Other Sports Ryan Braun tests positive for PED - Page 8

**lewdog** · 01-27-2012, 09:25 PM

I would be in for doing some steroids. Maybe it would clear up my hip pain issues.

pkane · 02-23-2012, 04:42 PM

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46503925/

Ryan Braun won his 50-game PED suspension appeal.

Braun tested positive in early October for "insanely high" levels of synthetic testosterone. But he has maintained a cry of innocence since news of that positive test broke and made an appeal to a three-person panel of independent arbitrators last month in New York City. His side of the story was apparently convincing. It's the first time a PED suspension appeal has been successful since Major League Baseball implemented its drug policy, and it obviously comes as great news for the Brewers. The 2011 National League MVP is again a sure-fire first-round fantasy outfielder.

**alnorth** · 02-23-2012, 04:44 PM

Ryan Braun has won his appeal and will not be suspended.

Ryan Braun wins appeal of suspension

The vote was 2-1. The union rep voted for Braun, management voted no, and baseball's independent arbitrator Shyam Das broke the tie in favor of Braun. No reasoning or details have been released yet.

Rams Fan · 02-23-2012, 04:47 PM

Son of a bitch.

**alnorth** · 02-23-2012, 04:49 PM

Statement from Ryan Braun in response to arbitration decision:

Quote:

“I am very pleased and relieved by today’s decision.

“It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation. We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side.

“We provided complete cooperation throughout, despite the highly unusual circumstances.

“I have been an open book, willing to share details from every aspect of my life as part of this investigation, because I have nothing to hide. I have passed over 25 drug tests in my career, including at least three in the past year.

“I would like to thank my family and friends, my teammates, the Brewers organization led by Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, Gord Ash and Ron Roenicke, and other players around the league who have expressed their support and our great fans in Milwaukee and around the country who stuck by me and did not rush to judgment.

“I’d also like to offer special thanks to Michael Weiner and the Players Association for believing in me since day one and to my attorneys.

“I’d like to thank my agent Nez Balelo and Terry Prince of CAA Sports and Matthew Hiltzik of Hiltzik Strategies for all of their help and counsel through the process.

“This is not just about one person, but about all current and future players, and thankfully, today the process worked.

“Despite the challenges of this adversarial process, I do appreciate the professionalism demonstrated by the Panel Chair and the Office of the Commissioner.

“As I said before, I’ve always loved and had so much respect for the game of baseball.

“Everything I’ve done in my career has been with that respect and appreciation in mind.

“I look forward to finally being able to speak to the fans and the media on Friday and then returning the focus to baseball and working with my Brewers teammates on defending our National League Central title.”

**chefsos** · 02-23-2012, 04:53 PM

Not sure why, but I thought MLB would be a little more gracious in the event of a successful appeal. Guess not.

"As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner's Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute," MLB executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred said in a statement. "While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das."

**alnorth** · 02-23-2012, 04:59 PM

One minor nugget of leaked info from Milwaukee's paper.

Quote:

Someone familiar with the decision said the appeal went Braun's way not so much on contesting the result of the test but the testing process itself, some kind of technicality.

...

A source familiar with MLB’s drug policy indicated there were only a few ways to overturn a positive test, such as proving a chain-of-custody issue, a flaw in the collection process or providing proof that the player’s team signed off on the substance. Otherwise, the “strict liability” aspect of the policy makes it extremely difficult to exonerate a player.

Apparently, Braun won his appeal by contesting something in the process itself.

This might follow along with our earlier speculation that maybe there was a chain of custody issue or something where Braun's side argued the sample was tampered with. Who knows if that's true, but if there's a chain of custody issue, MLB has to improve their process and standards to fix that.

**jAZ** · 02-23-2012, 05:00 PM

Quote:

“I have been an open book, willing to share details from every aspect of my life as part of this investigation, because I have nothing to hide."

Really? What exactly was the argument you made in your appeal? I haven't heard that anywhere.

**alnorth** · 02-23-2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jAZ

Really? What exactly was the argument you made in your appeal? I haven't heard that anywhere.

Give it a few days. He wanted to start talking right away, but his lawyers told him to shut up until after the appeal.

KC_Connection · 02-23-2012, 05:10 PM

I can't help but think that Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (if he was ever caught) would never have gotten the benefit of the doubt from an arbitrator on appeal like this. The arbitrator's decision here was seemingly based on absolutely nothing.

Whatever, MLB's inconsistent brand of justice just saved my fantasy team in 2012.

**alnorth** · 02-23-2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I can't help but think that Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (if he was ever caught) would never have gotten the benefit of the doubt from an arbitrator on appeal like this. The arbitrator's decision here was seemingly based on absolutely nothing.

Whatever, MLB's inconsistent brand of justice just saved my fantasy team in 2012.

There's obviously something different that 2 out of 3 felt was significant, there was too much chatter and speculation that Braun could beat it to think that this was just arbitrary.

The decision is based on something, we just don't know what that something is yet. We already know that he failed far worse than any other known result from anyone who has ever taken that test in the world, maybe something was wrong with testing procedure or the chain of custody.

KC_Connection · 02-23-2012, 05:19 PM

Believe what you want, I guess. Nothing I've read (to this point, anyway) provided a good explanation for that Braun test beyond a performance enhancer.

If the decision was based on something tangible or meaningful, I really doubt MLB would have went public in their disagreement of it. Doing so is an embarrassment for them.

vailpass · 02-23-2012, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I can't help but think that Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (if he was ever caught) would never have gotten the benefit of the doubt from an arbitrator on appeal like this. The arbitrator's decision here was seemingly based on absolutely nothing.

Whatever, MLB's inconsistent brand of justice just saved my fantasy team in 2012.

If you have something to say just come right out and say it.

KC_Connection · 02-23-2012, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vailpass

If you have something to say just come right out and say it.

No need.

vailpass · 02-23-2012, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

No need.

Why not?

01-27-2012, 09:25 PM	#1
lewdog Mod Team Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Valley of the hot as **** Casino cash: $1681900	I would be in for doing some steroids. Maybe it would clear up my hip pain issues.
Posts: 45,648

02-23-2012, 04:42 PM	#2
pkane Starter Join Date: Apr 2008 Casino cash: $9999970	http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46503925/ Ryan Braun won his 50-game PED suspension appeal. Braun tested positive in early October for "insanely high" levels of synthetic testosterone. But he has maintained a cry of innocence since news of that positive test broke and made an appeal to a three-person panel of independent arbitrators last month in New York City. His side of the story was apparently convincing. It's the first time a PED suspension appeal has been successful since Major League Baseball implemented its drug policy, and it obviously comes as great news for the Brewers. The 2011 National League MVP is again a sure-fire first-round fantasy outfielder.
Posts: 779

02-23-2012, 04:44 PM	#3
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57166239	Ryan Braun has won his appeal and will not be suspended. Ryan Braun wins appeal of suspension The vote was 2-1. The union rep voted for Braun, management voted no, and baseball's independent arbitrator Shyam Das broke the tie in favor of Braun. No reasoning or details have been released yet. __________________ how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb? HOW MANY?! none they just sit in the dark and cry
Posts: 36,130

02-23-2012, 04:47 PM	#4
Rams Fan Greatest QB Duo of 2015 Join Date: Mar 2010 Casino cash: $2421133	Son of a bitch.
Posts: 17,134

02-23-2012, 04:53 PM	#6
chefsos Fifty eight sixty two... Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Felton, DE Casino cash: $8487676	Not sure why, but I thought MLB would be a little more gracious in the event of a successful appeal. Guess not. "As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner's Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute," MLB executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred said in a statement. "While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das."
Posts: 9,449

02-23-2012, 05:10 PM	#10
KC_Connection Perpetual Mediocrity Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $5162783	I can't help but think that Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (if he was ever caught) would never have gotten the benefit of the doubt from an arbitrator on appeal like this. The arbitrator's decision here was seemingly based on absolutely nothing. Whatever, MLB's inconsistent brand of justice just saved my fantasy team in 2012.
Posts: 49,186

02-23-2012, 05:19 PM	#12
KC_Connection Perpetual Mediocrity Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $5162783	Believe what you want, I guess. Nothing I've read (to this point, anyway) provided a good explanation for that Braun test beyond a performance enhancer. If the decision was based on something tangible or meaningful, I really doubt MLB would have went public in their disagreement of it. Doing so is an embarrassment for them.
Posts: 49,186