Braun's argument was that the sample was not shipped in a timely fashion and that the chain of custody was broken for two days, meaning the sample was left unprotected (Twitter links). Independent arbitrator Shyam Das ruled in favor of the technicality, giving Braun the win by a 2-1 margin.
The reigning NL MVP is the first player to have a suspension successfully overtuned through the appeals process.
How?
Consider it collateral for losing Fielder (even though this sounds like BS)…
Consider it collateral for losing Fielder (even though this sounds like BS)…
Because what he took was obviously not used to enhance his performance.
a ruling based on a procedural technicality doesn’t sound like an ‘obvious’ result to me
That was my thought. I wish they would say a little more as to just what the “technicality” was.
Story says technicality was the sample wasn’t shipped to the lab quickly and Braun’s people argued it could have been tampered with. It’s ridiculous since Braun’s people admitted he was taking a drug that increased testosterone and didn’t get permission from Brewers or MLB, so he is a cheater.
i know. i think people only read the headlines.
information has been added to this post about 5 times since it first posted
Correct. People see “not guilty” and think “innocent”. Two different things.
Brewers fan? Joking.
Who knows who’s sample it was. After taking the test it was put in the guys fridge for 2 days before he sent it in. That was plenty of time to be tampered with. The guy was innocent and deserves to be aquitted!!
cuz the tamper proof seals that were attached to the bottle and signed by Braun had magically been removed and replaced after the tampering…right!
Maybe he smoked it but didn’t inhale.
I like cigars.
Braun was in a VERY tough situation. If he truly didn’t use performance enchaining drugs, the track record of athletes who fought the faulty science of the test is ZERO. So he then had to decide if he wanted to go and try to attempt what has been tried and failed in all past instances or find a novel way to crack a hole in the test to clear his name.
The fact that he got off on a technicality says almost nothing about what actually happened, but instead the strategy he and his legal team saw most effective in clearing his name.
MLB now has a much bigger problem in having to be hyper vigilant with all tests going forward as there is now a precedent to over turn conviction.
-An Angels Fan
Yes, now the players can not only cheat the game, but also cheat the system!
Yeah, a situation he put himself in by cheating the game.
It’s more simple than that. The tester’s who do the sampling can’t keep samples at their house because labs are down for the weekend. MLB will need to fund a lab that covers 24/7 or they don’t test on Fridays.
Yep, not a Brewers fan at all, but think of it like this…You are arrested on suspicion of murder. You didn’t do it, but can’t prove it. BUT the arresting officer didn’t read you your Miranda rights.
Would you use THAT info and get off on a technicality or risk going to jail forever by trying to prove your innocence? I think it’s pretty clear.
Quit coughing and inhale!
Maybe he smoked it but didn’t inhale.
what so he didnt use performance enhancing drugs? Awesome so happy he proved MLB wrong.
He didn’t prove anybody wrong. Read the article, the problem was with the “technicality of the sampling process” anyone thinking he is innocent is just a homer. I guarantee they wouldn’t extend the same courtesy to someone they didn’t like.
like Manny?
Manny was at the end of the road and didn’t just win the MVP. Also Selig wanted Braun to be the poster boy for the “clean” league. It is pretty ridiculous.
I know man, I just meant this:
Amen_Ra: “I guarantee they wouldn’t extend the same courtesy to someone they didn’t like.”
Giorgi Almonte: “like Manny?”
No you get it?
Excuse me, Bud Selig “IS” MLB. He disagrees with the finding.
Braun’s lawyers challenged the chain of custody of the sample, meaning that it could have been mishandled during/before the testing process. That does not mean Braun is guilty and just simply got away with it, it’s possible the test was a bogus positive from the start (not unlikely given he was found to have more than twice the amount of testosterone in his than any previous test in the history of testing).
I do not say this to single you or anyone out, but as the public really doesn’t know ANY details on this appeal/process of appeal…everybody needs to step off the moral high horse and at least attempt to give the 3rd party the benefit of the doubt in their decision.
No one comes out looking good in this case. Braun will always be looked at differently. The testing policy looks terrible. This is extremely bad for baseball.
Agreed, in the end its not good for anybody involved, but people immediately labeling Braun a cheater who got away with it is the biggest tragedy of the whole process
I think the break down in the system is the tragedy. Testosterone doesn’t manifest itself. So unless the handler juiced it, which I seriously doubt he is a cheater that got off because of a technicality. He didn’t contest the positive he contested the system.
I’m not sure you realize exactly how big of a mistake screwing up the chain of custody is in the sampling process. If it cannot be properly verified to have traveled through the proper channels, its not really a test at all, its saying that “a sample was taken, possibly mishandled, and came back positive.”
Given the results of the test (again, TWICE the amount of testosterone ever found in a test), the smart money is on it having been mishandled.
Coffey is clearly a BRaun fan
Only when Todd Coffey pitched for the Brewers, friendo.
Hahaha. How can someone be only a Todd Coffey Fan? Are you his wife or kid? Middle relievers rarely get a cult following.
Speak for yourself.
– Tapehead4, President of the Ramiro Mendoza Fan Club
Have you ever seen Todd coffey sprint to the mound from the bullpen? That’s all you’d need to hop on the fan club, I assure you. When he (I?) was a Brewer, they started a “Coffey Time” promotion with Starbucks and timed his (my?) sprints, used to put up some preeeeetty nice times.
Whatever dude. So you think someone slipped some testosterone in his cup while nobody was looking. Hey Barry is innocent too, I’m not on a moral high horse because I don;’t give a damn about steroids but don’t sit here nd play the “We don’t know” card
I would say the very definition of a moral high horse is holding a position desperately without any sort of fact or detail to support it other than personal morality–which appears to be exactly what you’re doing.
I never said I think someone slipped some testosterone in his cup, I said that we don’t really know anything, so hold all that hatred and vitriol inside until we have some actual facts.
well phrased Todd Coffey. Bonus points for your name
Hatred and vitriol? Please show me where!
I said he is guilty, that is not hatred at all. You are a fan so you are making excuses knowing full well were this an athlete you despised you would feel different. You speak all the legalese you want, but you know deep down inside he is guilty.
you and i have different definitions of guilty…guilt usually involves some type of punishment
Innocent until proven guilty.
I would say the very definition of a moral high horse is holding a position desperately without any sort of fact or detail to support it other than personal morality–which appears to be exactly what you’re doing.
I never said I think someone slipped some testosterone in his cup, I said that we don’t really know anything, so hold all that hatred and vitriol inside until we have some actual facts.
Hey, dude. If you really are a dude. Did you know that all of us dudes have testosterone in our system? Where did it come from? It’s a hormone we all have. The better question would be be how could it go from 20 x the norm back to normal when they tested him again. You might want to think a little harder about what we have here, dude.
people still make fun of others for using the word ‘dude’? are you like 60
A separate source familiar with Braun’s sample said that his elevated testosterone ratio was not unusual when compared to athletes from other sports who have failed drug tests and served suspensions.
Great post!
“That does not mean Braun is guilty and just simply got away with it, it’s possible the test was a bogus positive from the start (not unlikely given he was found to have more than twice the amount of testosterone in his than any previous test in the history of testing).”
When this incident was “leaked” did Braun not say (through his lawyers) he had taken something (medicine, etc?) which gave a false positive? I believe he did, but then obviously during the investigation his lawyers decided to go the “chain of custody” route, found a hole, and drove through it. Looks like Braun’s lawyer money was well invested.
No, he didn’t!!
There are unsubstantiated and probably defamatory rumors out there all over the place, and some of them are just plain nasty.
I believe you are wrong. There were comments made that he had some kind of condition that he was taking medicine for which resulted in a positive test result. Trust me, I wish to defame no one, but IMO Ryan escaped because his lawyers found a hole. It might have been a legal hole, but a hole nonetheless. If I lie, why were the results not challenged, just the handling of the sample? If someone tainted this sample, they hit the jackpot. 750 MLB players and they taint the sample of the MVP. I have some ocean front property in Arizona I’ll sell you cheap. Just my opinion. Go O’s!
No you’re wrong. He just confirmed today that there was no medical condition. You’ve been listening to the wrong sources. He also confirmed today that the courier knew who’s sample it was, and for two days, including half a day on Monday he had it. Supposedly, it was in a “cool place in his basement”. Why did Braun not challenge the result? Because it would have been exceedingly difficult to prove a negative. How could he prove it was not his sample? The easiest way to attack the case was to challenge chain of custody. As an attorney who deals with similar issues, I can tell you if it was my client, I would have told MLB they had a loser case from the beginning. This was just sloppy, and who knows what happened with the sample. I don’t think there’s anyway MLB could have won this, due to their failure to follow the agreed upon procedure. If it was a criminal case, the case case would have been thrown out before it even got to trial. MLB knew this and leaked the result, which tells me they felt they had to attack him publicly instead of winning the right way.
Everyone knows by the size of Barry Bonds head that Braun did not have the most testi in his sample. The guys numbers have been consistant unlike Barry who never hit 40 hr before he hit 73. Braun is INNOCENT!!!!!!
A separate source familiar with Braun’s sample said that his elevated testosterone ratio was not unusual when compared to athletes from other sports who have failed drug tests and served suspensions.
Wow. That’s all I can say. I’m glad, I never thought he’d be a person to use steroids.
But he did, and got away with it. Did you even read the article?
And you know this for a fact, how?
Sure its possible he was guilty and got a lucky break but its also possible that his results were tampered with either intentionally or unintentionally…
Reasonable doubt…
Based on the failed drug test, I would guess.
…but hey, I guess it’s possible the Fed Ex guy happened to open up a random package, find a urine sample, inject it with testosterone and then repackage it back up…
…and someday, OJ will find the “real” killers.
Wasn’t he caught for a protein not a steroid? Anywho, if there was conclusive evidence he would not be getting off.
No, that’s not true, exactly. There is conclusive evidence that his urine sample did not pass the test, he is getting off because of the possibility that the sample was tampered with somewhere along the way, which is extraordinarily unlikely. Any reasonable person can see what happened here, but the arbitration panel let him off because there was a flaw in technical handling details. Do you think someone spiked his test at some point, really? I’d say the public has all the evidence it needs.
The public has all the evidence it needs to… what?
See, this is exactly why it’s not up to “the public” to decide something like this. Because “the public” believes it has all the evidence it needs based on hearsay and assumption, having never attended a hearing or even spoken with any single person involved in the case.
If the story we’ve been given here is accurate, the panel made the right choice, even if “the public” assumes Braun is guilty (which is way more fun than assuming he’s innocent, of course).
In normal legal proceedings, any tiny sliver of doubt is enough to acquit an “obviously” guilty person. The burden of proof is NOT on the defendant (in this case, Braun), but rather on the plaintiff (in this case, MLB, or whoever chose to use the evidence of the tainted sample to indict Braun). The burden of proof is on the plaintiff to demonstrate WITHOUT A REASONABLE DOUBT (to use legal terminology) that Braun is guilty. If there is a chance something else could have happened (like this technicality of a delayed shipment) — Braun cannot be found guilty.MLB and arbitration probably doesn’t work exactly the same way as the judicial system, but it’s a reasonable parallel.
Perhaps, as a legal scholar, you’ll realize that I did not say that the panel should have ruled in favor of the MLB? Also, your caps indicate a degree of confidence, that, maybe, you should not have. Demonstrating guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is not a unilateral standard for justice, judgements, courts, or even courts in the United States, much less arbitration panels. That burden of proof is reserved for criminal trials, both civil trials, and arbitration hearings have different burdens. In fact, there is no one standard of burden of proof for arbitration hearings.
I won’t even bother responding to the first part, because you are so far off base (to use baseball terminology) that it would be useless. If you’d really like, then I will explain, but otherwise I’m not wasting my time. Finally, try not to demean and obliquely slander people by insinuating that they completely lack dignity and are only condemning someone because, you know, it’s sooo amusing.
And yet no answer to my opening question: the public has all the evidence it needs to… what?
I’m sorry I thought it was clear. Obviously, the public has no authority in sentencing Braun to anything. However, public opinion can be a powerful force and I think the public can use what they know about the case to make up their own minds about his innocence or his guilt. It would be wonderful to be able to get all the facts, but we do know some very important ones and Braun always has the ability to clear anything thing up that he is willing to.
Knowing what we know, his urine failed a test, initially Braun’s team reported a false positive due to medication, eventually Braun won his appeal but not because of the earlier stated reason, the reason for the victory did not indicate that the panel had evidence that disproved the tests results only suggested that the tests was not properly handled, Braun still has not told the public what specifically would have caused an error in the test, and against procedure Rob Manfred issued a statement that he “vehemently disagreed” with the decision, until we get more information that contradicts the strong case that he used some kind of PED we can at least doubt his innocence, and I do.
I totally doubt his innocence. I also doubt his guilt.
The only evidence anyone ever needed to come to their own personal conclusion was the first headline that came out months ago, that Braun had failed a test. As far as the public cares, that’s it. No one was waiting to be given a reasonable conclusion — people were only waiting to be told either a) you were right, he’s guilty, or b) surprise, he weaseled out of it somehow.
I’m just not a fan of the public making the determination of guilt. They have all the evidence they need to satisfy their thirst for blame, but nowhere near enough to actually come to a 100% definite conclusion.
Nor, to be fair, does the arbitration panel or Bud Selig, or anyone.
But when one relies on assumptions and opinions to reach conclusions, the result is a witch hunt. The suspected steroid users (a group headlined by the likes of Bonds and Clemens) were convicted in the eye of the public before much else had ever happened, regardless of how right or wrong anyone might be.
The thing that troubles me about the public “conviction” of people like this is the general sentiment that we (the fans) have somehow been wronged, and therefore these players deserve to be convicted, and therefore we deserve to feel better when they are. That part of the last 15+ years of baseball has left me with a sour taste.
And in other news, I hate the way this site threads replies. Anyone know how to change the look?
I’m Actually with you on a lot of things, and I’d explain them but I think the sites formating would cut me off or stretch it out forever.
Call him a cheater.
It’s called the court of public opinion. Its the same reason everybody calls Barry Bonds a cheater, even though he never served a suspension.
Have to hand it to him for fighting it, opposed to someone like Manny…It does not matter if I think someone spiked his urine. Considering how his urine was mishandled, everything is up in the air. Fortunately (or unfortunately) if it was that open & shut Braun would be suspended.
Fair enough. It comes down to the MLB making an unacceptable mistake in their testing process that opened the door for doubt that never should have been there. Still, the ruling doesn’t exactly “clear his name” but MLB can’t make those kinds of errors and not expect the arbitrators to consider them in their judgement.
Good point
isn’t it possible it’s an ex-girlfriend? or maybe someone from his past that he owes money to or something?
also, its possible that just by going missing, something actually could have happened to the sample. maybe because it was left unrefrigerated for too long an amount of time, the urine sample warmed to a temperature where if its tested it appears there is more testosterone than would ever be found in a normal human body. maybe the negligence truly is the reason for the false positive, the truth is we’ll never know about braun for sure, but at the same time, there was absolutely not enough to go on to convict and hang him for being a user. reasonable doubt is a powerful concept. lives hang in its balance sometimes.
Is it possible that an ex girlfriend broke into a Fed Ex sorting facility over a weekend, found his urine sample and injected it with testosterone? Sure, I guess it’s possible.
Is it a more likely possibility than Ryan Braun taking a banned substance and weaseling out of it? Not really.
Actually, when I read it all it said was his appeal was accepted. Sorry more information was added afterwards and I didn’t come back and read it again and again till all the information was added.
Never proven he used steroids.
Wow.
Judge must of had Braun on his fantasy team.
No way..
Suprising! I didn’t think that would happen.
wow
What. the. hell.
Awesome!
Definitely didn’t see that coming.
true?
Now let’s test Bautista and let HIM slide too!
Or Pujols by that logic.
No..Pujols’ arms ALWAYS has been the same, as his carrer. But Mr. Bautista? It’s like Gonzo with the DiamondBacks. Give me a break!?
Bautista’s been tested LOTS, do your research please.
exactly!
And Braun has passed over 25 tests in his career, according to him.
So Bautista’s arms did change? He looks no different now than he did 3 years ago, except with a different swing. Again, you’ll notice that he magically became awesome in Sept of ’09 — do you think steroids work that fast, or maybe a change in mechanics had something to do with it?
so ridiculous
bautista is not big at all.
he must have some really high tech steroids that make you hit HR’s, have a good eye at the plate and contribute no physical changes.
For what ought to be, but sadly won’t be the last time regarding Joey Bats:
He. Changed. His. Swing. Mechanics.
All he’s done since then is be one of if not the best hitters in the game.
Well I want him in fantasy now. Think he might have a chip on his shoulder?
Maybe, but I doubt he has as good a season as he did last year. Pitchers are going to be more likely not to give him something to hit without Fielder in the lineup as well.
yup exactly. (had braun last year in fantasy and led me to win championship.. not sure if he’ll be on my team again unless i can get him later rounds.)
They did add Aramis Ramirez, though, and Corey Hart just keeps getting better.
But if you know baseball, you can not compare Fielder to either Ramirez or Hart.
Obviously – Fielder’s on track to be a Hall-of-Famer if he can continue at this pace (and I hope he does), while Hart and Ramirez are just good players. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t offer protection for Braun.
A cubs fan speaking rationally! Thank you!
I try. I’m a rational, non-biased baseball fan first and an obnoxious Cardinal-hating Cubs homer second.
In that case your handle ought to be “One and counting.”
There ought to be a special place we can banish people who say pointlessly condescending stuff like “if you know baseball…”
It’s not condescending, it’s just facts. If you pay attention to BASEBALL and not just your team, you can’t compare Fielder to Ramirez or Hart. I could be a Cardinals homer and say that David Freese is the best 3B to ever play the game, but that would be completely false.
Just because a person has a good point doesn’t mean he can’t phrase it in a way that makes him sound like a total a__hat.
Whoo 😀
I can believe in baseball again!
No you can’t
Keith Olbermann reported that he indeed LOST his appeal… Who to believe?
Jim Bowden and Casey Stern are reporting (XM/MLB channel) that while there are some conflicting reports (AP reporting ‘fail’), there are a number of outlets now claiming he has won the appeal… many more than the single contrary report.
“There was a problem in the testing process itself.” Arbitrators voted 2-1 in favor of Braun. (XM Radio/Jim Bowden reporting).
MLB has felt the need to publicly disagree with the decision (and has released a statement to that effect). Interesting.
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing that.
One thing to add: For those claiming a Selig conspiracy, this statement from the MLB office will still keep a shroud of suspicion over Braun – possibly for the rest of his career. They could have taken this defeat on the high road… but instead they opted to claim that their process is still all good, which effectively attempts to convict Braun through public opinion.
None of this should ever have been made public.
Why would anyone believe anything that Keith Olbermann says?
Awesomely written and informative!
NL Central just got even closer. Congrats to him and hope he and the rest of the baseball world can put this behind them.
Wow!
No way he would ever be suspended because (1) Bud Selig is is a Brewers fan and (2) Ryan Braun is white….Maybe not (2) but definately (1).
I’ll give you #1 but #2 is ridiculous. You might as well add that both of them have jewish heritage.
You are an obvious hater…
What a joke
Suck it ESPN.
So the question becomes how did he test positive and raises questions about MLB’s testing standards if they do such an about face on this.
Certainly reflects poorly on those who raise questions about other players who may have tested positive as well.
MLB has to certainly give an explanation of how they came to this conclusion when other guys have not had such a fortune of seeing a test result overturned.
Surprising… but I still want to know what happened.
Me too. Until we hear the full story it is hard to accept it either way just yet. So I will be interested to see what the explanation is.
I gotta here the splaining of this one. It has never happened before, to my knowledge, and Braun did not have advance medical permission. I’m certainly willing to believe he’s innocent. I just wanna know for sure that MLB isn’t whitewashing this because of all the potential lost money, damaged reputation of both Braun and the League, as well as the severe disadvantage Milwaukee would suffer.
Apparently it has happened before in MiLB, with another Brewer’s farmhand, Brendan Katin. Jimmy Rollins also claimed to have knowledge of an MLB player successfully appealing a failed drug test. Just sayin.
I guess maybe I could or should have qualified the statement further, like, it has never happened before in the examination of many thousands of major sport pro athletes (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, Tennis, Golf, Bicycling, Olympics, Cribbage, etc.). I can’t speak authoritatively on the MILB. Rollins, I am sure, is either misquoted or mistaken, because I am Ten Thousand Percent sure that no MLB player has ever won a PED appeal.
I recently heard a radio interview with the doctor who developed these tests and chairs the organization that does these tests for the IOC, MLB and NFL. He unequivocally stated that no player in any major sport has ever won an appeal against a positive test result. He would know, since he’s the expert who testifies about the science of the test at each of these appeals. According to him, the only ground that has ever excused a positive test was advance medical permission, which does not necessitate an appeal.
From the rudimentary information that has been put out so far, it appears that Braun did not establish his “actual innocence,” but rather, implemented the O.J. Simpson defense, i.e., doubt as to the validity of the test result based on questionable chain of custody. It works for me, since I’m one of those “innocent until proven guilty” kind of guys. But I’m sure that a very large segment of the population is not going to agree, just as they did not in O.J.’s case.
You really can’t be sure that an MLB player has never won a PED appeal, as if they did and the correct process is followed, nobody would ever know. Confidentiality is exactly that. As for the doctor, again, he would be breaking the law and his oath in stating any player’s name who successfully appealed a test, as the entire process is supposedly confidential.
As for paragraph 3, I do agree with you there, this does have a tinge of O.J. feel to it in that the public is not going to necessarily agree.
Didnt Bud Selig own the brewers or something like that? Isnt there a conflict of interest?
Selig didn’t make the decision. Three arbiters did.
AP reporting the opposite of the above. Who’s right?
AP reporting the opposite of the above. Who’s right?
What a scam, Selig used be with the Brewers it’s fixed. Selig sends Alderson to the Mets last year and the Brewers get K-Rod and make the playoffs. Collusion in baseball, this smells. Kemp should get the MVP. Watch the writers jump on his band wagon, what a joke.
i couldn’t agree more!
From the mind of M. Night Scamalan.
WHAT A TWIST
Brewers were one of the only teams willing to take on the rest of his salary and deal with his potential option for 2012.
Hello!
Three arbitrators made the decision. Not Selig. MLB has issued a statement they completely disagree with the decision. I still want to hear what really happened but at least blame the right people for siding with Braun.
They went to an outside source, Hello! It was all set up. Why do you think it took so long. Most cases are decided in weeks. Selig had the outside source set up.
I see white padded walls in your future
Great news for Braun and even greater news for Baseball fans.
why? another cheater playing the game? he won on a technicality, not because he was clean.
This is exactly why the appeal process is supposed to be confidential–by your reasoning, nobody could EVER succesfully appeal a failed test, clean or not. You’ve already labeled him as a cheater, yet you do not know any real facts about the situation.
If anyone who fails a test is automatically a cheater, why even have an appeal process?
If this was your average player there is no doubt they would have been given a full fledged suspension. Seems as if the fact that he’s one of MLB’s golden boys he was given some slack.
It would probably be the opposite actually. They would want to send a message by punishing one of the game’s biggest stars.
HAHAHA YES!
Im really happy he passed. I have a lot of respect for Ryan Braun and im not even a fan of the Brew Crew.
Im really happy he passed. I have a lot of respect for Ryan Braun and im not even a fan of the Brew Crew.
Braun never seemed the type to juice. I’m glad he won
What is that type? Any major league player that wants to make millions.
The type generally has a large amount of muscle mass and the propensity for strange injuries, like torn labrums, etc. Also maybe they are struggling or aging poorly and feel they need the juice to be competitive–that is the “type.”
Braun is not really any of of those things, he has never once struggled, isn’t particularly muscular, and other than some mysterious back issues has no injury history
Dream on!
What a well thought out, intelligent, and scathing response. Glad we had a real discussion about this!
Braun never seemed the type to juice. I’m glad he won
You’re wrong. MLB is stating that they disagree strongly with the ruling. MLBPA won this case, not the league.
MLB is passing the buck, it makes Braun and MLB look good.
Braun will always be guilty in the court of public opinion. Getting away with cheating will be his legacy.
washington post saying he it was upheld. don’t get too excited
washington post saying he it was upheld. don’t get too excited
So now cheaters get away with it? Or can we say he’s on the same page with David Ortiz, who got caught a single time and didn’t even know what he took. The funny part is that Braun knew he failed the test before the public did, yet he didn’t say anything… I can’t just assume, but it seems like there is no definite law to stop or correct MLB drug use.
The reality is this reflects very poorly on MLB’s drug testing program because
1) Either an innocent player is liable to falsely be accused of PED usage
2) A guilty player got away with PED usage.
Its 1 or the other
Doesn’t instill confidence in the MLB drug testing program that is for sure.
There is no such thing as a perfect system, least of all in subjects as complicated as drug testing. I would say you missed a third option:
3) The system is not perfect but has an appeals process built in to safeguard the interests of both parties.
There is no such thing as a perfect system, least of all in subjects as complicated as drug testing. I would say you missed a third option:
3) The system is not perfect but has an appeals process built in to safeguard the interests of both parties.
Good for him, but I do really want to know what in the world sets off a false positive for steroids that isn’t steroids and wins your appeal.
Exactly, leaves you scratching your head.
Does it mean other guys who were innocent were falsely accused and swept up in the steroid era accusations.
Nothing. He did steroids. It got overturned because it wasn’t handled right.
FLOORED! Wow! Talk about opening a can of worms!
thank god for herpes
AP WRONG!!! Want to lay off any more editors?
Herpes saves lives
Not to be a negative nancy, but Braun didn’t prove that he didn’t take steroids. He only proved that there was either something wrong in his testing process or handling. It probably went along the lines of OJ’s case, in which one of his biggest defenses was that his bloody glove wasn’t handling by investigators properly so couldn’t be used against him
Just raising some thoughts though. He sounded pretty remorseful without admitting guilt when he received his MVP.
#1. He was never accused of taking steroids. The report (which should have been confidential) indicated testosterone, which is not a steroid.
#2: It’s not Braun’s burden of proof to prove whether he’s clean. It’s MLB’s to prove the opposite. Two arbitrators could not agree that the process (whether handling, testing, …. whatever) was good enough to allow that burden of proof to be met.
In the court of public opinion, the burden is definitely on him though.
EXACTLY why the whole thing should have been confidential (and was supposed to be).
Yep. But lets say he is innocent, it’d probably be even worse for it to be confidential by letting everyone base their opinions strictly on speculation.
My point is that had this been done correctly, nobody would ever have known there was a positive test, an appeal, or anything else. No news whatever – ergo, no room for … well,… this entire thread.
I get what you mean. I’m more surprised that there aren’t repercussions for it “leaking” like it does.
I would think that if these people were identified, Braun’s lawyers would be all over that–sadly i don’t think we’ll ever know who leaked what.
Would be nice to see some punishment for it though, agreed.
Look at it this way, if the report had remained confidential, there would have been no need for an outside source and Braun would have had a 50 game suspension.
Incorrect. If it had remained confidential, a 3rd party arbitrator would still have heard the case, and still had the autonomy to come to whatever conclusion they felt was accurate–which they did.
You could argue that it was even harder for Braun to appeal the test given he had already lost in the court of public opinion.
He tested positive for more than enough testosterone to indicate performance enhancing drug use. He contested the process of the testing, not the results.
If a player tests positive for PEDs, it’s pretty much certain that he took them. If he was in federal court, he wouldn’t have to prove his innocence. But in the eyes of fans and eventually, the HOF voters, he’s going to have a much harder time proving more than the possibility that his testing was handled poorly.
He actually tested positive for a preposterously, ridiculously, record-setting amount of testosterone.
That could indicate PED use. Or a botched test. As long as MLB handled the sample properly, there wouldn’t have been any question about which it was. They did not, so the test results are worthless.
steroids are artificial testosterone, that’s why testosterone levels are the main indicators of steroid use, just ask floyd landis or all the other tour de france guys
No, artificial testosterone doesn’t really add muscle mass like anabolic steroids do–its more related to faster muscle recovery. Apples and oranges–tour de france guys don’t need muscle mass, just recovery, hence the testosterone and not Barry Bond’s mysterious “cream” and “clear”
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids (AAS) or colloquially as “steroids” (or even “roids”), are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body.
Way to hop on Wikipedia. Again, what Braun tested positive for was not anabolic steroids/masking agents as we are accustomed to in MLB.
This is garbage. Ryan Braun is trash. Let it be known that he does in fact have herpes since that was his argument. He should never be allowed in the HOF because of this. Just like Manny, AROD, and Bonds, Braun should never be allowed in.
although Bonds was never caught, and never admitted to it ; )
Except that he did admit it.
He should never be allowed in because he has herpes? Wut?
Don’t you know how much STD’s are frowned upon?
Manny and Braun I’ll agree with because they failed test after MLB outlawed PEDs. Arod failed a test that was experimental and before the MLB had outlawed PEDs, therefore he never broke any MLB rules and should not have to suffer any consequences. Anabolic steroids have exsisted since the early 1900s, it’s likely that some current hall of famers could have used them in their careers, and if not PEDS they were always looking for a way to gain a competitive advantage within the rules of the game (which until 2006 included using PEDs). Bonds is a whole seperate story as it has never been proven that he used PEDs, but as long as he used them before they were outlawed by the league and not after he should still not be punished.
This is all garbage, let them all in Hall of Fame, half the players that are in took amphetamines.
Cardinals are trash.
Really? You’re really going to call the Cardinals trash not even a year after they won the World Series and sent the Brewers home while embarrassing them?
I’m just showing that name-calling answers no questions or solves anything. Any sane Brewers fan respects and envies the Cards, begrudgingly.
As a Cardinal fan, I have no respect for the Brewers, especially Braun and Morgan. When Morgan spiked Albert on a play at first, I was so upset at him. These are professional ballplayers, not thugs or hockey players. Greinke is another one, too. He said Carpenter needs to put his money where his mouth is. Carpenter is a big game pitcher and he did great in the postseason and 2011. These Brewers do a lot of trash talking, but they can never back it up.
I hear what you’re saying, but the opposing team’s fans perceive things in a different light. To us Albert came off as trying to act like a bouncer on the field, and what’s with overblown complaints from the cardinals about pitching inside? Along with complaints about untucking jerseys and the lights at miller park, and on and on. Carpenter even admitted to cursing at morgan, so it’s a matter of chicken and egg. Greinke was encouraged by reporters and was a playoff novice. He was just trying to stick up for the team. Yea, all the morgan haters can get in line. I like that he’s not a pushover when confronted by the cardinals yelling at him. St Louis is a legendary team but i’m sorry, Milwaukee will not roll over for you. Yea we lost but forgive us, we dont have the history of winning you do and it’s new to us. Last time the city won the WS it was hank aaron and the braves. Your cards took it to us in 82. I think somewhere deep down is a morsel of respect for the brewers, and for braun, at least before the current mess.
I just dont appreciate this knee-jerk reaction that Braun is trash. Yes we all wish this situation would have never occurred because it brings the bad kind of attention to the game. But we will prob never know the full truth so going on a rampage of insults is really a waste of time. Same thing with the accusations of favor of the Crew by Selig. That crap needs to be flushed.
I don’t like it either. I don’t necessarily like the Brewers or certain players (Nyjer Morgan for example, it has nothing to do with what he said about the Cards, it has everything to do with his attitude and his comments after the Brewers advanced to the NLCS screaming “F yeah!” on national television with Fielder’s children right there) I agree, it brings the wrong kind of attention to the game, it’s players and the fans, but it will always be there.
I know what you mean. The game will always have people trying to get an edge in some way. This case is actually beneficial long term because it highlights things that need to be fixed. It all starts w the leak to espn in terms of the PR debacle.
I hear ya on Morgan. He started grating on brewers fans too toward the end of the year. The expletive in question was bad taste but it was in the moment of probably the guy’s greatest career achievement and the microphone picked it up. Morgan is popular due to his enthusiasm and he became a cult hero due to playin hard and taking no guff.
Herpes medication was an argument people thought he might make, not one that he did.
HE IS A CHEATER AND A LIAR, period. That WILL BE HIS LEGACY
Haters gonna hate. Now take your caps lock off.
If you’d like to offer a defense of that position with actual facts instead of caps lock yelling, I’d love to hear it. Seeing as that is not going to happen, i have to assume you jumped to an uninformed conclusion and THAT WILL BE YOU MLBTR COMMENTING LEGACY
a positive test is a positive test.
Suppose you got pulled over while driving, and a Breathalyzer was administered. You hadn’t been drinking at all. The cop tossed the breathalyzer in the back of his car and two days later had the results analyzed. It showed that you blew a .40 (absurdly high, just like Braun’s testosterone was). Would you be ok with them arresting you because “a positive test is a positive test”?
It isn’t the BEST analogy ever, but there’s a reason MLB has strict protocols to follow when testing a player. If the sample was left unprotected for a few days any number of things could have happened to it. We don’t know, and the burden of proof has to be on MLB to prove that he used, not on Braun to prove that he didn’t.
Yes, I would be (in theory). How the heck would the breathalyzer read .4 unless it was by me?
In actuality? I would fight it just like Braun did, would win just like Braun did, and would make up stories about how I’ve never done anything of the sort, like Braun did.
But I’ll always know in the back of my mind, that fifth of tequila almost got me arrested.
Not to mention the fact that they would have the direct results of said beathalyzer test on hand at the exact time of testing…seriously, comparing an mlb drug test to that of a breathalyzer… please.
RB’s gonna be piss tested every week trying to catch him.
On a technicality. That’s not a win, how can he say he got through the process because he is innocent? I guess I don’t know the ins and outs of what happened but it sounds like he was on PED’s last year to me…
Yeah even though he was tested other times last year and they were negative… but what would you know
The technicality wasn’t something unrelated to the case — it apparently had to do with the sample being left unprotected for several days. How can you know what happened to the sample over that time? There’s no way to prove that it wasn’t tampered with or altered or whatever else. For all we know he IS innocent and the only reason the test was positive is because the testing company can’t follow procedure properly.
Which is why sound testing procedures are supposed to be in place.
Like I said, I don’t know the ins and outs… Occam’s Razor seems to apply here though- The guy thought he could beat the test? or somenody with a grudge against Ryan Braun illegally gained access to his urine sample(which I am assuming doesn’t say RYAN BRAUN’s URINE on it) and introduced a banned substance to it to spite him and his evil ways… And for the record I am not a Braun “hater” I wish there were video tapes of somebody tampering with his specimin but there aren’t.
Kemp should still have won the MVP…
LOL
Nonsense … was he at a party where everyone was using HGH and he caught a contact high?
Good thing it wasn’t HGH.
Drafted Braun 55th in my league WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
i guess cheaters do win.
The MLB drug testing policy is a joke anyway because it is so far behind in testing for what the players are actually using now. I mean they dont even test for HGH which is probaly the most popular PED out right now.
Now that Braun got off it’s time to let all players worthy in the Hall of Fame. Bonds, Sosa, Mc Guire, A-Rod, put them all in. I’m sick of these double standards.
not sure how that follows…
Don’t you remember when all of them tested positive and won their appeals?
Guys like Sosa, Mcgwire, Bonds, and even ARod should get into the Hall, due to the technicality that there wasn’t a testing program in place from which to confirm the well-based suspicions of many.
Besides at least 3 of the 4 of them admitting to using or just testing positive, there was absolutely no reason to suspect them.
Many of the HOFers took amphetamines too!
Haters gonna hate and lovers gonna love.
How about we actually find out what the technicality was and why MLB “vehemently disagrees” with the decision?
Isn’t it better to flame back and forth based on speculation before the facts actually come to surface?
LOUD NOISES! UNINFORMED OPINION! CAPS LOCK!
LOUD NOISES! UNINFORMED OPINION! CAPS LOCK!
Happy days are here again! MVP MVP MVP
I guess Selig still owes the Brewers more favors. Feeling sorry for them because they are such a small market team and couldn’t afford to lose Fielder then Braun for the first 50 games. What a load of horse dung.
Dude, you know that’s not true yet you spew it anyway
Considering MLB vehemently disagrees with the decision, I’d have to say your comment is extremely ill-informed. Read the dang article first.
You hit the jackpot!
Vindication!
I still think I would have just took the 50 game suspension rather than tell everyone I was on herpes meds.
so he still cheated but because the evidence wasn’t tested in the correct time frame hes a free man.. still sounds like a cheater to me.
at least he will be the only one getting around this, i’m sure the MLB will fix their policy for future cases
Doesn’t matter. His reputation has been tainted.
hmm things are getting fishy
I am suprised at how many people think he didn’t use. He is as innocent as Casey Anthony.
I’m surprised for how little of the situation you actually have knowledge of, that you are so certain he used.
He tested positive, that is all the evidence anyone really needs.
Not really when the supposed level of testosterone was so astronomically high, yet he somehow didn’t get caught by any prior test; and the sample was left unguarded for 2 days. I’m not claiming Braun is innocent nor am I condemning him, but until more facts come out there is no way you can be so certain one way or the other.
Bud Selig strikes again
He also doesn’t have herpes anymore!!! Win-Win situation.
You realize people have herpes for life right?
It was joke about the rumor of what caused the positive test, Valtrex, thanks for being in on the joke.
It was joke about the rumor of what caused the positive test, Valtrex, thanks for being in on the joke.
Says something that MLB still doesn’t agree that he is clean. Doesn’t look cut and dry it was an accident. Seems like the rich guy with the right lawyer that can get out of anything.
or MLB thought it had a 100% sure fire testing in place and Braun proved it to be wrong.
MLB says it doesn’t agree with the testing makes them look better, and Braun gets off.
Most. Liberal. Arbitrator. Ever.
that wasn’t very polite.
Manny is probably thinking damn I had the wrong lawyer or skin color.
Manny is not Jewish man thats it.
I wonder what the media is gonna say now…Give him a round of applause???
All you have to do is read it to figure out what went wrong. The sample was delayed in shipment and there was no one responsible for it for two days; thus the claim is the sample itself cannot be trusted because it may have been tampered with or contaminated.
Braun will wish he got suspended with the hell he is going to catch. Can’t wait until he comes to town.
Let’s see how he hits when 40,000 are chanting cheater, cheater, cheater. MLB agrees.
I feel sorry for Kemp!
P-E-Ds!
P-E-Ds!
I don’t get it. I honestly don’t care either way if he wins or loses, but it just doesn’t make sense to me that he denied that it was PED’s (perfectly fine to me, deny away.) But if he admits to taking herpes medication that isn’t cleared by the league, shouldn’t he still be suspended for not clearing it first? Not a hater, just curious is all.
I think Braun had his excuse before he started taking steriods. It’s like the guy who chugs a fifth of JD in front of a cop when being stopped for DUI.
So basically, Braun probably was guilty, and the circumstances surrounding the shipment were his ‘out.’
Everybody who’s calling Ryan Braun a cheater and a liar and everything. As an American citizen, he is innocent until proven guilty and he wasn’t proven guilty. But Matt Kemp still should have won MVP!
Kemp is beast can’t take nothing away and yea i agree Kemp should have won MVP. Hopefully he post the same numbers this year and wins MVP this year.
What people dont get that if the sample wasnt done correctly, or took too much time to get there there are many things that can make the test fail. He passed his second one that he took right away. One time at the doctor, I had my blood taken, they did the test wrong, my potassium came back really high in dangerous levels. Then I retook it the second time and was perfectly fine. Anyone who points fingers better know some theory to back it up, trolls.
And how would you know that your potassium levels have anything to do with a steroid test? Not saying you’re wrong, but clearly you’re not exactly a credible expert either, so chill the heck out.
Im just saying, do you know how easy it is for a test to be faulty. Especially for 2 days sitting around. That stuff needs to be chilled or processed as fast as possible. I assume you dont work in a hospital. I deal with specimens every day. You only have a certain amount of time when its credible. 2 days is way to long for any test ever.
Maybe the test sat for 2 days on purpose. It got him off the hook.
Maybe the test sat for 2 days on purpose. It got him off the hook.
Hell, I once took a drug test for a job, the kind that you put the swab in your mouth or whatever, and it came back that I had THC, Meth, Coke and Opium in my system and I have never done any drugs in my life. I’ve never even been around someone that does drugs. Tests are wrong all the time from if they aren’t handled properly, the test is performed incorrectly, etc. And I’m not even a Brewers fan so this isn’t like I am saying this to back up Braun.
Its fact that the test results had more than double any level of a banned substance ever found in an mlb drug test. no one puts together the body of work that Braun has and weasels out of the many many drug tests hes passed to just fail with that big of a margin. I have no doubt his sample was tampered with.
Selig tampers with the evidence, and Braun gets off.
Over/Under of the amount of comments that are going to be removed? I’m guessing 15
Thank you Ryan Braun for not screwing my (as well as many other owners’) fantasy baseball season. I hope he’s ready to go for 2012.
In Toronto, Bautista will be greeted to chants of M-V-P to start the season.
In Los Angeles, Kemp will be greeting to the same.In Milwaukee, Braun will be greeted to chants of P-E-D.
Hater
On the road, perhaps. But I don’t think at home.
Good man Braun, wonder if it was A-HD or Animal stak? I’m a big fan of both
This just in: I peed in a cup two days ago… left it in the fridge…. and it turned into Budweiser.
I knew you were innocent and now all these people either taking your side or still talking mad smack.
Yes, definitely innocent.
Why else would the MLB say they “vehemently disagrees”
There will always ALWAYS be people that either hate on a person or disagree on a certain subject. But there are always smart people that see it both ways and decided which one is right or wrong. And Braun is innocent lets go! HAHA SHUT ALL THE HATERS UP WITH THIS BRAUN! WOOO!
…I think you need to work on your reading comprehension
he’s not innocent. he just cant be found guilty. theres a difference.
I knew you were innocent and now all these people either taking your side or still talking mad smack.
Yeah, And OJ didn’t do it. COME ONNNNNN!
A couple of comments
1.) “It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation,”, how can he do that if he won the appeal on a technicality? Also, even if there was some odd ball handling of the evidence, why would MLB want to taint a test of the current reigning MVP? That would make no sense.
2.) Maybe this has been asked already, but if Ryan Braun can appeal the failed test, why can’t MLB appeal the ruling?
This whole thing is ridiculous, if Ryan Braun failed the test, then he failed the test. What can he possible say to contradict that?
its not MLB that wanted to taint it if that happened, it could be some sick individual
A lot of people seem to be getting hung up on the phrase “got off on a technicality.” This isn’t like where there’s video of a guy robbing a bank, but he gets off because some cop misfiles a form. This is a case where the one thing used to implicate a guy is the result of a scientific test that was performed incorrectly. As such, its results are not reliable.
Crikey… didn’t anyone take science in school at all?
You people need to learn how to read, he took a product which contained something on the banned substance list, which has testosterone in it which enhances everything. That’s why it’s on the list. So he was given a list of products he must avoid, but did so anyway via his herpes medication. There is no way to claim innocence in the matter, whether it was intentional or not. Also MLB is upset at the verdict so it must mean that the players association or some arbitor or someone like that is why he is innocent now, none of those entities have anyhwere near as much credibility as WADA! That’s like the governor of Arizona Jan Brewer telling the Secretary of the UN that he is wrong! Ryan Braun now is the biggest fraud, even more so than Bonds and A-Rod at least they have established themselves. One of two things are going to happen, either he never again puts up results like 2011, or he will eventually test positive again because he had twice the amount EVER RECORDED ON A POSITIVE SAMPLE.
He’s clean , move on.
He is NOT clean, he is guilty of taking steroids. He got off due to a technicality in that the fact the package wasn’t delivered as it should have been. He is not disputing it was his sample.
The way proper scientific testing works is that a sample is collected, a proper chain of custody and proper handling are maintained, and that way, you can be sure that no one tampered with it and that nothing happened to the sample to ruin it and screw up your results. They do this, not because they like rules or because they love paperwork, but because it’s the only way to make sure you can trust your results.
Since these procedures weren’t followed, we DON’T know his sample wasn’t tampered with, we DON’T know that it wasn’t tainted by poor handling. And what’s more, failure to maintain the most basic processes casts doubt on what else the lab might have done incorrectly.
The ONLY way to be sure Braun used performance enhancing drugs is to be sure the sample that “proves” this was processed and handled correctly.
It’s okay if you have a gut feeling he cheated. But you CAN’T claim it’s a fact, because they botched the testing protocols and NO ONE CAN BE SURE now. If you’re looking to be mad at someone, be mad at the lazy dopes who botched a simple test.
Tell me more about science sour bob..
I recommend 9th grade science class. Straighten you right out.
The way proper scientific testing works is that a sample is collected, a proper chain of custody and proper handling are maintained, and that way, you can be sure that no one tampered with it and that nothing happened to the sample to ruin it and screw up your results. They do this, not because they like rules or because they love paperwork, but because it’s the only way to make sure you can trust your results.
Since these procedures weren’t followed, we DON’T know his sample wasn’t tampered with, we DON’T know that it wasn’t tainted by poor handling. And what’s more, failure to maintain the most basic processes casts doubt on what else the lab might have done incorrectly.
The ONLY way to be sure Braun used performance enhancing drugs is to be sure the sample that “proves” this was processed and handled correctly.
It’s okay if you have a gut feeling he cheated. But you CAN’T claim it’s a fact, because they botched the testing protocols and NO ONE CAN BE SURE now. If you’re looking to be mad at someone, be mad at the lazy people who botched a simple test.
If he was guilty , he’d be suspended. Move on.
Braun would have to be fool to test positive again, he will just stay clean for a while and then move on to the next undetectable drug.
Selig used to own Brewers, that’s all you need to know. The whole spin on the MLB network is positive. There all afraid to say anything negitive.
We get it you hate Braun and can’t stand the fact he’s clean.
I acually like Braun as a player, it’s the system that stinks. There are too many double standards. It’s Selig and his connection with the Brewers that smells.
Ahh a random conspiracy theory. Very plausible.
If a guy got pulled over for speeding and got off on a “technicality,” because the radar gun hadn’t been properly calibrated that day, I can understand being hostile and thinking a rule breaker caught an unfair break.
However, if the radar gun claimed the guy was going say, 255 mph, maybe we should give the driver the benefit of the doubt, since a miscalibrated radar gun is, in fact, more plausible than a guy doing 255 down I-90.
Similarly, if Ryan Braun is accused of having preposterously high, record-setting, never-before-seen levels of testosterone and examination revealed there were potentially serious flaws in the testing process, shouldn’t we give him the benefit of the doubt, since “test administered incorrectly” seems a lot more reasonable than “highest recorded testosterone levels in history of test”?
Hope you have your flame suit on Bobby, the trolls are out in force tonight.
No kidding. Although as I’m looking this topic over, much of the trolling seems to be done by one dude.
Actually, 5% of all of the posts in this entire thread are PO’d rants by the same guy. I think if you just ignore him, the whole thing reads much better.
More like a guy gets pulled over by a cop and the cop asked for his registration, he says you know you were doing 80. Then all of a sudden, the wind blows the registration out of the cops hand and it blows down the highway. The cop tells the man to drive safely and lets him go.
That’s a really failed analogy that speaks more about your feelings about the matter than about any parallels with irregularities in the testing process.
You don’t have to even have a radar gun on to pull someone over. They can do it by the trained eye. Nice try tho
Braun is like the criminal who committed the crime but was released due to a cop failing to read him his Miranda rights.
No, he’s not. In the case of the criminal, there is the evidence of his crime and then there is the lack of proper procedure. The two are separate. It’s frustrating because him not being read his rights doesn’t change the evidence, even if it kills the case.
In Braun’s case, the only piece of evidence against him was collected and handled wrong. Because of this there IS NO evidence.
Another good reason to hate lawyers.
I’m starting to hate the public school system, because reading comprehension and basic understanding of simple scientific principles seems to be at an all-time low.
Darn I had a plot to take over my new keeper league by drafting him in the 4th round, whereas now he’ll be a 1 or 2 for sure since he’s not suspended. 🙁 sigh
You don’t think his lack of “juice” may have a negative impact on his totals this year? and no Fielder?
MVP!!!!! of Cheaters!!!!!!!
The fact of the matter is we don’t fully understand all the details. So speculate as we might about the process or about Braun’s innocence or guilt, we should take it for what it is – a situation that stinks to high heaven that may never be fully revealed until some years down the road. What stinks most to me is that this process was brought out to the public. Now both Braun and MLB are embarrassed by this and wish to brush it under the carpet when it’s virtually impossible to do so. There’s just too much juice to keep the story going….”no pun intended.”
I think that Major League Baseball may have more egg on this than Ryan Braun when all is said and done; it is their fault.
Congrats Braun!!! You just hate to see a good guy like him getting so much criticism, and to all of you who think Selig fixed this you dont know anything about the game, but you gotta feel for the guy everyone still thinks hes guilty, time to shut the haters up. Go get em Brauny
What do you mean “thinks” he’s guilty? He got off on a technicality, not based on anything having to do with him not drugging up. So no matter how this is spun, he will always be a drug cheat.
I wonder how he will do this year without Fielder and the Steroids backing him up?
Let me just say this. Chain of custody is extremely important in an incident such as this, and frankly, if MLB did not have the conscience to “hand deliver” this sample to the lab, then they deserve this ruling. This is atrocious behavior involving such a serious matter. If they knew when this incident started that they had a lapse in the Chain they should have thrown out the results, retested Braun immediately, then lived with those results. This casts a pall on every ruling they have had thus far. How can they say they have observed proper measures for all of the other samples? One incident casts a doubt on all of them.
They DID retest Braun almost immediately after – but by braun’s request and he was negative. Doesn’t anyone else wonder how he could go from highest level ever to negative in a week?
Anyone who thinks Ryan Braun is a cheater is an anti-Semite. There I said it. jk. But this is a debate that will never be settled. You either like him or you don’t. With the information we have there’s nothing more to be said.
MLB will now have a lab in every major league city… so as to speed up the process. You watch!
This is hurtin the reds hopes
#AnythingsPossible
No matter how he won. He won. Gotta love america where your innocent until proven guilty or we just dont like u enough to care about the outcome ur guilty in our eyes anyway. Ahhh america..
New name: OJ Braun
If it’s not air tight. There must be no room for doubt. You can’t convict if there is any doubt. Given that you retest and your clean. Too much stigma with a positive result. The decision was correct.
If it’s not air tight. There must be no room for doubt. You can’t convict if there is any doubt. Given that you retest and your clean. Too much stigma with a positive result. The decision was correct.
New name: OJ Braun
See later comment
Hey MLB—the Keystone Kops say hello! MLB needs to do better than this…somewhere, the WADA is laughing its head off.
If Braun had admitted it and asked for forgiveness from the fans, I think most of us would have given it if he stayed out of trouble. Now he will be forever known and tarnished as the guy who got off on a technicality. His PR and legal team should be fired for taking such a short-term view. Everyone hates a cheater who gets off.
Why should he have to admit it if in fact he didn’t do anything wrong?
Every report is linking this to a technicality not a clean test.
A tainted sample through procedural error. Explains the unheard of levels of testosterone revealed in the tainted sample- levels more than double the highest results previously recorded.
When you say “A tainted sample through procedural error.”
That sounds like a plausible argument.
Until you read the next sentence which states the ‘procedural error’ was leaving the sample in a sealed container, in a refrigerator, undisturbed for 48 hours.
Synthetic testosterone doesn’t magically appear in urine samples left in the refrigerator.
His testosterone ratio was 20:1. Suspicion begins around 4:1. His test was double that of the highest results ever recorded, and this after his sample goes missing for two days. Seems fishy to me.
Furthermore, by the time the sample had reached the lab, the Ph levels had changed. The sample had deteriorated.
Are you trying to argue that changing the Ph of a urine sample will cause the carbon atoms in the testosterone to change to a different isotope?
Also, athletes have tested 11:1 testosterone to epitestosterone. Some healthy people register 10:1 ratios at times. The point here is that his testosterone was found to be synthetic.
Nice logic. Guilty until proven innocent, then guilty anyway.
When was he proven innocent?
People realize that tests fail all the time right? I bet most people here fail at their job every day. There are people who get tested negative for HIV and actually have it an visa versa. Nothing is perfect. Maybe everyone in this forum should become scientists and create a perfect test and system.
I actually have experience with drug testing procedures and have been involved with testing of several thousand people. Other than a couple of poppy seed tests, which can be easily be dealt with, I know of zero false positives. He did it. Just like OJ.
when did he ever say he used something? find me this quote please!
when did he ever say he used something? find me this quote please!
still not sure when he said this? where did you find this please!
This a complete joke!! We all know if his skin color would have been darker and his last name Bonds this would have never happened. Then again Bonds never failed a test NOT one!! Braun however did fail a test.
I failed a drug test once for eating a poppy seed muffin. Maybe Braun ate a poppy seed muffin…..
Very clever. I will order the steroids muffin tomorrow morning.
MLB Network posting tweets of people claiming Braun was “exonerated”. He wasn’t cleared of all guilt…he got off on a technicality. It’s like any other criminal who showed the Judge that his rights weren’t read properly. In spite of his fans adoration, Braun gets an asterisk from here on out.
Fair enough, I appreciate the thoughtful response.
It really comes down to the MLB making a unacceptable mistake in the course of their testing process, and allowing doubt to slip in where it shouldn’t have been able to. It definitely complicates things, but in a very strict sense it doesn’t “clear his name”.
My sister once got a speeding ticket and complained about it. I said did you speed? Yes. Then stop complaining.
At the end of the day, however, Major League Baseball needs to explain itself. The break in the chain of custody is more disturbing.
I highly doubt OJ Braun would ever end up with Hall of Fame credentials, but this will ensure he will never get in. The voters have been appropriately skeptical of guys who never tested positive, so a cheater who gets off has no hope.
Hmm…this is interesting…I definitely want to hear more, especially about this technicality. I was looking at the schedule yesterday. Games 46-50? Milwaukee @ the Dodgers. Those should be some interesting games…
The reigning NL MVP is the first player to have a suspension successfully overtuned through the appeals process.
Now, we’re right back where we started. Every player who tests positive will come up with some outlandish excuse, half of which will be upheld. We’ve wasted the last 10 years. Just let them cheat….fine. Throw out all the record books, and let the cheaters act like the stat-obsessed babies they are. Williams and DiMaggio must be turning in their graves. Ryan Braun…..you are a cheater!!!!
You gotta love the USA> Getting off on a technicality…..no matter what you did…. is what lawyers look for, and what some people seem to love others doing…which is getting away with it. Why? Beacuse they probably wish they could get away with something themselves.
Braun is guilty but the police forgot to read him his Miranda rights…basically. This is the definition on getting off on a technicality and MLB continues to drop the ball…just right when it looks like they got a hold of it.
Was the arbitrator on the Casey Anthony jury by any chance?
Berr derrp consider yerself lucky to live in a country where the law is expected be upheld to the letter, derp.
O.J. Braun.
Vindicated! Suck it haters!
Vindicated!!???? Are you kiding me??? Look up the definition! He got off on a “technicality”! CHEATER!!!!!
Canseco, Clemons, McGwire, Palmiero, Braun, Manny, ARod………
Braun said today that others were tested on the day he was tested. If Fed X picked all the sample wouldn’t they all be sent to the same place at the same time. In that case , if there was a delay in sending, wouldn’t the other samples be tainted and have the same reading as Braun’s. If the other players sample tested clean, then Braun should have tested clean. If only Braun’s sample was held, then it looks like MLB was trying to cover it up.
You need a hobby bro.
You need a hobby bro.
As a scientist, I send out samples with COCs regularly. If I can’t get a sample to the lab within 24 hours, regulators will not accept the results because the contents can degrade and because lawyers can challenge results. Also, nobody takes samples home to their house and sticks them next to the ketchup. That’s just nuts. My point is that this is much more than a technicality. Its a totally legitamate reason to overturn. I am hard-core against PEDs but I support Braun 100%. And I’m a Mets fan, not Brewers.
“Also, nobody takes samples home to their house and sticks them next to the ketchup.”
Baaahahahahaha. Awesome.
I agree with everything you said, it looks like MLB was trying to mess this sample up so Braun could get off, remember Selig used to own the Brewers. There more than meets the eye here. Similar to spy gate in football, and by the way I think there is more steriod use in football than baseball and has been for many years.The NFL steriod testing is a joke compared to baseball. Let’s remember that steriods started in football, congress just got mad at baseball and zero’d in on them.
Tell me, how the heck would Selig know the results were positive BEFORE it got to Montreal. People mess up…it happens. Or it’s all a conspiracy, like everything in the United States.
Let’s see how his physique looks at the end of the 2012 season compared to the end of his 2011 season.
Lol this is just getting stupid.
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This is quite the trade rumor.
I’m floored by all the media saying that Braun made a convincing argument and “must be innocent” because he made such valid points and with such grace and eloquence. And….how many months did he have to prepare this crock? I could have memorized Hamlet and performed it like Richard Burton with that much prep time.
Whether he was at fault or not, it seems that he did piss what was tested. That being said the guy that took it home broke the rules, leaving Braun a huge loophole which he rightfully took advantage of.
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