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

[hawing]

Even the serenity of spring training figures to last about 30 seconds -- until the Braun verdict bombshell drops on this team.

 

OK. How can this be a 'bombshell' if ESPN has been predicting it for over two months?

[Spidey]

As great as it is if Braun is innocent - for him, the team and for us the fan. The thing I might enjoy most about it is watching ESPN squirm and I will make it a point to email guys like Kurkjian and what not with direct quotes from them like the one above, where it just blatantly states he is already guilty at this point. Please let this happen.

 

I guess I'm not so bothered by what Kurkjian said, because he is assuming what we already do, that Braun will be suspended. What really bugs me, (maybe this belongs in the appropriate off topic thread) is guys like Mike Golic and Buster Olney who make judgements about what Braun should do/have done with the MVP before the case is settled and before they actually know anything. It's the rush to judgement that ESPN has been facilitating ever since they published the leaked report that shouldn't have been leaked in the first place. That's just poor taste in my opinion, and dare I say "unclassy?"

[TooLiveBrew]

Well either way, it's great for ESPN. If Braun is in fact suspended, well, they knew all along! Worldwide Leader!

 

And if he's exonerated, OMG THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN MLB! (even though it has)

[brewtank34]

I boycotted ESPN for 2 weeks after the Packers loss to NYG. I wasn't about to spend the lead-up to the Super Bowl watching that horrible excuse for a sports reporting network poison my ears with their nonsense and East coast love affair for NYG and NE. I didn't even watch the Super Bowl. 1st time I never watched the SB. Crazy!

 

I digress...

 

The boycott was actually quite refreashing. I was proud of myself for doing so.

[DatHoser]

I haven't watched ESPN in over a month. Got MLB Network, so I don't need the 4 letter abomination. They lost it for me long before when they stopped reporting the news and started in making the news. I have a bad feeling that the suspension will be upheld and ESPN will have a field day - again.

 

BTW, my whacked theory on what happened: Braunie drank a mixture of Limelight and Robinade. The total awesomeness of the names connected to the two drinks ended up with unknown results when he drank it.

[Brewtacular]

I quit ESPN year ago. It's much easier than you think. I refuse the website and only turn to that channel if a game is on featuring a team from Wisconsin. Otherwise...screw um.

[Funketown]

If anybody wants some ESPN lulz, check deadspin. Epic ESPN failure last night involving Jeremy Lin.

[Invader3K]

This wait is getting ridiculous. I know that point has been hammered to death, but pitchers and catchers are reporting and we still don't know anything.

[Ennder]

MLB network is pretty obnoxious the way they talk about the Brewers too unless it is one of the guys with Brewer ties.

[narwhalattack]

MLB network is pretty obnoxious the way they talk about the Brewers too unless it is one of the guys with Brewer ties.

 

Because it's always about the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, and the Angels.

[Ennder]

MLB network is pretty obnoxious the way they talk about the Brewers too unless it is one of the guys with Brewer ties.

 

Because it's always about the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, and the Angels.

 

They talk about more than that on MLB network, they just always seem anti-Brewer. Was the same way last year with some of them saying we were a 3rd or 4th place team. They just know the stars of the team and ignore the rest.

[brettac1]

The only show I watch regularly on either network is Clubhouse Confidential on MLB Network with Brian Kenny. I enjoy that show every day.

 

Sometimes I watch some of the countdown type shows on MLB Network, and the trivia show with Vasgersian once in a while. I avoid ESPN at all costs, though, as far an non-game programming.

[KCBrewerfan34]

That has to be a good sign for Braun and the Brewers, what could be taking so long???

[umphrey]

I have a feeling that we will hear something early this week

[brettac1]

I don't think we know enough one way or the other as far as whether this delay is a good thing or a bad thing for Braun since this process is meant to be carried out in confidentiality and in every other case it has been.

[brwrsfan]

I tend to think it's good, but either way, this can't be "normal" for this process. If it normally took this long, wouldn't they just adapt the guidelines to be greater than 25 days? If it normally takes 35-40 days, then why wouldn't they just make it 30-40 days as a general rule?

[Invader3K]

I have a feeling that we will hear something early this week

 

I hope you're right. I can't take any more of this wait. I thought we would hear something before pitchers and catchers reported, but I guess this Das guy doesn't operate on a real world clock.

[Eye Black]

Any guesses on how the decision will be announced/leaked? I guess if the suspension is implemented the press release will come directly from MLB, although it seems likely to be leaked to the press a few hours prior to the official acknowledgement. Could be a lot stranger scenario if Braun is found "not guilty". Aside from notifying Braun and his agent directly, I don't have any expectation for a formal announcement to be made (since it is obviously supposed to have been private anyway). Seems more likely that this information would just find its way into the Twitter-verse and be reported by media outlets with a lack of additional information.

[M Skjellyfetti]

Is there any chance that MLB is combatting the leak by being incredibly tight-lipped and leaking nothing further? Theoretically, isn't it possible that MLB already found Braun "not guilty" and is refusing to acknowledge anything because this should have all been confidential? I know its unlikely that Braun would be exonerated and not proclaim his innocence, but maybe MLB gave him a gag order and said to just pretend nothing happened. Super far-fetched, I know.

[owbc]

We will absolutely have a decision this week. I don't think it will leak more than a few minutes before the official announcement. It's a slow sports week so it's bound to be the #1 story.

 

The actual suspension ruling itself is important to the 2012 Brewers, but the circumstances surrounding the case are of most interest to Braun's future reputation. It of utmost importance that Braun is cleared of PED use, even if he still has to serve the suspension for not reporting a drug or whatever. I expect that all the details of the case will come out.

[ilovebeer]

I have a feeling the decision will come tomorrow. This is taking way to long,i can not take much more.

[Invader3K]

I hope ilovebeer is right. I would definitely think sometime this week, but who really knows at this point?

[Patrick425]

I understand that the MLB drug testing policy is supposed be confidential and secret until all appeal processes have taken their course. It is well known by now that this confidentiality agreement was broken. Is there anything in the agreement that talks about any consequences if this confidentiality is broken? Perhaps this has already been brought up, but is it possible that one of Braun's, his attorney's, and possibly the union's argument is that this whole case should be thrown out because MLB broke it's confidentiality agreement?

 

I guess this is probably a long shot since MLB could argue that it was the player that secretly leaked the news so that they could then argue that the case should be thrown out.

 

Off topic: OK, I'm going to ask again, is there a spell check anywhere on this site? I desperately need one!

[RightFieldCoder]

Is there anything in the agreement that talks about any consequences if this confidentiality is broken?

I don't think so. It's like the rules of baseball, it doesn't really explain what to do in certain cases. It just says not to do it. Example: The rules say that a team cannot leave it's gear on the field of play. But no penalty is given for if they break that rule. Technically everything in the on deck circle is outlawed, but has no penalty associated with breaking the rule.

 

Perhaps this has already been brought up, but is it possible that one of Braun's, his attorney's, and possibly the union's argument is that this whole case should be thrown out because MLB broke it's confidentiality agreement?

This would help the 2012 Brewers, but wouldn't help Braun's reputation. Everyone would see it as Braun getting off on a technicality and being a steroid user. If Braun is truly innocent, he does not want to go this route. And if it happens, every player would "leak" the information.

 

Off topic: OK, I'm going to ask again, is there a spell check anywhere on this site? I desperately need one!

The modern browsers I use (mostly Chrome and a little Firefox) have built in spell checkers.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'll stick with the notion that there are behind the scenes negotiations between Braun's attorneys and MLB that are dragging on. The last thing MLB wants/needs is that in addition to it's testing program showed to have a flaw, is for a premier player to have been victimized by the flaw and the subsequent leak of bad test results. If MLB's drug testing was indeed flawed, and a star player's reputation severely damaged by the flaw combined with a leak, they are going to want Braun satisfied that he's been properly compensated for his tarnished reputation, and once an announcement is made, that all parties will be on the same page. MLB will have a representative point out that the flaw has been fixed, that drug testing continues to be an evolving science, and that while regrettably the test results were leaked, that the process that allows appeal worked and in the long run, the testing will be more reliable as a result.