Braun Suspended for Remainder of 2013 Season

[dlk9s]

Not sure if this has been talked about already, and maybe it doesn't really matter anyway, but is it possible Braun felt like the MLBPA kind of threw him under the bus or was of no help to him at all so he decided to go his own route and take MLB's deal? If you're a lower-tier player like Nelson Cruz you'd have to be dirtying a few diapers at the moment you would think.

 

No, it sounds like he, his lawyers, and the MLBPA realized that MLB had enough evidence against him and they worked out a deal. If the MLBPA didn't help Braun, he probably would've been hit harder.

[thebruce44]

Do people honestly believe Braun wont be worth his contract going forward? If you want to trade Braun, not out of an emotional reaction, this pretty much has to be your opinion and that seems like quite a leap.

 

He's owed $122 million and it appears that MLB's evidence showed that he was doping for an extended period of time. There is a good chance that he was doping all the way back to his time in college in Miami. If that is the case, it seems unlikely that he will be able to produce anywhere near the $15-20 million/year level that he will be paid for the rest of the decade. What GM would be crazy enough to take a $120 million risk on a known steroid user that is currently nearly universally despised within MLB? A trade isn't happening.

 

My guess is that at least 75% of GMs would take his contract no questions asked at this point.

[Yount19]

Does a suspended player count against the 40 man roster?

 

He's off the roster now.

[Flying Dutchman]

Do people honestly believe Braun wont be worth his contract going forward? If you want to trade Braun, not out of an emotional reaction, this pretty much has to be your opinion and that seems like quite a leap.

 

He's owed $122 million and it appears that MLB's evidence showed that he was doping for an extended period of time. There is a good chance that he was doping all the way back to his time in college in Miami. If that is the case, it seems unlikely that he will be able to produce anywhere near the $15-20 million/year level that he will be paid for the rest of the decade. What GM would be crazy enough to take a $120 million risk on a known steroid user that is currently nearly universally despised within MLB? A trade isn't happening.

I've seen a few people say something similar to the bolded part a few times. Did I miss a report indicating this, or is this an assumption based on the fact it's a 65 game suspension? I'm just curious.

[JohnBriggs12]

Not sure if this has been talked about already, and maybe it doesn't really matter anyway, but is it possible Braun felt like the MLBPA kind of threw him under the bus or was of no help to him at all so he decided to go his own route and take MLB's deal? If you're a lower-tier player like Nelson Cruz you'd have to be dirtying a few diapers at the moment you would think.

 

No, it sounds like he, his lawyers, and the MLBPA realized that MLB had enough evidence against him and they worked out a deal. If the MLBPA didn't help Braun, he probably would've been hit harder.

 

I heard it mentioned 2 different places that the key evidence against him were incriminating texts he sent. If I had to guess, he stuck with his "consulting" story, thinking no way were his texts retrievable. Once he found out they had them, he knew he was toast.

[Yount19]

this was from the JSonline article http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/brewers-ryan-braun-suspended-by-mlb-for-rest-of-the-season-b9960048z1-216536551.html

MLB did not announce what violations Braun committed, but a baseball source said the evidence was “so overwhelming” that the 2011 National League most valuable player had no choice but to accept the 65-game penalty or face a much longer suspension. ESPN reported the evidence showed Braun used “a sophisticated doping regimen” for an extended period of time

[JackNicholson1974]

Gallardo still adamant that he doesn't think Braun took PEDs.

 

Wow, somebody capable of seeing more nuance in the situation than the anointed baseball "journalists"!

 

I agree that the sensationalizing media can be ridiculous sometimes, but if Yo really believes this, I don't even know what to say anymore.

 

Gallardo then went on to question the moon landing and insisted 9/11 was an inside job.

[dlk9s]

TJ Quinn said this morning that Bosch was supplying Braun with some sort of gummy bear-type chews that had the PEDs in them (he may have said testosterone). They were easy to take and quickly absorbed.

 

Also, TJ Quinn rocks the full beard and mustache quite nicely.

[gypcasino]

Just when I thought I couldn't hate ESPN any more than I already did. The bloviation is just nauseating.

[Patrick425]

I too believe he started this back in the Miami days. Hence I don't totally absolve the Brewers for a lack of due diligence prior to making him a high draft pick. You are going to commit millions on a guy, spend a couple hundred thousand and hire a private investigator to thoroughly check a guy.

 

Ok..so are you saying teams should investigate players prior to drafting or prior to signing? Once you draft a high pick you know you are going to have to pay him a "high pick amount" in order to sign him, otherwise you are just wasting a draft pick. So, it seems like the investigation, according to this logic, should happen before the pick is even made. So, basically all the high draft picks would have several investigators from several teams following them around and spying on them. Doesn't seem very realistic to me. Checking a person's background, social media, etc for any known ethical or legal issues is one thing. Hiring a P.I. to spy on a possible draft pick is another.

[jerichoholicninja]

I'm ambivalent to the whole situation and I don't care whether Braun did or didn't do anything but I just hate that there is another reason for non-Brewer fans to rip on me for being a Brewer fan.

[sbrylski]

http://forum.lambeauleap.net/index.php

[dlk9s]

I'm ambivalent to the whole situation and I don't care whether Braun did or didn't do anything but I just hate that there is another reason for non-Brewer fans to rip on me for being a Brewer fan.

 

Yup, exactly. It's been hard enough to be a Brewers fan over the decades.

 

On top of everything, I'm getting really annoyed with people ripping Aaron Rodgers for defending his friend, assuming Rodgers believed Braun was being truthful.

[jmeks23]

I just don't buy why he's being vilified. He beat the rap and then has basically said nothing since then. Would you admit to cheating if it meant your integrity, after you've already successfully appealed the suspension in question? Of course not. Do people screw up at work once in a while, and not say anything in hopes of not being caught? If they don't get caught, do they fess up anyways to be "right"? Smaller scale I know, but that's just not how most of society operates which is why a writer like Jeff Passan pisses me off. He was on the radio yet again today berating what Braun did and whatever. I just don't get it, he claims there was no witch hunt, but he's leading the charge.

 

Look, Braun cheated by the letter of the rule. However, I find synthetic testerone to be a pretty weak case against him. He didn't take steroids, or HGH, or anything to make him bigger, faster, or stronger. He took something to help him recover faster. That's what natural testerone boosters give you, like ZMA. I'm sure the synthetic counter part is just that, times 10 maybe. Yet a player like Big Papi who was caught for actual hardcore PED's who covered it up and denied denied denied, is now a hero in Boston. It's kind of ridiculous in that sense that Braun is the poster child for cheaters all of a sudden. Did he really do something THAT wrong? That egregious? I just don't see it.

 

He cheated, lied to save his integrity (successfully at first), and then was caught, or so we presume. There's been no real statement yet. Players saying they want him out of the game, writers berating him, etc. I don't get that either. All of them would lie to cover themselves I bet.

[torts]

and I think we'll never know because as far as ESPN is concerned, they are vindicated for their coverage, and why would they bother trying to find out more, running the chance that they may have overblown the seriousness of what Braun did? They got their guy, and they'll only report on it further if it further supports their witch hunt from here on out.

[gypcasino]

I'm also ambivalent but leaning slightly toward the apathetic side. Ryan's never been a hero of mine or up on a pedestal for me. I also don't feel anything for anyone who worshipped him who was let down because they were just setting themselves up for a letdown from the beginning (by having an athlete as a hero to begin with.) I don't care if comes clean with the fans and apologizes or not. The feeling that I mostly have is of disappointment. For the reasons stated above about it being hard enough to be a Brewers fan without all this crap going on. And the embarrassing light it shines on my city.

[SeriesFinale]

I just don't buy why he's being vilified. He beat the rap and then has basically said nothing since then. Would you admit to cheating if it meant your integrity, after you've already successfully appealed the suspension in question? Of course not. Do people screw up at work once in a while, and not say anything in hopes of not being caught?

 

You make it sound like he was pocketing post-it notes when this was more along the lines of embezzlement.

 

Why would breaking the rules and self-righteously lying about it not be a reason to be villified? I don't really think Braun is the "cockroach" that Passan describes (and yeah, I'm more offended by the drunk driving and criminal assault we see from athletes, including our own Brewers), but this is pretty shameful behavior from him.

[reillymcshane]

I think the best quote about this whole thing came from Tom Verducci at SI.com:

 

"Braun will never be able to move on even somewhat comfortably until the force of his admission rises to the level of those dramatic denials. There is no advancement for him without real contrition and accountability."

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20130723/ryan-braun-suspended-biogenesis/

 

I think it nails it best as to why people are so upset. Braun worked so hard, made so many people want to trust him, and he failed them. He's going to have to work just as hard to win back their trust. And for many, it will never come. But he needs to try.

 

I realize that there are things he can and cannot say regarding this whole thing. But I hope he just comes out and says as much as he is able. Drop the legal speak. Drop the 'I made a mistake' approach. And acknowledge that he duped people (the team, teammates, other players, everyone). Just say, "I did something wrong. I did this because (insert reasons). I lied. My lies dug me into a hole and I lied more to try and get out of it. It was selfish. It was dumb. I'm embarrassed. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to the fans. I'm sorry to my teammates. I'm sorry to the Brewers. I'm sorry to my fellow baseball players. I'm sorry to my family. I apologize to everyone. I promise, going forward, I will do what's right."

 

Then get on the phone - or better, see face-to-face - anyone he might have wronged and offer a personal apology.

 

Finally, going forward, any player, any fan - anyone - who comes up to him, he should nod, let them have their say, let them vent - whatever. Then just nod, apologize personally, and move on.

[Warning Track Power]

This right here is worth your time. From a Dodger blog:

 

http://www.mikesciosciastragicillness.com/2013/07/23/nothings-ever-as-simple-as-it-seems-when-it-comes-to-ped-suspensions/

 

Bottom line...Braun did something that is against the rules and continually lied about it. He should be suspended and accept the punishment for doing so. However, the media crushing Braun is absolutely embarrassing. The ingestion of PEDs or whatever he did is not even close to the same level of what actual criminals in baseball do and no punishment is ever levied by MLB. Within the past 12 months alone, MLB looked away as current Brewer K-Rod has a domestic violence charge and current Brewer Yovani Gallardo has a DUI. Where was this outrage? Where was the demands for lifetime suspensions for potentially endangering the lives of numerous individuals? I'm not defending Ryan Braun, I am attacking the unfathomable self-righteousness of media members like Jeff Passan, Jon Morosi, etc...

 

The coverage of this is disgusting.

[Patrick425]

I just don't buy why he's being vilified. He beat the rap and then has basically said nothing since then. Would you admit to cheating if it meant your integrity, after you've already successfully appealed the suspension in question? Of course not. Do people screw up at work once in a while, and not say anything in hopes of not being caught?

 

A) If he knew he was guilty, he should have never appealed in the first place

B) I think you should find and watch his press conference again after he "beat the rap". I wouldn't say he said nothing.

C) So, this is the excuse that everyone can use now? "Well other people lie and cheat so....."

 

Look, Braun cheated by the letter of the rule. However, I find synthetic testerone to be a pretty weak case against him. He didn't take steroids, or HGH, or anything to make him bigger, faster, or stronger.

 

The first sentence is all that needs to be said. Just because you don't agree with the rules that are in place or believe that they are too strict does not mean that you can break them without consequences and I think the rules and consequences are pretty well spelled out for all MLB players.

 

If I was a clean player I would be very upset with Braun and very happy that some justice is finally being served.

[reillymcshane]

This right here is worth your time. From a Dodger blog:

 

http://www.mikesciosciastragicillness.com/2013/07/23/nothings-ever-as-simple-as-it-seems-when-it-comes-to-ped-suspensions/

 

Bottom line...Braun did something that is against the rules and continually lied about it. He should be suspended and accept the punishment for doing so. However, the media crushing Braun is absolutely embarrassing. The ingestion of PEDs or whatever he did is not even close to the same level of what actual criminals in baseball do and no punishment is ever levied by MLB. Within the past 12 months alone, MLB looked away as current Brewer K-Rod has a domestic violence charge and current Brewer Yovani Gallardo has a DUI. Where was this outrage? Where was the demands for lifetime suspensions for potentially endangering the lives of numerous individuals? I'm not defending Ryan Braun, I am attacking the unfathomable self-righteousness of media members like Jeff Passan, Jon Morosi, etc...

 

The coverage of this is disgusting.

 

Nice article. Guys like Passan and Morosi are acting like Braun murdered someone. As the article says, I'm not defending Braun. He has a lot of fence mending to do. But some people are going overboard on the reactions, in my opinion.

[Patrick425]

This right here is worth your time. From a Dodger blog:

 

http://www.mikesciosciastragicillness.com/2013/07/23/nothings-ever-as-simple-as-it-seems-when-it-comes-to-ped-suspensions/

 

Bottom line...Braun did something that is against the rules and continually lied about it. He should be suspended and accept the punishment for doing so. However, the media crushing Braun is absolutely embarrassing. The ingestion of PEDs or whatever he did is not even close to the same level of what actual criminals in baseball do and no punishment is ever levied by MLB. Within the past 12 months alone, MLB looked away as current Brewer K-Rod has a domestic violence charge and current Brewer Yovani Gallardo has a DUI. Where was this outrage? Where was the demands for lifetime suspensions for potentially endangering the lives of numerous individuals? I'm not defending Ryan Braun, I am attacking the unfathomable self-righteousness of media members like Jeff Passan, Jon Morosi, etc...

 

The coverage of this is disgusting.

 

Not sure how many times this needs to be said, but for many of us it's not so much about the crime as it is about his bold face 20-30 minute press conference lie fest. It wasn't just "I appealed. My sample was handled incorrectly and I won my case", it was lie after lie and then throwing people under the bus. I don't remember any 20-30 minute press conferences from Gallardo or Krod where they insisted that they were the only ones telling the truth and everyone else was lying.

[Yount19]

But some people are going overboard on the reactions, in my opinion.

 

I think a lot of Brewer fans are just venting which is normal. I think this forum is doing a great job of letting people vent and for the most part, people aren't attacking each other which sometimes happen.

[Invader3K]

 

The coverage of this is disgusting.

 

Nice article. Guys like Passan and Morosi are acting like Braun murdered someone. As the article says, I'm not defending Braun. He has a lot of fence mending to do. But some people are going overboard on the reactions, in my opinion.

 

That is a point I've been trying to make. Some of these reporters were around in the early 2000's when there were plenty of guys in the locker rooms that probably displayed tell tale signs of steroid use and said nothing then. I find all this moral outrage coming out now a bit hypocritical.

 

Braun admitted (all be it too late) that he made mistakes and he's taking his suspension. Some seem to think that's not enough, without articulating what they want from him. Is he supposed to cut off one of his fingers as an act of contrition or what? Is he supposed to do a sit down interview with Bob Costas to clear the air? Is he supposed to give a tear filled presser and find religion? Let's not pretend some will ever be satisfied with anything he does ever again.

[Warning Track Power]

Not sure how many times this needs to be said, but for many of us it's not so much about the crime as it is about his bold face 20-30 minute press conference lie fest. It wasn't just "I appealed. My sample was handled incorrectly and I won my case", it was lie after lie and then throwing people under the bus. I don't remember any 20-30 minute press conferences from Gallardo or Krod where they insisted that they were the only ones telling the truth and everyone else was lying.

Agreed. I wasn't referencing what others on the board are upset about. The constant lying from Braun is why I am as upset at Braun as I am as well. My point in the post was that the media crush on Braun is off target and wrong. Crush his character for blatantly lying about being clean. However, these same media members giving free passes to those in baseball who commit actual felonies is wrong.

 

I will take a guy with Braun's "crime" over a guy with K-Rod's crime everyday of the week.