Ryan Braun’s Appeal Of Positive Drug Test Begins
January 20, 2012 - 12:20 am by Ryan Phillips
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun won the National League MVP in 2011 after a phenomenal season. Then, in early December it was reported that he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs following a drug test administered during the playoffs.
Since news of his positive test was made public, Braun has professed his innocence through his spokespeople. Well, now the 28-year-old’s appeal of his 50-game suspension for that positive test is underway and he finally has a chance to present his side of the story.
Braun’s test originally raised red flags because of the presence of elevated levels of testosterone. Upon further examination that testosterone turned out to be synthetic. That’s a really bad sign for Braun, considering how difficult it is to appeal a Major League Baseball suspension. In fact, a baseball arbitrator has never ordered a suspension overturned as the result of a grievance hearing.
Under the agreement between the players’ association and Major League Baseball, Braun will have to prove that “the presence of a prohibited substance in his urine was not due to his fault or negligence.”
Good luck kid.
Major League Baseball has not actually confirmed the positive test because baseball’s drug agreement says first positive tests are not made public until after the appeals process is over. The appeal is actually supposed to remain private but a source leaked news of the proceeding to the New York Daily News. It was also leaked that Shyam Das is the arbitrator hearing the case.
Braun is scheduled to receive his now-tarnished MVP Award on Saturday at the annual dinner for the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He is expected to speak to the crowd, but not take questions from reporters.
The former National League Rookie of the Year edged Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp to win the MVP this past season. He finished the year hitting .312, with 33 home runs, 111 RBI and led the Brewers to an NL Central crown and a berth in the NL championship series.
5 Responses to “Ryan Braun’s Appeal Of Positive Drug Test Begins”
He should get a chance to prove he is not guilty of getting juiced up. But if he did juice up, he should get a 500 game suspension!!!
I am a fan and feel you should not cheat to get to the big leagues. If you cheat and get caught, you should NOT be given another chance. Some of the products that are banned can easily be purchased at any health food store. That is also wrong.
By jay on Jan 20, 2012
Glad to see you corrected your “do”.
By Larry Cummings on Jan 20, 2012
He doesn’t have the muscular development of a steroid user. Plus, we all know muscles don’t help you hit home runs. If they did, Laynce Nix would have 50 home runs a year.
By MLB Ballparks on Jan 21, 2012
Alright. I’m tired of hearing people say ridiculous things like “…muscles don’t help you hit home runs.” Yes, they absolutely do help you hit home runs. Muscles don’t help a guy put the bat on the ball, but they sure as hell do make the ball travel further once the hitter makes contact.
As for Braun, I wish him well. I’d much rather believe that he didn’t intentionally juice.
By ChicagoRob on Jan 21, 2012
These players are not taking PEDs and ‘roids so that they hit more home runs. Understand that nearly all of these PEDs will improve a players ability for his muscles to react faster and stronger to what their brain is telling them. We could all take PEDs, and most of us still couldn’t hit a MLB fastball. But for MLB players who already have the talent needed, there is no doubt an increase in ability. Simply put, why would multi-million dollar athletes push the envelope as far as they can (and sometimes too far) if the body was not affected and improved?
By mike on Feb 1, 2012