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

[GoudaBrew]

also reporting 2 other teammates had "spiked" testosterone levels at the time of Braun's test

Who is reporting? Dan Patrick? "Spiked" as in high, but not high enough to get suspended?

[JohnBriggs12]

There is certainly no love lost between Dan Patrick and ESPN. but there's no doubt Patrick has connections so there's reason to be hopeful

 

As for ESPN. they never really backtracked, but it's clear they muted some people. When the story broke Mike Greenburg was proclaiming that Braun's MVP should be taken away. You don't hear much talk about that now. Down here in Chicago, ESPN Chicago's baseball guru Bruce Levine has painstakingly avoided condemning Braun when the story has come up on his Saturday morning baseball show. Levine has many contacts inside the game and is tight with Selig too.

[prophet]

That's true Briggs, except Olney just wrote a story on Friday saying that for the integrity of the game, Braun should have refused the award at the ceremony on Saturday. But, you're very right about Dan Patrick. He has a beef with ESPN, but just cause you leave a company doesn't mean you leave all friendships behind. Greenburg, though, bugs me. I scrape a better radio host off my big toe nail every morning.

[patrickgpe]

here is the audio

 

http://www.thebig1070.com...dmurphy.xml&mid=21752135

[Crew2323]

You can also hear a more full clip here at about the 28:30 mark.

http://danpatrick.directv.com.edgesuite.net/Podcast/DP-Hr1_01-23-2012_stream.mp3

[jjfanec]

here is the audio

 

http://www.thebig1070.com...dmurphy.xml&mid=21752135

He does not say it is likely Braun is exonerated, but does provide some insight. Here are the highlights

- His source tells him dont jump to conclusions. There is a chance Braun is innocent

- Not medical related

- 2 other teammates who took the test where also higher than normal

- Not performance enhancing

 

Not as encouraging as the initial reports for what were said but still pretty good considering what we have been hearing. There is actually new news in this report

[brwrsfan]

After hearing the audio on it, I'm a little less optimistic. Sounds like 2 teammates may have had spikes that were so outragious that they were thrown out. Now if that's the case and Brauns was also really, really high but not thrown out, then maybe. I'm not sure exactly though how Braun's camp could possibly know of those other spiked tests though if this is all confidential.

[jjfanec]

You can also hear a more full clip here at about the 28:00 mark.

http://danpatrick.directv.com.edgesuite.net/Podcast/DP-Hr1_01-23-2012_stream.mp3

A lot more info in this one. Sounds similar to the earlier point

Someone involved does say he may be found innocent and the guy actually says there is a good chance he should be.

It was not a masking agent that he was caught, nor was it a PED.

It is not nearly as cut and dry as people think

 

[bylo tesi me]

patrickgpe[/b]]also reporting 2 other teammates had "spiked" testosterone levels at the time of Braun's test

So...if this is true...does this mean that two other Brewers tested positive and are also going through an appeal process? I sure hope not!

Well if teams suspect it might be Prince, it would help explain his crazy off season so far.

[RobertR]

I'll add that if the media likes you, they'll find a way to forgive you. Andy Pettitte being the prime example. If Braun is cleared, I expect that the media will be fairly forgiving as he seems to be well liked.

 

Robert

[patrickgpe]

here is more audio

http://www.thebig1070.com...phy.xml&mid=21752451

[dlk9s]

patrickgpe[/b]]also reporting 2 other teammates had "spiked" testosterone levels at the time of Braun's test

So...if this is true...does this mean that two other Brewers tested positive and are also going through an appeal process? I sure hope not!

Well if teams suspect it might be Prince, it would help explain his crazy off season so far.

I can't imagine that if teams suspected Prince of using that it would have been kept silent. EVERYTHING, true or false, bad or good, comes out nowadays.

[fondybrewfan]

I am still at the point where I believe it when I see it. For all we know Dan Patrick's source is someone representing Braun or the MLBPA representative on the arbitration panel who are naturally going to say Braun has a chance. It will be very interesting to hear the whole story eventually.

 

The 2 other players with high levels is odd. One would think that if all 3 players took the test at the same time that there might be some tainting involved or testing error. But if the other two were cleared after the backup sample then I don't really know where that leaves Braun.

 

If we do have Braun for the whole year I really like the team; if he is gone for 50 games I think we will be alright but will probably have to go on a big run in the 2nd half of the year

[Crew2323]

[quote author=crewcrazy wrote:

[/b]I have a really, really hard time blaming ESPN for breaking the original story. They had sources that gave them information (Braun failed a test), they reported that information, and it was true. Brewers fans have every right to be upset at MLB for leaking the info, and probably with the way ESPN handled follow-up stories, too (anchors saying he tested positive for steroids, saying he's already been suspended, etc.). But you can't fault ESPN for breaking the news. There isn't a news source in the country that would have sat on that information and done nothing with it.

Except ESPN is the news source that sat on the Bernie Fine story for 8 years because they couldn't "confirm" whether the woman on the recording was Laurie Fine. Sure, they got news that Braun failed a test. But they immediately began reporting it as fact that he tested positive for steroids. But in the following days it went from Braun testing positive for steroids, to him testing positive for a performance enhancing drug, to him testing positive for a banned substance. And no one still knows exactly what he tested positive for. So my question is this: why did ESPN refuse to report on one story because they couldn't confirm something, but they chose to report the Braun story even though they didn't have confirmation on why he failed his test?

[Dmiles23]

fondybrewfan]I am still at the point where I believe it when I see it. For all we know Dan Patrick's source is someone representing Braun or the MLBPA representative on the arbitration panel who are naturally going to say Braun has a chance. It will be very interesting to hear the whole story eventually.

This has been my thinking throughout the whole situation. But listening to DP on a daily basis and the way he has handled the whole Braun situation, I just don't think he would throw something out there that he doesn't feel is substantial news. We've been fed "Braun is innocent" from Braun's camp since the news broke and it's common sense that the MLBPA representatives will say Braun has a chance. I just don't see DP as someone who will make a big deal out of nothing. DP is just someone I trust not feeding fuel to the fire on this situation. So anything coming from him, in my opinion, isn't just some mumbo-jumbo from a Joe Blow.

[derflotr]

As far as I'm concerned, this new information is just as baseless as anything else regarding this situation. I refuse to feel or think anything until the truth comes out. Because I still shouldn't be aware of it anyway.

[Madtown343]

Its a boring Monday though, and I will take good news over bad news anyday...

[Roderick]

I refuse to feel or think anything until the truth comes out.

Methinks you are going to be a zombie the rest of your life.http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/wink.gif

[dhoffman19]

By the way, what is the source on this report that two other Brewers tested positive for elevated T? I listened to the clip and I did not hear that part.

[jjfanec]

By the way, what is the source on this report that two other Brewers tested positive for elevated T? I listened to the clip and I did not hear that part.

It was the same source who said that Braun has a good defense. It was in the Dan Patrick audio. Said two other Brewers had highly elevated results

[brwrsfan]

Huh. I listened to that clip too and didn't hear anything about 2 other Brewers. I could have missed it though.

 

After my initial excitement, I've kinda mellowed. Who knows who this source is or if it's even credible. I'd still be just downright stunned if he somehow wins this appeal.

[Raw Biz]

Huh. I listened to that clip too and didn't hear anything about 2 other Brewers. I could have missed it though.

 

After my initial excitement, I've kinda mellowed. Who knows who this source is or if it's even credible. I'd still be just downright stunned if he somehow wins this appeal.

There were a few different audio clips posted I believe. Not sure which is which though.

[RyDogg66]

I listened to the entire bit about Braun and didnt hear that (about two other Brewers having elevated levels)

[Ennder]

I'm probably in the minority but Braun not being suspended would be great but to me it is even more important that he clears his name. I have kids who look up to him and he is going to be the face of the franchise for years to come. I'd gladly take some rational excuse that makes it seem like he didn't use PEDs along with a suspension rather than all evidence pointing towards him using.

[jjfanec]

here is the audio

 

http://www.thebig1070.com...dmurphy.xml&mid=21752135

Here is the one that talks about the two other players whose numbers were also "higher than normal" and "a little out of whack"

Summarizing the different clips from Dan Patrick we get this

- 2 other guys had odd results

- not medical

- not a masking agent

- not a PED

- The appeal seems focused on the testing process

- Source is part of the case - who knows if that means he is part of Braun's team or no