Braun Suspended for Remainder of 2013 Season

[PrinceEatMeat]

The good thing about this news it that it makes me think more and more that he has been clean for most of his career and that he will not be a major burden to the club (on the field) over the remainder of his contract.

 

Yes, I agree. Seems like it was only from July on in 2011, and to heal from injury. He had performed well his entire career, so I have no reason to believe that he won't continue to do so.

[Outlander]

Yes, I agree. Seems like it was only from July on in 2011, and to heal from injury. He had performed well his entire career, so I have no reason to believe that he won't continue to do so.

The reason he might not continue to do so is the reason you already stated which is injury. If it is really true that he didn't start until 2011 then he also believes that is the only thing preventing him from performing his entire career.

[JimH5]

Yes, secret power. The power to suspend a player based on a gut feeling or because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time without telling anyone what or why or how. I'm not saying he didn't do it...I just don't know because no one on either side will admit to anything or present any evidence of anything.

 

There is no power like that because there are too many people with too much to lose for them to cede that kind of power to the MLB office.

 

What about the MLBPA? They're on the players' side. They'll stand up for someone for whom the evidence is not overwhelming. And what about the Brewers ownership? They have been significantly harmed by all of this. Wouldn't they object to MLB taking away their biggest star without justification?

 

This suspension wasn't based on a gut feeling, and it wasn't because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it wasn't because of some vendetta.

 

Braun accepted his suspension and nobody in the media or in the league or on his team, none of his union brothers, is standing up for him saying, "Wait a minute. . .this doesn't add up. Bud only suspended Braun because he's out to get him." That would be a HUGE media story, if Selig could hurt Braun & really hurt the Brewers franchise. But it's not a huge media story, because it's not true.

 

Braun had the opportunity to have his case heard before an arbitration panel and he waived that.

He accepted the punishment for violating the rules regarding PEDs. You don't accept the punishment, lose out on millions, embarrass yourself in front of the world, make your mother cry, all because you were trapped in some evil lair.

 

You do it when you know you've been caught.

[reillymcshane]

I have to say that I think Braun is being stupid by not directly addressing things. I figured the standard 'I made mistakes' speech would be followed something more... silly me. He's allowed the national media to set the tone and message of this conversation. Foolish. And if he and his people thought it would go away after his initial apology, foolish thinking. Sure others will eventually cop pleas and shift the spotlight. But to think what he said was enough is plain foolish on his part.

 

As people have pointed out, there are some things he might not be able to talk about. That's fine, but say that. But there's plenty he can say. At this point it might be too late to even try and manage the damage. But he certainly can't hurt himself more in the eyes of the public and media.

[JackNicholson1974]

The way Braun is acting you would think he was on the stuff for his entire adult life. If it was to come back from injury in 2011, make a statement, pull an Andy Pettitte and explain that you were injured, team was in a race, you wanted to get back. Havent taken since end of playoffs in 2011. This isnt that hard to come back from in a PR standpoint. The truth will set you free, and 99% of the public is ticked about being lied to and the 1% ticked about using are crotchety old sports writers.

[fondybrewfan]

I was wondering if he comes back out and says I was taking in 2011 if he would somehow be exposed to further discipline by the league. He just got suspended for reasons other than a failed test. If he comes out and says yeah I was taking it and the failed test was legit I wonder if MLB would have grounds to suspend him for that also

[trwi7]

So everyone agrees that the lying is worse than the actual PED use, correct?

 

In that case ESPN still deserves quite a bit of blame for leaking a story that was supposed to be confidential. No leak, no press conference, no lies.

[FVBrewerFan]

So let me get this straight. You were all blasting supposed leaks from MLB, and ESPN for reporting those leaks. And oh, by the way, none of it is probably true was the common refrain. Now JS publishes something and you're all treating it like all completely true, and the whole story?

 

Could it be that Braun used other sources before 2011, even if the JS report IS true? No, impossible right?

[splitterpfj]

My biggest concern going forward is this...

 

The cheating stinks, and Braun would have taken a beating for it, but it would have died down. The lying, with that press conference so readily available online, has really turned people against Braun.

 

It's the future distraction to the ballclub I'm concerned about. This thing could be a thorn in the Brewers' side for a long time.

[FVBrewerFan]

So everyone agrees that the lying is worse than the actual PED use, correct?

 

In that case ESPN still deserves quite a bit of blame for leaking a story that was supposed to be confidential. No leak, no press conference, no lies.

 

Hard for me to separate it out that cleanly. PED use vs lying. It's realy the whole ordeal, the lying didn't help and neither was the way he's handled the announcement. But no, I wouldn't agree that lying is worse than the PED use.

[markedman5]

I can only speak for me...I never blasted ESPN....obviously when a process is supposed to be confidential it is disappointing when it is not but I blame the leaker not ESPN for that.

 

Certainly he could have used before 2011.....at this point it is impossible to know what to believe....even if Braun gives an explanation can we know if he is now telling the truth after lying for years?

 

What if he comes out and says "I only starting using in 2011 to recover from injury" and then more evidence surfaces that he started using earlier? Can they punish him again?

 

So let me get this straight. You were all blasting supposed leaks from MLB, and ESPN for reporting those leaks. And oh, by the way, none of it is probably true was the common refrain. Now JS publishes something and you're all treating it like all completely true, and the whole story?

 

Could it be that Braun used other sources before 2011, even if the JS report IS true? No, impossible right?

[FVBrewerFan]

And that's the problem he made for himself. If he came out and said early on he only took it for a couple months so he could help his team win the WS in 2011, that would have made a huge PR difference. In general, most Brewer fans would still think it was wrong, but support him. The media would even be much easier on him, for whatever that's worth. But now, even if it's true most people won't believe him.

 

I've also been thinking about this. Can you imagine how ugly it will get if he starts off slowly in 2014? I mean, it doesn't even have to be Rickie Weeks slow, and he will be boo'd mercilessly by his own fans.

[CheezWizHed]

I'm mad at MLB for leaking confidential information.

 

I'm mad at ESPN for reporting on rumors without facts. It doesn't matter that they eventually get it right, it smacks of tabloid, not jounalism.

 

I'm mad at Braun for taking PEDs. No PEDs, no lies.

 

Suspend them all.

 

But at the end of the day, they are still humans that make mistakes. Celebrities that make mistakes (you don't see my mistakes).

 

I will continue to be a Brewer's fan. And if Braun remains on the team, I will continue to cheer for him. I've lost some respect for the guy, but at the end of the day, he is a human, too.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm mad at MLB for leaking confidential information.

 

But at the end of the day, they are still humans that make mistakes. Celebrities that make mistakes (you don't see my mistakes).

 

 

 

Yes, I agree everybody makes mistakes. I think one of the things that bothers a lot people is that if they made a mistake of taking drugs, and they were randomly tested at work, they would be fired. Apples and oranges to some degree, yes, but there's that.

[Patrick425]

So everyone agrees that the lying is worse than the actual PED use, correct?

 

In that case ESPN still deserves quite a bit of blame for leaking a story that was supposed to be confidential. No PED use by Braun, No leak, no press conference, no lies.

 

 

There, I corrected your statement.

[Brewer Fever]

Be careful of setting yourself up for further future letdown, those of you who think Braun started using in 2011 to get over lingering injuries. Please either take a moment to research or accept on its face the connections in this case that date back to Braun's days at the University of Miami. Braun has been a PED user his entire career as a Milwaukee Brewer. I state that as fact. You can choose to take it as a likelihood.

[JohnBriggs12]

Don't we all want to ask Braun, man, what were you thinking? People do make mistakes. But most mistakes, people can at least understand and relate to the motivation because most all of us have weaknesses for one thing or another.

 

He wasn't after a high in the way most people are. He could have any number of gorgeous women. The world was his oyster. Did he get some thrill out of beating the system? Was that such a high for him that he'd risk his reputation, and while not his entire contract, certainly his earning power off the field. To the extent Tiger Woods damaged his brand through a promiscuous life style as a married man, at least most men can relate to the temptation.

 

The lie is more damaging but at least we can relate to trying to protect ourselves. People say he would have been better off coming clean, but that wasn't an easy choice either. He still would have had to answer the simple question why.

[BrewCrewForever]

Be careful of setting yourself up for further future letdown, those of you who think Braun started using in 2011 to get over lingering injuries. Please either take a moment to research or accept on its face the connections in this case that date back to Braun's days at the University of Miami. Braun has been a PED user his entire career as a Milwaukee Brewer. I state that as fact. You can choose to take it as a likelihood.

 

I am not saying it isn't true, but I have not seen these facts that show the PED use back to 2007 or before. Can you please provide them?

[stoutdude04]

Be careful of setting yourself up for further future letdown, those of you who think Braun started using in 2011 to get over lingering injuries. Please either take a moment to research or accept on its face the connections in this case that date back to Braun's days at the University of Miami. Braun has been a PED user his entire career as a Milwaukee Brewer. I state that as fact. You can choose to take it as a likelihood.

 

Whew...glad that's settled. I was waiting for someone with the facts to enlighten us all.

[zzzmanwitz]

Braun has been a PED user his entire career as a Milwaukee Brewer. I state that as fact. You can choose to take it as a likelihood.

 

It is your opinion, it is far from fact. No one except Braun knows all of the facts, and that IS a fact.

[BrewCrewForever]

I mean at this point anything is possible. And I personally don’t care that much that he took PED’s, he is a Brewer and I plan to continue to cheer him as I have for the past 7 seasons and I think he will continue to put up good numbers. Am I disappointed by all the lying and denials, sure, who isn’t. But to say it is a fact that he has been taking PED’s his entire career, I have not seen such facts. The only year I have ever heard come up in a report or document that the public has seen was today when TJ Quinn said Braun began his relationship with Bosch in 2011.

[FVBrewerFan]

I mean at this point anything is possible.

 

 

Apparently not. Brewer Fever said it's a fact Braun has used PEDs going back to his college days. Speculation problem WHOAA SOLVVD.

[thebruce44]

Be careful of setting yourself up for further future letdown, those of you who think Braun started using in 2011 to get over lingering injuries. Please either take a moment to research or accept on its face the connections in this case that date back to Braun's days at the University of Miami. Braun has been a PED user his entire career as a Milwaukee Brewer. I state that as fact. You can choose to take it as a likelihood.

 

I feel like you couldn't possibly be more condescending. I also feel like you don't understand the difference between fact and opinion.

[CheezWizHed]

Yes, I agree everybody makes mistakes. I think one of the things that bothers a lot people is that if they made a mistake of taking drugs, and they were randomly tested at work, they would be fired.

 

I think you are thinking of recreational drugs. I wouldn't mind a few of my employees enhancing their performance... With some, I've been trying to do that for a while now!

[FVBrewerFan]

Yes, I agree everybody makes mistakes. I think one of the things that bothers a lot people is that if they made a mistake of taking drugs, and they were randomly tested at work, they would be fired.

 

I think you are thinking of recreational drugs. I wouldn't mind a few of my employees enhancing their performance... With some, I've been trying to do that for a while now!

 

I understand the distinction, just throwing it out there because I've been hearing that a lot from people. And it is a similar situation, since PEDs, while not illegal, is violating MLB's policy. Like I said, I know it's apples and oranges to some extent.