Longtime Brewers slugger Ryan Braun formally announced his retirement as a player Tuesday, thanking Brewers fans and the organization in a video announcement shared by the team (on Twitter). Braun didn’t sign with a club last offseason but hadn’t formally retired prior to today.
Now 37 years old, Braun was selected by Milwaukee with the No. 5 overall draft pick out of the University of Miami back in 2005. He was immediately tabbed as one of the game’s top-ranked prospects and would go on to make his big league debut not even two years after being drafted.
Braun hit the ground running, as he led the National League in slugging percentage as a rookie and batted .324/.370/.634 overall en route to narrowly edging out Troy Tulowitzki for National League Rookie of the Year honors. Braun hit 30-plus home runs in each of his first three big league seasons, despite not making his MLB debut until late May in 2007, and received All-Star nods and Silver Slugger Awards each season from 2008-12.
It’s impossible to look back at Braun’s career without remembering the controversy surrounding his 2011 MVP Award. Braun batted .332/.397/.597 with 33 home runs, 38 doubles, six triples and 33 stolen bases that season, eventually being named Most Valuable Player over then-Dodgers superstar Matt Kemp. It was a clear two-horse race, with Braun receiving 20 first-place votes and Kemp, who’d posted a very similar .324/.399/.586 batting line, receiving 10. (Prince Fielder and Justin Upton each received lone first-place votes as well.)
At the time, “Braun or Kemp?” was the type of spirited debate sports fans have relished for years: two elite players at the top of their game posted similar seasons… who was better? Who was more valuable? Not even two months later, that changed. An ESPN report revealed that Braun had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, and he was reported to be facing a 50-game suspension.
As with the majority of players who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Braun appealed the suspension and fought the punishment. In an extreme rarity, however, he indeed had the suspension overturned on something of a technicality. The test collector who’d picked up Braun’s urine sample did not deliver the sample to the lab on time, prompting Braun to question the legitimacy of the result and the collection process.
“There were a lot of things that we learned about the collector, about the collection process, about the way that the entire thing worked, that made us very concerned and very suspicious about what could have actually happened,” Braun said following the appeal.
The identity of the collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr., was leaked and his reputation tarnished — even in spite of a lengthy, detailed statement explaining the delayed nature of the delivery which Laurenzi claimed was in line with MLB protocols.
Less than two years later, Braun was again linked to performance-enhancing drugs — this time for his involvement with the infamous Biogenesis clinic scandal in 2013. Braun eventually received a 65-game suspension — down from the original 100 the league reportedly sought — and did not appeal. He later apologized both privately and publicly to Laurenzi, stating that he “deeply” regretted his comments and his actions in light of the original positive test.
Braun’s production following his suspension notably remained strong — albeit not at its prior levels. Detractors will naturally point to the PED correlation, although Braun would hardly be the first high-level slugger to settle in as an above-average but no-longer-elite bat in his early to mid-30s. From 2014-20, Braun batted .276/.338/.492 and tacked on another 141 home runs to his career totals.
All told, Braun will be remembered fondly by many Brewer fans who were willing to move past the PED scandals but will of course be viewed in a different light by the majority of other fans. He spent 14 years in a Brewers uniform, batting .296/.358/.532 with 1963 hits, 352 home runs, 408 doubles, 49 triples, 216 stolen bases, 1080 runs scored and 1154 runs batted in. Baseball-Reference valued his career at 47.1 wins above replacement, while FanGraphs pegs him at 43.9 WAR.
Good riddance
Amen, I wonder if he ever reimbursed the lab tech.
I’m happy he finally retired. Hope he has peace in his retirement more than he had by his choices during his playing career. People make mistakes, hope he learned something about owning up to his own mistakes in life.
It really is a shame cuz he was a talented young player coming up. With the hitting and fielding skills he had, he didn’t need to take anything and could very well be playing out his last couple years on a high note. I know that not everyone is Nelson Cruz or Bartolo but Braun could’ve potentially made it a little longer. Gotta sting seeing the Brewers really throw down this season and not be a part of it. Even more if they win it all. Could’ve possibly had a story book ending.
Don’t do drugs, kids.
A better message is, don’t throw others under a bus to save yourself.
dug that’s the best message.
I don’t know. It’s worked pretty well for A-Roid.
I dont consider destroying the career and image of a working person a “mistake” Braun is the disease.
He is actually a good friend of mine now.
Scumbag human
Let the hate flow, I almost wish this wasn’t posted. I don’t know what Braun got involved with, but he obviously isn’t the only cheater out there.
I feel sadness for his family.
I think his $155M will make them feel better.
Yea, it’s all about money
Why don’t you hop aboard the easy train bhambrave, & not think about family, you don’t think they feel something?
You’re right. My bad. They didn’t choose for their dad/husband/brother/son to be a cheater.
cheating is one thing. slander is another.
He lied about some guy making 30K a year trying to save his ass, then got caught and suspended. He deserves no sadness or pity
The dude threw someone else under the bus in a weak attempt to save his own ass, but yeah, his poor family.
No worse a cheater than Jose Altuve or Gaylord Perry.
@toy
much MUCH worse
Exactly. Much worse. He threw a regular guy, just like most of us on these boards, under the bus … AND .. he has still never apologized to that man publicly. His ridiculous apology was only to the fans, Brewers, and MLB. Not once has he apologized to a man who lost his job, his income, and method of supporting his loved ones. Not ONCE.
He is the absolute worst PED user of them all. Most of the other jokers lied, but I don’t recall any of them throwing someone under the bus like Braun and his attorneys did. They should be doing jail time or paying that man $10+million.
Roger Clemens pointed PED use to his wife.
Wonder if that postal worker retired today too…good riddance to Braun.
And he’ll always be remembered for lying about that employee and steroids. Way to taint his own legacy. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out : )
Yep, the cheating is one thing, but throwing some random guy under the bus to cover up his cheating made me dislike this guy.
Exactly. Who does he think he is, Tom Brady?
Big difference.
The equipment managers DID deflate the footballs, never lost their jobs (short suspension but still got paid), and he did apologize to the ‘group’ at least..
This courier did nothing wrong at all, lost his job, lost his credibility despite a review that said he followed protocol, and never received a mention during the apology.
Maybe you were joking, but I wanted to point it out. I still greatly disliked Brady for it at the time, but it’s funny how later reports showed footballs at almost every NFL game were under-inflated. To me, the NFL as a whole was looking the other way to juice up offenses .. more similar to the juiced baseball’ nonsense.
Why so late in the year? This was inevitable when he didn’t re-sign with the brewers or any other team.
Because that’s the only way he will get to participate in this magical Brewers season after all those years being the face of the team. Pure ego play.
He was probably waiting until September(deadline to add players eligible for the playoff rosters) before making his decision. There ARE teams that would’ve been interested in him, but, the giants for example, found luck in guys like Yaz and Darin Ruf and LaMonte Wade.
Proving you CAN find Major League talent at a bargain price from guys that would do anything for their MLB dream, if you go through enough Drew Stubbs’ and Tyler Austin’s and Aaron Altherr’s and Michael Reed’s and Joey Rickard’s and…
Definitely. The cubs have found quite a few bargin bin players themselves. Patrick Wisdom, Frank Swindel, Rafael Ortega. You don’t always need to give a guy 30 mil a year to be productive.
Those players are doing well and I am really happy for them. Remember, there is no pressure to win,they have nothing to lose. Before they are deemed successful, let’s see next year how they preform under pressure to win and the league adapted to them.
So by your logic, the 2019 Nationals, 2018 Red Sox, 2016 Cubs, and 2015 Royals weren’t successful since they didn’t play as well the following year?
If the Giants win their division, they were successful.
I don’t think anyone was coming near this guy.
I can’t imagine why he would wait. I mean he wasn’t on the Brewers active roster was he? He hit full pension years ago. Why wait until now? But I agree that he’s got a rep for trying to manipulate things in his favor.
He’s coming to the last home game to be adored by the fans. That day should be for the current players, not him. What a scumbag.
I hope they boo him so loud Miller Park shakes(I’m not calling Murrican Family Field)
See you SCUM BAG. Now go pay the guy you LIED about.
Bugger off, Braun.
Now give Matt Kemp his MVP….
Lmao ooof I remember that. You right you right. Kemp was a triple crown threat for a minute…
Nah. He had an excuse. The lab was closed only for that weekend.So it’s a good excuse. Lol. Honestly if it took more than 3 days to test the urine then either ask for another sample or get a hair test. You can manipulate a hair test.
That should have been done years ago. Kemp deserved it and should be recognized as such.
And Tull the ROY.
So is he required to wait 5 years before he can be elected to the Baseball Hall of Shame?
He’s already in.
and no one is sad…..nice legacy he left but he got his money and attempted to ruin an honest person’s reputation. I’m sure deep down inside, his parents are very proud of who Ryan Braun became but they’re probably blinded by his riches.
I think Matt Carpenter should also consider this route.
He said today that he wants to play one more season…
What Carpenter wants and what he gets will be two different things. No way unless he has a contract with St Louis.
Don’t get me wrong I love carp and and greatful for what he has done but last 3 years haven’t been kind to him and his bat has slowed down he can’t even catch up to a 90mph fastball. Honestly he should retire.
Enjoy yourself Ryan, true legend of the game. Dominated with his power for a decade. Truly a stand-up guy, a prime example that all stars should be motivated to become just like him.
A “stand up guy?”
I hope you mean that he can physically stand up because there is no way you could mean “stand up” in the sense that he has integrity of some kind and tells the truth.
I’m guessing there was a health dose of sarcasm there.
if the guy can stand up, I consider him a good guy.
Did you hear a whooosh go over your head when typing that 😉
And still . . . he was a heckuva player.
Was he? How much was him and how much was PEDs? We’ll never know.
Look at his 2015/16 seasons, already at 31/32 years old and after the biogenesis/steriod scandal, inflate them a little for his mid/late 20’s when guys generally peak and I don’t know if PED’s did all that much. Kept him healthier and on the field, yes. Think that was more of it, he didn’t bulk up or anything ala Bonds/Sosa.
Last chance for all you idiots to spew about his transgressions. He was a great player regardless.
People will hate just to hate. PEDs can’t help you hit a baseball. Hit it further, yes. Hit it at an MLB elite level, no. Hitting a baseball thrown 95+ is the single hardest thing to do in sports. Braun, Bonds, Sosa, etc all cheated, but all were still elite players before cheating.
It’s all relative perspective though.
This is correct. PEDs are not a magic potion that turns replacement players in to MLB all stars.
However, I think the hate for Braun comes more from how he handled the situation, how he ruined an innocent mans life in the process and failed to accept responsibility for his actions. All justified in my opinion.
Agreed, just like Clemens claiming the PEDs were for his wife.
Exactly, Dusty. He was set to deny the allegations until his last breath, but the evidence became insurmountable. While he was still talented, PEDs still contributed to larger contract dollars and awards which he got to keep. Meanwhile Laurenzi undoubtedly suffered financially and his reputation was tarnished. The first two commenters clearly don’t get it – no one cares how much or how little PEDs affected the guy’s game. Ryan Braun ruined a man’s life – this is the reason he shouldn’t be celebrated.
I haven’t followed what happened to the postal worker guy but how was his life ruined? I get that at the time it must have been an extremely difficult period of his life but did something happen as a result of this to ruin his whole life?
Peyton Manning as well (wife, steroids)-the fact that Peyton isn’t seen as the real scumbag he is disturbs me to no end
Hey fezzik. Right away Braun and his team of course accused him of mishandling the sample, which reflected on his job performance and essentially made the overturned suspension solely his responsibility. Not life ruining, I get told I suck at my job all the time, but definitely a huge red flag on him and still something that will follow the man forever. But one of the worst claims was that Braun said he and his team discovered evidence that the man was anti-Semitic and, with Braun being Jewish, claimed this was one of the reasons of the “tampered with” sample. Braun of course later said this was false. Purely despicable, just to protect him and his reputation. Such a disgusting, selfish move.
Well said. Did he do a bunch wrong yes he and he paid his price. Yes he was suspended. Will he ever make the HOF probably not but definitely will be talked about. Probably more then the HOFers. I honestly can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same to help my team in a pennant race.
Well said. Did he do a bunch wrong yes he and he paid his price. Yes he was suspended. Will he ever make the HOF probably not but definitely will be talked about. Probably more then the HOFers. I honestly can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same to help my team in a pennant race. Also his biggest punishment is still to come as he will have to explain to his kids what he did. That alone will be the worse thing to do to whatever any of us say
Being able to hit a baseball further, or harder, is a big deal in baseball, as well as being able to recover more quickly from injuries. Building up muscle faster, which you get to keep after you quit doping, doesn’t hurt either.
PED’s were and remain a blight to baseball. That kind of cheating really should not be shrugged off.
Mountain Dew, PED’s, and three wishes from Kazaam magically almost made Mike Marjama a MVP contender. Why not Braun?
He won an MVP award though…..
Dale Murphy won two…
Sosa was not elite before cheating. His stats didn’t take off until the complete transformation.
Sosa, Palmeiro and to a lesser degree McGwire I feel owe their entire careers to steroids.
Peyton Manning as well
Sammy Sosa 1989 6’0 160. Sammy Sosa 1998 6’0” 225. Sosa his 1989-1992 (his first 4 seasons) 1013 at bats 37 combined home runs. Without PED’s Sammy Sosa would only be remembered by hard core Cubs fans. Sosa was nothing without PED’s. Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire and Palmiero on the other hand would probably been HOF without PED’s but got greedy and will probably be blacklisted. As they should be.
Mac was wildly jacked. his career was 100% steriods.
The one difference is Sosa and Braun were both liars and cheaters. The Cubs won’t let Sosa back in Wrigley, the Brewers are have a grand send off. Just shows how some organizations can be accountable for mistakes and have class and how others can’t.
Ah yes the Cubs have so much class and integrity. They wouldn’t trade for a well-known wife beater for the sake of breaking a nonsense curse.
Every organization will do anything they can to win, and deny knowledge afterward. Cubs knew about Sosa, Cards knew about McGwire, Brewers knew about Braun. It’s literally the coaches job to monitor the players and keep them healthy.
Get your head out of the sand, accept that your club is as bad as everyone else’s, and stop being a tribalistic juvenile.
Matt the PEDs are one thing. Destroying, based upon outright lies, the livelihood of an innocent person places this on a whole other level.
And almost 100 percent under La Russa.
Hit it further and faster so you get far better results than you should. That’s the definition of cheating.
And not every cheater was elite before cheating. I’d hardly call David Ortiz’s run in Minn. “elite” by any stretch. He turned into a monster, complete with huge head, after he tested positive in 2003.
Plenty of guys we can’t even name right now tested positive. None of them were elite.
Players also get better with mechanical adjustments, approach adjustments etc. Can’t just chalk it all up to peds
That was until Ortiz picked up a bat.
“He was just a kid that we didn’t really know anything about, and here he was competing with the big boys and just crushing balls,” Wilson said. “He was hitting balls out of the ballpark. He really opened a lot of eyes that day.”
“It was so fun to just watch all of them interact,” Birling said. “When it started, it was all about Griffey and A-Rod, but as it went along, you could almost feel the crowd kind of shift and they were getting more excited for Big Papi.”
Gary Horcher, a local sports reporter at the time, was on the field covering the event and said that after one of Ortiz’s moonshots he heard Rodriguez say, “Look at that guy. I ain’t got a chance.”
The admiration didn’t stop there. Birling recalled hearing Rodriguez also say that the team should bring Ortiz “back to the Kingdome” with them.
“It really speaks to what he did that day,” Wilson said. “When you’re just a Minor League kid and you have an entire Major League coaching staff and roster in front of you, you’re going to want to impress them. I’m sure that’s a big part of what he was thinking, and that’s exactly what he did. He really showed what he could do and that raw power that he had … and especially with the Kingdome and that short porch in right there, I’m sure more than one person was thinking, ‘Let’s take this kid with us.'”
The dimensions of Fox Cities Stadium are 325 feet down each foul line and 400 feet to dead center.
“I can’t say this for sure, but people were saying he hit balls that landed on the highway that was beyond right field,” Birling said. “I don’t know, but he was hitting bombs without a doubt.”
For all of the awe in the ballpark that day, one person who wasn’t shocked by Ortiz’s performance was Tinoco, his teammate and fellow derby participant.
“That was his game,” said Tinoco, a scout for the Yankees in Venezuela. “I knew Papi back in [the Dominican Republic]. We started our careers together there and that’s just what he always did — he hit bombs.”
So Ortiz shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame because someone saw his name on a list of 104, most of whose names were never divulged? Really? That’s the evidence? You know why most of the other names were never divulged? No. Do you know why Ortiz name was divulged? No. But I can say that’s total BS. Tell me all the names and then Ortiz can live with it. Hide names and you can’t use that as evidence. Where is the damn list? And why don’t we know all the names? It’s mere hearsay. inadmissible and useless. I’m not defending Ortiz. But the reason everyone says he used PED’s is lame. Sorry..
Ortiz admitted to getting sent his test results in the mail several times per year. You only get sent results when you test positive.
Ortiz head doubled in size. His frame increased dramatically.
He used the same PED peddling doctor as Alex Rodgriguez, out of the Boston medical network.
So between the positive test, his own admission, his choice of Dr., and his dramatic physical changes, yes, he’s a roid freak who does not belong in the Hall.
His head “doubled I size???” No way
PEDs can, apparently, help you trash the reputation of an innocent person.
Maybe they did but Bonds and Sosa were never busted for PEDs
Sammy was caught using a corked bat though.
Yeah, he claimed it was just a BP bat.
Corked bat? Big deal. How many doctored balls did HOF Gaylord Oerry and Don Sutton throw?
Bonds admitted to using “the cream and the clear”. Sosa and Bonds didn’t just magically gain 80 pounds of muscle either.
Balco had records of Bonds injecting.
And why does no one care about Perry and Sutton cheating but everyone’s chest gets puffed up about PEDs?
A little before my time. Also, if the umps and the HOF didn’t care, who am I to get offended?
You’ve obviously never tried curling….much more difficult than trying to hit a baseball…..
Lol
Jai Alai, most dangerous than getting hit in the head with a 90mph+ fastball.
I don’t dislike the guy just because he did PED’s. Or at all
It’s what he did to try to save face. Nelson Cruz isn’t far behind…
Sports fans have shown that being contrite and owning your bad decision can promote forgiveness. Big Papi and Andy Pettit are examples.
It doesn’t make it “okay”, but their reaction to being caught with steroids matters.
So there’s the good way and the bad way to react.
Braun chose the bad way.
Yes he sure did choose the bad way. For the last 8 years though he has pretty much kept his head down and been a good player and teammate. I don’t blame anyone for disliking the guy but I think some of the hate is overblown. It’s not like he pulled a Julio Machado and killed someone
That’s a pretty low bar you’ve set.
it means a lot less to be a good guy after the damage has been done.
he just trashed some guy who makes probably 30k a year to save his 150M+. It’s really not overblown
If you really cared about the man Braun wronged, you’d try to help him. Send him some money or even just an encouraging message. No one in this comment section has probably ever tried that.
Hate is fueled by jealousy, fear and self-pity. If you hate someone you don’t know, you’re looking for an excuse to feel better about yourself. We’re all guilty of it.
Acknowledge the true reason you hate someone and you’ll feel better.
Mattime009 must be a salty hyper-defensive Brewers fan
One fine player and human being great humanitarian looked out for the people of Milwaukee. All the haters are going to continue to hate until it eats away at their soul Ryan Braun was one fine athlete and human being and the record speaks for itself he will pray for your souls if you still have one
No one thinks about Ryan Braun, except when articles come out about him. He’s already been relegated to the dustbin of baseball history.
He tried to ruin someone else, to take the blame off of himself. If/when someone does that to you, let me know it feels.
– – – Ryan Braun’s mother has entered the chat – – –
(Great name Mrs. Braun)
Everyone will be giddy when David Ortiz hits the hall of fame ballot this year. Another user that everyone just ignores.
Would he be the first player in with a known failed drug test? Bagwell, Piazza and Pudge are all but certain to have juiced but I don’t think they ever failed a test
This is a terrible take. Bagwell openly admitted to using the “cream and clear” when it was legal to use in MLB. Why Piazza, because he hit HRs during the steroid era?
Piazza admitted to using androstenedione before it was illegal. Just do a web search and you’ll see. He didn’t break the rules at the time but it’s now known to give an edge so why should he be in? Either none in or all good enough players in and Bonds and Clemens were light years better than those three.
Plenty of guys admitted to using Andro because it was available at GNC. Doesn’t mean they weren’t also using something else, but the side effects of Andro and traditional steroids were similar.
Something isn’t a crime if it wasn’t illegal when you did it
It’s not about being a crime it’s about he used PEDs
it’s not ex post facto if it’s not a law…
Hah hah
Not a fan of Ortiz, but at least he didn’t throw anyone else under the bus.
@bhambrave For me with Braun I honestly can care less about PEDs as long he doesn’t get in before Bonds (which won’t happen). It’s getting that man fired to cover his butt…effing coward.
@Gmen: Agreed.
Also for thinking that people were stupid enough to believe him.
He literally thought fans of baseball were so dumb that they’d believe the testing guy framed him and that he was completely innocent of all charges. All because he was famous and the testing guy wasn’t.
Really came off as a super scummy person.
I wont be giddy. This is an exaggeration to make a point for those that believe the Hall of Fame is a museum.
Should Hitler belong in a WWII Hall of Fame museum? He was the central WWII figure. His accomplishments were immense.
Piazza, Bagwell and Pudge don’t belong in the Hall of Fame, however, unlike Ortiz, they didn’t test positive for PEDs. I guess that’s how people with no discernment can justify voting for Bagwell and not voting for Bonds.
Zero evidence of Bagwell using steroids, your opinion in the surface appears to be an anti-Astros stance. He’s one of the greatest 1B to ever play the game and a top 50 offensive player ever. Those are facts.
Bonds was a HOFer before he ever juiced. Fact. Piazza is quite arguably the greatest offensive catcher ever. Was also very solid defensively for several years. These players were among the greatest ever, not just their decade(s).
How do you know when Bonds first juiced? Up until age 25 he was nowhere close to being the hitter that he later became. He had an OPS of .777 at age 24, his 4th season in the league, which is obviously well below the trajectory of most all-time great hitters. Then all of a sudden his production took a huge spike forward and he lead the league in OPS for 4 years in a row. Then he had another huge spike forward later in his career, when many say is when he started.
But maybe he just hid his PED use better before BALCO. And maybe the latter jump was because of increased dosage and working out more. It’s just very hard to tell. Once you know someone cheated for years and lied about it for years, you can’t really know when they started doing so and how much of their success is attributable to the cheating.
Obviously the guy was talented. I’m just not willing to say he was a HOFer without PEDs without knowing for a fact when he started using.
It’s because Bonds and Clemens weren’t good with the media. Regardless of PEDs Bonds is a top five hitter of all time and Clemens was more than likely a top ten pitcher. If you’re going to have Piazza, Bagwell and Pudge in I see no logical reason Bonds and Clemens shouldn’t be in because there’s as much evidence they used and they weren’t nearly as good.
MLB wasn’t able to pin PEDs on Bonds were they?
The BALCO and MLB testing records reflected Bonds’ use of multiple doping substances, from 2001 through 2006, including injectable anabolic steroids, injectable human growth hormone, post cycle therapy drugs and amphetamines.
ESPN, “The San Francisco Chronicle reports Bonds admitted receiving “cream” and “clear” substances from his personal trainer during the 2003 baseball season, but denied he knew they were steroids during his testimony Dec. 4, 2003, to a federal grand jury.”
Literally everybody from that era used. I’d be shocked if even 20% of the league was clean. Yes, a lot of your favorite players who are in the hall have cheated. It’s not just those one or two big powerful sluggers lmao.
Piazza, Bagwell and Pudge are already in.
Yep, and so are any number of guys who have no ties whatsoever to PED’s but we’re definitely on them. You could pick any name from that era and I’d have a hard time believing they were clean just due to the sheer number of guys who were on them.
Everyone keeps talking about “that era”, LISTEN TO ME: 1977 HS Baseball team, “hey, skinny kid, you got a good arm and are athletic, want something that will help…?” 1977.
David Ortiz didn’t ruin a man’s life. You’re missing the big picture.
Like hell. I still remember that damn grand slam that slob hit against the Tigers.
Ortiz ruined plenty of people’s live…..
Correct. There’s the unwritten character clause that causes baseball writers to pause on certain players. Many say a guy like Ty Cobb would have a hard time getting a HOF vote today. He was a douchebag that nobody liked. Ryan Braun is a douchebag that nobody likes. I don’t think he has HOF numbers anyway.
Ortiz, on the other hand, has HOF numbers, is liked by all/most, is a face of the game, and was contrite when admitting to steroid use. He’s not a slam dunk for the HOF, but has a decent shot.
David Ortiz should not realistically make the HOF
the Hall’s first real challenge. I hope the voters don’t cave.
First real challenge? I’d say Bonds+Clemens are much larger “stances against PED’s” than Ortiz will be
I also want to add the lack of PED knowledge is so hilarious amongst MLB fans.
For me it’s not the PEDs it’s him lying and getting that postal worker fired for no reason. Nobody can twist that for me he’s a dirtbag.
@Gmen777, totally fair. Braun as a person can easily be considered suspect.
On the field PEDs or not he was a heck of a player, but for all the crap Bonds and Clemens get about character this guy was so much worse with that whole incident.
well said Gmen777
Exactly.
Good riddance jerk.
Good riddance to that lowlife lying sack of camel dung, a bug-eyed freak.
LOL bug eyed. Dude does have those nocturnal marsupial peepers.
Well, his herpes will never retire.
It would be hilarious if Braun starts a second career as a writer for MLB Trade Rumors.
If he ever writes for MLBTR, they’ll have to close comments on all of his articles.
Hey Brauny, we want a true expose’ based on your life and career. Call it “He Hate Me: My Life As A Douchebag.” Have it to us by Thursday. Thanks.
Matt Kemp.
His PED deception netted me some free tickets and a drink voucher 7 years ago, so thanks Brauny! Also always got a kick out of all the folks who duct taped an F and D over the B and N on the back of their Braun jerseys.
Pete Rose. Let him in. Roger Clemons. Let him in. Mark McGwire. Let him in. Sammy Sosa. Let him in.
Feel like you did it intentionally but zero chance McGwire or Sosa get in before Bonds
No. Bonds too. And there may be others.
The Hall of Fame is a museum of the history of baseball. Good or bad this era was part of the history of baseball.
If Bonds, Sosa, or McGwire topped out at say, 58 home runs, in a season and never passed Roger Maris they would all be in by now. The each passed the most glorified record in the sport and ended up roasted for it. Once they turned “62” on the stat sheet they became sitting ducks.
PEDs or not—if Bonds ended with 625 homers, Sosa 530, McGwire 530 they’d all be in.
It’s one thing to take steroids to gain a competitive edge, but it’s quite another to have another person fired in order to cover up his transgressions. I sincerely hope he’s made amends to that individual.
My soul is just fine. braun is a punk. There is a sorrow for Mil. fans as they had no choice.
As frisco fans for basketball head.
PED users are thieves, they steal from other people. They steal from pitchers, teams, fans and more. They do it for their own benefit.
But it terms of scum, Braun tops all the other cheaters.. Throwing out false allegations all along knowing he himself was cheat was extraordinarily scummy.
Good riddance.
I personally felt defrauded every time Braun had one of his clockwork 3 HR games vs the Phillies. at least when David Wright did it you knew it was out of skill. the narrative designed to downplay the effects of PEDs is just disgusting.
All the holier than thou commenters are out in force today. Glass houses folks.
That’s the price you pay for trying to ruin another person’s life, like the dude was a commoner, and who cares if he is the one to pay the price.
Braun gets his $150,000,000 and commoner loses everything.
That’s what the internet is for. I for one don’t blame players for taking PEDs. Sometimes it’s the difference between minimum wage and millions of dollars for themselves and their family. I don’t support it, and I do consider it cheating, but I can get the justification behind it. What I don’t understand is Braun lying to the point that a postal worker’s career was put in jeopardy. I absolutely cannot understand that. But like you say, glass houses. Who am I to judge? Just an idiot on a keyboard.
Best comment in this thread by far. Everyone here takes themselves too seriously.
Personally I doubt anyone here actually cares about that postal worker.
Did anyone send him some money to help with unemployment?
How about sending a letter of encouragement, or a simple message over the internet?
“Thoughts and Prayers” don’t pay the bills.
But alas, I am also just an idiot on a keyboard.
Yeah I never lied and got someone’s reputation ruined and job on the line. So, yeah I can tell Braun to get bent.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life and I own every one. I was raised to take responsibility for my failures and learn from them. I was also raised very blue collar.
So to see a multimillionaire get a blue collar guy fired to avoid taking responsibility for his mistake will never sit well with me.
Braun and the postal worker, Brady and the deflator guy. Jerks.
Agreed. If I did what Braun did in avoiding responsibility for his actions, my momma would rise up from the grave and slap me silly for embarrassing her. You fess up when you mess up.
So what’s one serious mistake you made? You said you’d own up right?
Tell me one and I’ll tell you one of mine.
The glass houses argument is so stupid in this case. People who pretend ‘no sin is greater than another’ are full of crap. He could have just claimed to not know why the test came back positive, like most other players who deny, but he was on a crusade to clear himself and the collector was in his way.
given the amount of money he cost pitchers by hitting juiced bombs off of them, the money paid by fans to watch a fraud, and the money paid by opposing fans to watch an unfair game…yeah, I feel comfortable saying I havent done anything that bad.
At least he eventually tried to do the right thing, admitted fault, and made amends with the man who’s reputation he tarnished. That’s all I can say for him.
After he ruined someone’s life. Sorry, jerk emeritus.
chetslemons
and made amends with the man who’s reputation he tarnished.
========================================
I didn’t realize that. How much money did he give him? $1M? $2M?
Adios scumbag.
Good riddance, jerk. No one will miss you.
Great career Ryan, now you can join your brother Lloyd in Frank Costanza’s garage to sell computers!
The cheating in an era it was common was one thing. The indignant and self-righteous lying about it is what really turned off a lot of fans. As with with Rafael Palmeiro or Lance Armstrong.
Man seems like not to
Long ago I picked him up as a rookie on my
Fanty team
Braun is just an exemplar for an era. Probably a very good player who became somewhat better with PEDS. He couldn’t have been that great without the PEDS, or the basic talent. Eventually MLB will come to a resting point on evaluating the era and more on He wasn’t HOF quality just based on stats alone (47.1 BWAR, JAWS shows him 25th among Left Fielders. Maybe, if he hadn’t used and got suspended he would have added to his totals enough to make him more qualified, but he didn’t and he isn’t.
Hate has always been in baseball. Who doesn’t hate the Yankees but love their history. My first show of hate was when Rose barreled over my Indian favorite Ray Fosse and in effect ended his career. Sad thing about that was I was a Red fan too. Hate though although easy to say is quite an exaggeration when it comes to baseball and sports in general. Hate is definitely more realistic when it comes to politics.
I dont believe we can judge anyone whose shoes we haven’t walked in. However I can say the shabby treatment of the postal worker was heart breaking.
The San Diego Chicken and Pirates Parrot definitely use ‘roids. Look at the size of those birds!!!!
(´◉◞⊖◟◉｀)
Have you seen the Texas Rangers “Captain” doing one armed pushups!!!
Have you seen how big Mr. Redleg’s head is? I’d say he’s using, too.
Mr Mets dome was measured a tad larger than Barry Bonds (just a few inches). I call foul.
The debate about whether PED use will keep Braun out of the Hall of Fame is disregarding one key element: He wasn’t a Hall of Fame calibre player anyway. Those career stats put him squarely in the Hall of Very Good, alongside Paul Konerko, Johnny Damon, etc, but they don’t put him among the greats of the game. If he’d played a premium defensive position (and played it well), then maybe, but at 3B/LF, he just doesn’t cut it. The PED stuff is just the nail in the coffin of his Hall of Fame chances.
Just finished reading the link on the urine collection process. It seems that the collector followed correct protocol for the samples. Why would MLB overturn Braun’s suspension? What was the technicality Ryan talked of concerning the lab delivery when the process was allegedly correctly followed????
Braun had good lawyers, and the collector’s company and MLB didn’t back him up. It’s easier to sacrifice the little guy than the star.
yep, Das might be the best sports arbiter to ever live. look at the magic he preformed to help Tom Wilson out in the NHL years back.
Let’s be honest, Kemp deserved the NL MVP more then and even more today. His numbers were superior overall in comparison to Braun’s (despite the pharmaceutical boost Braun had).
40-40 to me is the hardest achievement in baseball, and the fact that Soriano (and Kemp if he just was a tad better) was the only one to do it wothout credible or proven PED allegations shows just how special that feat is. we ask if the triple crown is an insta-MVP, when it’s 40-40 that should be the gold standard.
100%
My gut says Kemp was juicing too. He fell off the planet when players started getting popped.
Once a cheater always a cheater! Baseball won’t miss this guy
Summing up all the above….Braun is an ass!
Braun threw some innocent guy under the bus in an attempt to save his own reputation when he was busted for the juice.
Yeah, bye bye scumbag.
One of the problems with the Mitchell investigation was that he got minimal cooperation. He also had connections in MLB, so he tended to not dig into what the teams were doing, just the players. His sources were mostly limited to a few suppliers, and they just talked about their circles. Probably every team had its suppliers, but they weren’t identified or interviewed. There were a few Braves I suspect of juicing, for example, but their names weren’t mentioned.
Justice and Sheffield probably.
I also wondered about Javy. His physical transformation was profound. Justice and Sheffield were mentioned in the Mitchell Report, by the way.
Braun was a great baseball player who tarnished his reputation. However, I’m still amazed by the many here whose comments indicate they live in glass houses. The man made a mistake. Holding that against him serves no appreciable purpose in life. Forgive lest if ye not how can you expect to be forgiven?
He revealed a pretty serious character flaw when he tanked the collector. That’s why he is especially vilified.
Enjoyed watching Braunie, could care less about PED, sure the majority use them. Tell me it’s “normal” for so many pitchers to to throw 95+ pitches
He gets to retire, while that poor lab tech was fired due to Braun’s lying. Good riddence!
Don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.
So funny the continued hate towards Braun. The guys that got caught as mentioned Ortiz, etc., were guilty. They didn’t win their case in front of an arbitrator. So naturally they would try to make amends with the fans.
Braun won his case something that is supposed to be behind closed doors sealed and locked away. But ESPN upped and leaked that he won. Made it Braun tested positive for PEDs. Get mad he threw that guy under the bus. It was the defense that led to him winning. Should Braun apologize to the fans for testing positive and using PEDs at that speech? Like HA HA MLB I totally did Peds and got away with it! But fans seriously I regret having done them, I’m most certainly going to struggle to play 135games a season from here on out without using them? Braun just restated what happened that lead to him winning the Arb case having tested positive for peds. That guy messed up maybe purposely and it led to the story Braun gave to the fans what he did. Braun isn’t the guy who ruined that guy’s life. ESPN leaking a story that wasn’t to be told was. Just look at all the BS that goes on among ESPN employees. But go on blame the wrong guy.
I blame Braun.
That’s a lot of words to waste in defense of a dirtbag like Braun, and I’m not buying it. Basically you’re saying it’s all okay because of a technicality.
Personally, I feel Braun is one of the worst of the PED users. Glad he’s gone. I hope someone gets him fired from his next job, whatever that may be.
He banked $155M. He doesn’t need another job.
If he’s out in public 20 years from now (somewhere other than Milwaukee) and someone recognizes him, they’ll say “there goes the guy who threw that guy under the bus”. That’s his legacy.
But, no one will recognize him. He’ll be forgotten by December.
A Milwaukee apologist who, like his favorite player, can’t accept accountability. Pathetic
Wow you need help
He was a coward. That’s the nicest thing I have to say about Braun.
Yeah, what he did was awful. Though, I am sure (or at least hope) he would have handled things differently if he could go back and change his actions.
yeah, most people would do that knowing in hindsight they’d get caught.
Wow. Just gloss over how Braun ruined Laurenzi’s reputation by slandering him as an antisemite
Ride off into the sunset with the juice money you foon!
Do people actually believe Braun was alone in using the collector as the scapegoat? Like, you seriously don’t even consider the possibility that someone within the organization not only knew what was going on, but spoonfed him the whole tainted sample defense?
Not denying he royally effed up, but no way was he smart enough to do that with only the help of his attorney. I think its quite possible every major name from the dugout (coaches, manager) to the front office (GM, assistants, etc) to the owner were aware of it, and helped plan the whole thing.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the team were in on it, but we only know what we know. Innocent until proven guilty, and all that.
I’m not sure what difference that makes. I outright believe that Cashman told Giambi to go back on the PEDs, but it was Giambi’s decision to do so. So someone suggested that he frame the delivery man, but Braun still had to do so.
Braun has no get-out-of-jail-free cards. The canard that we have all made mistakes, and that Braun is no different, doesn’t work. I’ve made mistakes, but I have never sought to blame someone else for them.
Like I said, Braun effed up.
I just find it odd that everyone normally find facts that aren’t there (I’ll go ahead and reference the ongoing Rodgers saga..) and believe anything and everything from anyone (the Schlereth trade that didn’t actually happen..) but nobody seems to have brought up the possibility of this situation involving others within the organization?
Just surprised is all.
What difference would the involvement of others make, re: Braun? Do you think it lessens his culpability?
I was hoping Braun was waiting until after it was decided if the DH would come to NL.
Braun was great and will be remembered for his contributions in Milwaukee, on and off the field.
He was great until he got off the stuff. After that, he was mostly pretty good.
He’ll be remembered as a cheater
Next stop, HALL OF FAME! Incredible career, one of the best to ever play the game!
Next stop Hall of Shame Braun doesn’t deserve the Baseball Hall of Fame
He buying a ticket? Lol.
Sarcasm! Nice!
I know you’re being sarcastic, but I don’t get why some people are saying he has HOF numbers. He has like 350 HRs, high on base and career .296 BA but hit over .300 only once in the last 8 years (.305). Hasn’t hit 100 RBIs since 2012. I know his career WAR was around 47 but even taking out the douchebag persona, I don’t see a viable HOF discussion..?
The cheater will never get into the Hall of Fame because he not only got caught cheating twice but he destroyed a man’s reputation after he was caught the 1st time cheating. Braun should have been stripped of the NL MVP because he cheated to get the award
Regardless of PEDS, his numbers are not good enough for the Hall Of Fame. I say this as a Brewer Fan ever since the team arrived in Milwaukee! Thank you for apologising,and your career! Enjoy your retirement to the Brewer HOF and the Hall of very Good!
Cheating, and then sacrificing an innocent man, are way more than enough to enable one to characterize Ryan as a lowlife, low character poor excuse of a “human being”.
How does that compare to Ozuna of the Braves who judy agreed to 3-6 month Domestic Violence counseling in conjunction with criminal charges spring out of threatening to kill his wife, placing his hands around her neck and then throwing her against a wall in a fit of anger? Curious as this site just a few days ago posted about Ozuna,
Not judy but just
You have an obsession with Ozuna. Get over it. He’s a scumbag too.
You have an obsession with me and my posts. If you don’t like my posts skip em. You have justified the Braves keeping him because they would lose a ton of $$. Get over yourself.
That’s not what I said and you know it. I said it was a decision they’d have to make, and it is. I really don’t care about you one way or the other, but you keep bringing Ozuna up in unrelated threads. That’s a little strange.
Exactly what you said about retaining him.
More strange is that you posted basically the seams thing about Braun on subthread after subthread. Did you have a personal run in with Ryan? Sure sounds like you have a personal ax to grind.
So now you’re analyzing all of my posts in a thread? Weird.
Yes, Braun throwing the guy under the bus was deplorable but that whole era was suspect. PED’s don’t make average players HOF’s. Not that Braun is but Bonds and Clemens will never see the hall. They were great before it became rampant. PED’s keep guys on the field. Muscle recovery. Sure would be nice to see all current players healthy and playing (except for Tommy John or broken bones). The problem is kids and minor leaguers taking unregulated crap. Unsafe
Lou I doubt that his abuse of PEDs is the reason so there is so much animus directed towards him. It was how he dealt with his transgression including his lies about the urine sample. Similar to why AROD is so reviled by many. He should never make it to the hall either.
Admit it like a man instead trying to cop out. I would 100% understand if he came out in 2011 and said “I had a calf injury I was trying to heal.” We all know athletes use PEDs, it’s not about that. It’s about him having horrible morals.
One of the biggest, Cheating POS that has ever played the game. Why are you wasting our time reporting this garbage.
Good luck Brauny! You’ll always be the guy who cheated a little for Milwaukee instead of against us (like 1/2 of the rest of baseball). Folks, 1/2 or more of baseball (and almost all of football) was taking roids in the 90s & 2000s, owners wanted it, it was how you kept up. I love Bud for bringing baseball to Milwaukee, but he either got duped or looked the other way.
Braun is gone. Wouldn’t doubt if Rodgers is gone from green Bay next year. Kinda funny that they’re each other’s doppelganger. So long Ryan Rodgers(maybe), see you later A-Aron Braun
Apples and oranges
Rodgers is a diva and overrated, but not the terrible person that Braun is
Blame Cora for cheating all you want, but when you lie about messing with your body and using performance enhancing drugs, that’s the real cheating. Not to biased, I consider Manny Ramirez to be on this list too.
Funny how Brewers are actually winning without Braun… I love it.
People wouldn’t even care about the positive test to this extreme if it was once and he blamed it on a mistaken internet supplement. Throwing another person under the bus is why he’s hated.
He sent his retirement announcement via FEDEx but they lost it the first time.
Not condoning what he did especially with that guy losing his job over all this but say what you want about Braun he’s retiring at 37 with millions in the bank I’m sure he’s not too concerned what others have to say.
That’s the whole point. Braun is a scumbag “me first, screw you” human who threw somebody under a bus to preserve his own fortune.
MLB owes Matt Kemp an apology.
Lance Armstrong sends his regards
See ya, scumbag. You don’t get to swear on your family that you didn’t do something, ruin a guys life to cover your wrongs, say you’re taking the high road, just to do it again a few years later. Despicable human being with no morals.
HOF by 2029!
Who? Pujols? Cabrera? I agree!
Not a chance
If there’s karma, he won’t last past year 1
Bye Norm. **** cancer.
Don’t let the door… nah, never mind. Let it.
forget “dont let the door hit you on the way out,” I want to know where the door is so I can be the one to hit him with it. goodness man, if you’re gonna cheat dont slander the messenger after. rat, through and through, the worst amongst the cheaters.
Interesting little article by David Schoenfield at ESPN. I especially like the last paragraph.
espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/32210115/ryan-brau…
Goodbye Ryan no one will miss you.
99.8% of fans mispronounce his name anyway.
“Brown”
Correction: “Retirement Announces Ryan Braun”
But…but…what does all this have to do Al Avila stinking?
Crazy that Brett Gardner was in the same draft as Braun and he’s still plugging away on that Yankee team.
J.P. Arencibia
Most classless act in all of baseball. Dude was a straight Dbag liar
Glad he is retiring so I don’t have to see or hear his name again. No one will miss him.
You’re wrong.
Astros
Oh uh.. you mean.. he hadn’t uh.. l….. ok.
His great-grandmother Eva wasn’t above reproach either.
Wald pretty sick to bring a Nazi reference in an article about a Jewish player. What he did was horrible. You interjecting Nazi symbolism is disgusting. My father was at Dachau for a year. So nothing cute nor clever about this.
Wald kinda scummy to bring her up in an article about a Jewish player.
Why is this news??? Who cares
Hey Ryan. Did you ever do anything for the poor kid you threw under the bus when you tried to cover your backside? I can forgive the PEDs but not the way you treated that guy who was just doing his job.
Seems that he’s the last person to figure out he was retired. Just another dirtbag out of UofMiami.
Takeru Kobayashi used PED’s.
What happened was in the past. He made amends. I forgave him maybe you all should too.
Did he give back his MVP trophy?
The only PED user who tried to ruin the life of his test collector.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, s***bag.
Him and I worked through that. I don’t hold a grudge you shouldn’t either
My issue was him throwing the lab tech under the bus…then getting busted out of pure arrogance. Takes a lot to top Bonds.
Cheated twice, maybe more. Who cares about this guy?
turd sandwich