Per ESPN: Braun Tests Positive, May Face 50 Game Suspension… (Part 3, Appeal underway)

[monty57]

Rosenthal just chimed in with an asinine article. Rosenthal is basically saying if Braun's reputation has to be sacrificed for the sake of baseball, so be it. He implied that letting Braun off, no matter what the circumstances, would hint at special treatment for a superstar. Never mind of course that all this would not have been leaked if he were a fringe player and no matter what the result, in the eyes of many he was guilty.

 

Rosenthal should hope that if he is ever wrongly convicted of something that the people deciding his fate do not share his convictions.

[Patrick425]

JohnBriggs12[/b]]Rosenthal just chimed in with an asinine article. Rosenthal is basically saying if Braun's reputation has to be sacrificed for the sake of baseball, so be it. He implied that letting Braun off, no matter what the circumstances, would hint at special treatment for a superstar. Never mind of course that all this would not have been leaked if he were a fringe player and no matter what the result, in the eyes of many he was guilty.

Here is the article you are referring to:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Ryan-Braun-Bud-Selig-Major-League-Baseball-PED-drug-testing-appeal-braun-case-shows-MLB-not-star-struck-on-enforcement-021012

 

I really did not take away from it the same thing that JohnBriggs did. Just the opposite. I think Rosenthal is saying that many are going to accuse MLB of special treatment and/or question the drug testing policy as a whole if Braun's suspension is overturned. I think this is true. Rosenthal then goes on to say that he believes that Braun was not afforded any special treatment at all and that it appears that MLB is doing everything they can to try to uphold the suspension.

[jjgott]

Rosenthal just chimed in with an asinine article. Rosenthal is basically saying if Braun's reputation has to be sacrificed for the sake of baseball, so be it. He implied that letting Braun off, no matter what the circumstances, would hint at special treatment for a superstar. Never mind of course that all this would not have been leaked if he were a fringe player and no matter what the result, in the eyes of many he was guilty.

Eh, I didn't read it that way. He said some people would see it that way and that "Braun is entitled to an appeal and should be vindicated if the facts support his argument." I think there is something to be said that the MLB is not showing any favoritism as I suspect the NBA or NFL might.

[JohnBriggs12]

His last comment that the decision could "stink to high heavens" means that the perception will be Braun got special treatment, when the exact opposite is true. I read nothing there that showed any sympathy for what Braun has gone through if in fact he is innocent, only that Braun still has explaining to do. The fact is it's MLB that has the explaining to do for letting these results be public before the accused has had a chance to refute them.

[Patrick425]

JohnBriggs12[/b]]His last comment that the decision could "stink to high heavens" means that the perception will be Braun got special treatment, when the exact opposite is true.

Well..it probably is true that this will be the perception and I think Rosenthal clearly states that he didn't think Braun got special treatment.

 

Rosenthal makes these statements in his article:

 

I would argue that the program is working regardless — Braun is entitled to an appeal and should be vindicated if the facts support his argument. I also would argue that baseball, by pursuing this matter with obvious diligence, already has demonstrated its willingness to treat its stars the same as lesser players.

 

Well, let’s see what happens; neither I nor anyone else can form a proper judgment based upon the information currently available.

 

I see no evidence where Rosenthal is trying to slant the article against Braun. It seems as if you are just not a fan of Rosenthal in general and that might be causing you to read more into this article than what is there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[reillymcshane]

I didn't think it was anti-braun. I think it was more about the ramifications of the decision - either way.

[dlk9s]

JB,

 

You're totally reading the article through "everyone is against the Brewers"-tinted glasses.

 

In the beginning, Rosenthal says that baseball "might be better off" if Braun's suspension is upheld. He doesn't say baseball "would" be better off. He's says "might" because "Some will question that integrity if Braun is cleared." He then says, "I would argue that the program is working regardless — Braun is entitled to an appeal and should be vindicated if the facts support his argument," and then adds that MLB is already showing it is unbiased through its thorough investigation.

 

None of that is saying that Braun should be sacrificed for baseball or that even if he's innocent, it would be good if he's still punished. At all.

 

As for the "Maybe the Braun decision will stink to the high heavens," again, you're reading way too much into it. He's saying that in regards to the view that cynics might take if Braun's suspension is reversed. When he then writes, "Or maybe, just maybe, it will show that baseball is doing its absolute best," he's basically taking a shot at cynics (assuming a reversal is legit), saying that hey, maybe an "innocent" verdict actually means that the appeals process worked and that the system really isn't rigged for the stars.

 

Rosenthal is frequently a boob, but this was a perfectly reasonable piece.

[razzzorsharp]

Maybe they are using human guinea pigs to determine if his story has any validity?

[Warning Track Power]

FWIW - Jon Heyman said on MLB Network Radio today that he found it pretty odd that the decision was taking so long. Didn't speculate as to which way it was making him lean on any decision, just that it was surprising.

[umphrey]

If Braun is suspended, I just hope we aren't in the position where after 50 games we are well below .500 and everyone is just waiting for Braun to come back and save the season by himself. I would really like it if Weeks, Hart, Ramirez, Gamel, etc. show that they can put together some offense, and then add an all star to that.

[brwrsfan]

Guilty or not, I wonder if Braun will struggle this year. He may put too much pressure on himself to produce - possibly to show that he is innocent and that he is putting up great numbers this year and to leave little doubt that he didn't cheat in previous years. Or if he is guilty, to try to make up for those missed 50 games and save the season so to speak.

[brettac1]

Well, Bill Michaels was as dead-on as you would expect Bill Michaels to be.

[Invader3K]

Well, Bill Michaels was as dead-on as you would expect Bill Michaels to be.

 

Yeah. I wonder what the over/under is on when we'll hear some real news about Braun now. Maybe before position players report to spring training?

[DocBrewPack]

Just saw on ESPN Tim Kurkjian say that the announcement will be soon, probably by next week, and that all indications say he will be guilty. Basically the same thing ESPN has been saying all along.

[brwrsfan]

What exactly are "all indications"? ESPN just assuming they reported correctly and that nobody gets these things overturned? Or did he seem to say he had a source of some kind?

[theavrock]

This is getting ridiculous. The leaks in this case are absolutely mind boggling. How can anyone have any faith in the validity of their testing process when they can't keep anything confidential. No one is supposed to know anything about this.

[RockCoCougars]

I suspect that Kurkjian is talking out of his rear again. I'd say that it's a safe bet to assume that Braun will in fact be suspended, so he's playing the odds. If Vegas set odds on a vindication, they'd be pretty high.

[brwrsfan]

Oh I agree that odds are that he gets suspended. My question though is that is Kurkjian just making that statement because he assumes he will be correct and that nobody wins these appeals. I don't know how he could have a source, as really this all rides on one man at this point and I highly doubt MLB and/or Braun has the verdict and is sitting on it....which is really the only way he could make a statement like "all indications" and not be just blowing smoke out of his rear end.

[Patrick425]

I suspect that Kurkjian is talking out of his rear again. I'd say that it's a safe bet to assume that Braun will in fact be suspended, so he's playing the odds. If Vegas set odds on a vindication, they'd be pretty high.

 

I would have to agree with this.

 

By the way RockCoCougars, I'm one of the "dots" on the field in your Avatar.

[RockCoCougars]

My question though is that is Kurkjian just making that statement because he assumes he will be correct and that nobody wins these appeals. I don't know how he could have a source, as really this all rides on one man at this point and I highly doubt MLB and/or Braun has the verdict and is sitting on it..

 

Exactly. Unless he has a mole at the arbitrator's practice, he's probably just blowing hot air. As far as the ridiculous duration of this process goes, I disagree with those who say 'the longer the better'. I think that the longer this goes on, the worse the odds are. If Braun truly had a slam dunk case ('it's B.S.') would it really take this long to sort through all the details?

 

Maybe the thing already has bounced back to MLB and the player's union though, and they are working on damage control. In that case, maybe Kurkjian is on to something.

[jazzytrav]

As far as the ridiculous duration of this process goes, I disagree with those who say 'the longer the better'. I think that the longer this goes on, the worse the odds are. If Braun truly had a slam dunk case ('it's B.S.') would it really take this long to sort through all the details?

 

I disagree. It sounds like nearly every case is a "slam dunk" leading to a suspension. The longer it takes, the more skeptical the arbitrator must be of the positive test. Though I also agree that there will likely be extra time given for damage control.

[DocBrewPack]

What exactly are "all indications"? ESPN just assuming they reported correctly and that nobody gets these things overturned? Or did he seem to say he had a source of some kind?

Pretty much talking out of his rear i think. It was like a 20 second clip on Baseball Tonight. The only thing solid he said was that it should be by next week. I think his "all indications" statement was mostly based off that "no one" has got a drug test overturned which he also stated at the end. Did not mention any source or anything like that.

[bullox]

was mostly based off that "no one" has got a drug test overturned which he also stated at the end. Did not mention any source or anything like that.

 

The only reason no one has been overturned (publicly) is because the system is designed to be completely confidential. Leaks are the only reason we know about the Braun case to this point. It would be nice if Kurkjian had mentioned that.

[Samurai Bucky]

What is the over/under on the number of pages that will be on this topic? I'll set it at 80...

[ilovebeer]

I wil go with 92 pages.