Braun, Biogenesis and the Whole Crazy Thing

[dlk9s]

You know MLB is handling things poorly when a total anti-drug guy like me is rooting for the PED users and peddlers.

[Warning Track Power]

You know MLB is handling things poorly when a total anti-drug guy like me is rooting for the PED users and peddlers.

Absolutely true. I find myself rooting the same way and I have been 100% for a Braun suspension if he did use PEDs. The way MLB is handling this though is like a stalker ex-girlfriend.

[clancyphile]

You know MLB is handling things poorly when a total anti-drug guy like me is rooting for the PED users and peddlers.

Absolutely true. I find myself rooting the same way and I have been 100% for a Braun suspension if he did use PEDs. The way MLB is handling this though is like a stalker ex-girlfriend.

 

I have to agree as well.

 

They fired the arbitrator for finding in favor of Braun, now they are on a witch hunt. How can we trust the integrity of the testing at this point if the approach seems to be "verdict first, then the [show] trial?"

 

And how many other players have been caught up with what we now know is a flawed testing system?

[James Zumstein]

For the first time in my life, I'm glad that the players union is as strong as it is. Asking members of a union to snitch on their "brothers"? C'mon, Bud, you know better.

 

They are going after minor leaguers who are not in the union.

 

I guess I meant potential union members in the future. Nobody that has true aspirations of joining the union when they make it to the bigs would even consider helping the league officials out.

[endaround]

MLB or at least the anti-drug brigade part hates that Braun got off. So expect countless investigations for the rest of his career. Its the same mindset that led to millions being spent on the Bonds and Clemens cases when there was really no evidence.

[MVP2110]

This is turning into an absolute joke. seriously

[PrinceFielderx1]

"Sources", (my, but they've been busy) believe Bosch destroyed all remaining PED-related documents from his clinic.

 

Then how did the press get their hands on some of those documents?

[pebadger]

There's a reason private entities don't have subpoena power. Private entities aren't accountable to the public.

 

Unfortunately our legal system has few disincentives from stopping a huge entity from ruining a tiny entity by burying them in legal fees. MLB has absolutely no case, but they have a lot more money compared to Bosch and they can extort his cooperation by spitting out his carcass just before the last bit of meat is gone. If we had a loser pays legal system lawsuits like this would never see the light of day.

 

Not to take this too far afield, but there is a good deal of tension between your first and last sentences. If there is a 'loser pays' rule and MLB has any chance at all of winning their case, Biogenesis would be almost forced to knuckle under lest they lose both the case and the fortune in legal fees that they'd owe MLB.

[Hammer]

ShutTheBuckUpJoe ‏@BrewCrewCritic

 

I wonder if @mlb is going to file a lawsuit against McDonald's because they "might" have made Prince Fielder fat...?

 

 

My take on the lawsuit...

[JimH5]

On the BBTN podcast, Buster says USAToday is reporting upwards of 90 players are documented in Biogenesis records.

 

So while Braun and A-Rod are the big fish, there are lots of other guys who could have been cheating. It behooves MLB to try to get those names.

 

We rip baseball for looking the other way during the Clemens/Canseco/Bonds era. They clearly don't want to be accused of doing too little now.

[splitterpfj]

Here's the story indicating, "At Least 90 Players"...notice they still show Braun's picture.

 

http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/3/20/4128300/biogenesis-ped-scandal-steroids-mlb

 

MLB shouldn't look the other way, but they shouldn't make fools of themselves either.

[Ennder]

MLB has looked like complete idiots for the past 2.5 years now from all of this. The sad part is the majority of fans just watch ESPN and believe everything they post so they ignore how idiotic MLB has acted and the educated few realize that MLB is so completely wrong on the subject that Selig should probably be fired and I say that as someone who has generally been positive on his mark on the game.

[splitterpfj]

http://www.baseballintheblood.com/?p=926

[TooLiveBrew]

You know MLB is handling things poorly when a total anti-drug guy like me is rooting for the PED users and peddlers.

Absolutely true. I find myself rooting the same way and I have been 100% for a Braun suspension if he did use PEDs. The way MLB is handling this though is like a stalker ex-girlfriend.

The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.

[Baldkin]

There's a reason private entities don't have subpoena power. Private entities aren't accountable to the public.

 

Unfortunately our legal system has few disincentives from stopping a huge entity from ruining a tiny entity by burying them in legal fees. MLB has absolutely no case, but they have a lot more money compared to Bosch and they can extort his cooperation by spitting out his carcass just before the last bit of meat is gone. If we had a loser pays legal system lawsuits like this would never see the light of day.

 

Not to take this too far afield, but there is a good deal of tension between your first and last sentences. If there is a 'loser pays' rule and MLB has any chance at all of winning their case, Biogenesis would be almost forced to knuckle under lest they lose both the case and the fortune in legal fees that they'd owe MLB.

 

In a "Loser pays" system, it is usually "If you bring the case and you lose..." to keep frivolous lawsuits from being filed. It is not a "If you're defending yourself and you lose, you pay the winner's legal bills"

[Dogger192003]

Milwaukee JS is running an article in which Steve Phillips speculates Braun will be suspended for his connection to Biogenesis.

[Ennder]

Well if Steve Phillips thinks it will happen I feel much better about it not happening, that guy is a complete dolt.

[Dogger192003]

That Steve Phillips is an idiot is the only reason I am not overly concerned yet.

[Ennder]

That Steve Phillips is an idiot is the only reason I am not overly concerned yet.

 

Well if you read the article it is nothing but a fluff piece. It is just his opinion based on well, nothing. The minor league guy isn't protected by the players union. It didn't even include anything saying he had a source that said it was going to happen or anything like that. It is just him spouting out a nonsensical random opinion.

[ELCABALLO45]

If they try to suspend a ML player, the players union will protest and they will play until they can actual find real evidence. Not to worried about it.

[adambr2]

Good luck with that, MLB...you weren't able to suspend Braun when you had a hot drug test, I'm sure things will go great with the Union when you try doing it without one.

 

Selig should be ashamed of himself. This has nothing to do with the integrity of baseball anymore, this is just an agenda.

[pebadger]

I'd love to see push come to shove (without Braun being involved) and watch an MLB franchise put a dubiously suspended player on the field and see how MLB would enforce their suspension.

[bylo tesi me]

Has MLB's drug testing program really degenerated to the point where MLB is basically the junior high school mean girls? So really all I have to do is write down the name of the person I hate (suspect is a user) on a piece of scrap paper with the words "hate her" (active) following said persons name and the entire junior high school class ( MLB and the "tabloid" sports media conglomerate) will shun said person? It would be almost temping to try if it wasn't so laughably ridiculous. Investigating anyone for a crime without hard evidence because you want them to be guilty is the tactics of tyrants and dictators, and goes against everything I was taught we Americans stand for.

[Nottso]

Has MLB's drug testing program really degenerated to the point where MLB is basically the junior high school mean girls? So really all I have to do is write down the name of the person I hate (suspect is a user) on a piece of scrap paper with the words "hate her" (active) following said persons name and the entire junior high school class ( MLB and the "tabloid" sports media conglomerate) will shun said person? It would be almost temping to try if it wasn't so laughably ridiculous. Investigating anyone for a crime without hard evidence because you want them to be guilty is the tactics of tyrants and dictators, and goes against everything I was taught we Americans stand for.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with your entire post. Well said.

[logan82]