Ryan Braun exonerated, no suspension… Latest: MLB drops Eliezer Alfonzo suspension; case similar to Braun's (part 1)

[pebadger]

Nice work in digging up that Modahl stuff, topper. Testing has changed considerably since then, but what can happen to samples that are improperly handled has not.

[pebadger]

Plus it only costs a dollar and he's giving the 39¢ Amazon gives him, to charity.

 

 

Don't you need a Kindle?

 

There is a free Kindle app available for both PCs and Macs that allows you to read anything you could read on a Kindle.

[reillymcshane]

They released a photo of the 'Collector' delivering the sample to FedEx on that Monday.

 

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/braunsample.jpg

[JackNicholson1974]

Prince Fielder's reaction was beyond strange. He acted like he had heard anything and basically said "I guess that's good for Ryan"

 

Very strange for someone who has played with Ryan for the past 5 years.

[TooLiveBrew]

Trenni Kusnierek on 620 WTMJ right now, just came on at 4:17p CT

[Ando Calrissian]

Prince Fielder's reaction was beyond strange. He acted like he had heard anything and basically said "I guess that's good for Ryan"

 

Very strange for someone who has played with Ryan for the past 5 years.

 

You're sure right it was beyond strange. Wow.

[TooLiveBrew]

Watch the video interview I linked to in the 'Prince signs with DET' thread. His comments about (not) following the Brewers this season were in exactly the same vein as that response about the Braun vindication.

 

In short, it's looking like we liked him because he was "our" ... [not-nice-dude]. He's all business when it comes to baseball, for better and worse. If roles were reversed, you can bet Braun would have had some words of support for Prince.

[Thurston Fluff]

What if he's been juicing since college and just this one time he forgot to take his epitestosterone, leading to elevated T/E levels. That's probably unlikely, but I'm playing devil's advocate here.

 

For the sake of argument lets assume he was cheating all along. We would have to believe he somehow managed to take a masking agent that can't be detected every time he was subjected to random testing. Keep in mind these are random and unannounced. The only time players know they will be tested is when they reach the playoffs. That means the one time he knew a test was coming was the one time he forgot to take a masking agent. That borders on ridiculous.

Also he was cleared. That in and of itself is unheard of until now. He was guilty until proven innocent which put the burden of proof on him that he wasn't cheating or didn't make mistake in what he out into his body. For myself when an independent arbiter hears all the evidence and decides he was not guilty then it's enough for me to assume he was.

[fondybrewfan]

Man we just really need the arbitrators written ruling to get leaked. Obviously leaks haven't exactly been desired in the past but getting the exact reasoning for Das's decision would go a long ways towards clearing up the unknown issues. Who knows if that ever gets leaked although it would make sense that Braun would want to do it if it is especially damning of MLB

[Tailgat0r76]

Dino Laurenzi is the man of the hour...

[Funketown]

I'm not terribly surprised that Prince sounded a bit disinterested.

 

It really seems like most guys are now taking Braun's word. Mike Wilbon (one of my favorite guys on ESPN, that's not saying much though) just said he bought it on PTI. Kornheuser said the same. Every moment that goes by, this seems to get better for Braun.

[Patrick425]

The only time players know they will be tested is when they reach the playoffs. .

 

Wow, is this true? I didn't know this. This makes Braun that much more believable.

[TooLiveBrew]

Man we just really need the arbitrators written ruling to get leaked. Obviously leaks haven't exactly been desired in the past but getting the exact reasoning for Das's decision would go a long ways towards clearing up the unknown issues. Who knows if that ever gets leaked although it would make sense that Braun would want to do it if it is especially damning of MLB

Fwiw, in the Ken Rosenthal article linked earlier in this thread...

 

"Das’ exact thoughts are not yet known; he must issue a written decision within 30 days."

EDIT: annnnnd from the Passan article for Yahoo, that Tailgat0r76 just linked...

 

"Das is required to submit a full report to MLB and the union within 30 days. It will not be made public."

Soooo... nevermind

[fondybrewfan]

Not terribly suprised MLB is continuing to insist that the collector did nothing wrong. They already lambasted the ruling they might as well keep piling on.

 

It is also painfully obvious which side of the ruling Jeff Passan is on

[Dragonbait]

From what I've found and in my opinion...

 

yahoo sports is generally against (cant think of a better word right now) Braun.

 

NBC sports is generally for Braun.

[Raw Biz]

The only time players know they will be tested is when they reach the playoffs. .

 

Wow, is this true? I didn't know this. This makes Braun that much more believable.

 

Yeah that's a big argument for Braun that I'm surprised isn't brought up more. Every player on every team that makes the playoffs will be tested and I assume all players are aware of that. So it would've been stupid (even moreso that during the regular season) to be juicing then.

[pebadger]

The circling of the wagons by USADA, WADA, Dick Pound and every other anti-doping personality with no dog in the fight (or any more access to the facts than you and I) is totally predictable. None of these people is going to rest from attacking while there is microphone or camera available.

[Funketown]

Another write-up from a Political Science professor here at UNC about type I vs. type II errors in testing. Certainly worth a read.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/ryan-braun-and-type-i-vs-type-ii-error/

[reillymcshane]

The circling of the wagons by USADA, WADA, Dick Pound...

That guy has got to have one of the most unfortunate names ever...

[Funketown]

Not to mention, this Dick Pound fellow seems to put his foot in his mouth on a routine basis.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Pound

[ilovebeer]

Clancyphile, i used to dipp grizzly wintergreen its good and chaep.

[JackNicholson1974]

That Yahoo article was very anti-Braun if you ask me. They basically say that not only was it a technicality, but that MLB didnt violate protocol, there was just nothing in the drug program rules that contemplated a closed FedEx on a Saturday night.

[yoyo49]

How does this "extremely experienced collector" not know that FedEx is open on a Saturday late afternoon? Something still does not add up here.

[TooLiveBrew]

How does this "extremely experienced collector" not know that FedEx is open on a Saturday late afternoon? Something still does not add up here.

I admit I'm playing devil's advocate here with just as little evidence as anyone else really knows at this point, but I don't think it's fair to assume everything is as simple as we the masses are assuming they were.

 

To think that an employee contracted by MLB for an incredibly serious operation would bring his 'fandom' into it, or whatever else people want to imply here, just is too cynical even for a cynic like me.

[sbrylski]

Well, isn't a HR technically just a long fly-out that happens to clear the outfield wall? So TECHNICALLY, yeah it's a homer. But isn't it really just an out that the pitcher had robbed from him due to the confinements of the process of playing in a fenced stadium?

 

Quote of the thread.