Braun fails PED test, faces 50-game ban

[crisper57]

I am most disappointed because Braun chose to win his appeal, rather than prove his innocence. Sure he won, but at the expense of his reputation.

I drug testing policy is a work-in-progress. It will take time to work out some of the loopholes, and those won't come to light until someone exploits them. I am sure there are other ways for players to get out of the suspension, they just haven't found them yet.

Even if this particular result didn't give us the outcome we wanted (we don't have a definitive answer on guilt/innocence), it helps move testing in the right direction.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am most disappointed because Braun chose to win his appeal, rather than prove his innocence. Sure he won, but at the expense of his reputation.

I drug testing policy is a work-in-progress. It will take time to work out some of the loopholes, and those won't come to light until someone exploits them. I am sure there are other ways for players to get out of the suspension, they just haven't found them yet.

Even if this particular result didn't give us the outcome we wanted (we don't have a definitive answer on guilt/innocence), it helps move testing in the right direction.

I guess I just don't know all that much about the process. How would he have gone about proving his innocence? I seriously don't pay a whole lot of attention to this but he doesn't really seem to have gone through those changes that have marked the PED use by other players. There's a part of me that rails at the fact he appears to be getting away on the strength of a technicality but several of the talking heads have suggested that there is more to this story and have subsequently changed their minds in favor of Braun.

Steve

 

[MigratingOsprey]

What does a PED user look like?!

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The photos above are a lot more representative of who is getting popped right now than guys who most would traditionally associate with dopers - especially when used for recovery, it can often be those who are more susceptible to breaking down over the season that may need a boost - not to bulk them up and turn them into hulks, but to simply keep them going for 162 games

 

[crisper57]

I guess I just don't know all that much about the process. How would he have gone about proving his innocence? I seriously don't pay a whole lot of attention to this but he doesn't really seem to have gone through those changes that have marked the PED use by other players. There's a part of me that rails at the fact he appears to be getting away on the strength of a technicality but several of the talking heads have suggested that there is more to this story and have subsequently changed their minds in favor of Braun.

Steve

Exactly. And we don't know what those factors are because he went after the technicality instead of bringing up those issues. I would give him the benefit of the doubt if he had pursued both avenues, but since his lawyers focused to single out the chain of custody alone, it makes me wonder if that was the only leg they had to stand on.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Exactly. And we don't know what those factors are because he went after the technicality instead of bringing up those issues. I would give him the benefit of the doubt if he had pursued both avenues, but since his lawyers focused to single out the chain of custody alone, it makes me wonder if that was the only leg they had to stand on.

This is all a smoke screen... Braun is directly claiming that the test was tampered with - a Felony. The seal on the sample, with Braun's own signature on it was not broken. So, somehow, some way, someone must have tampered with the sample during the testing - or, he's dirty. My opinion is that he's dirty and, as only MLB can, the game has taken yet another step backwards...

 

[MigratingOsprey]

Yeah - no one is really coming out and saying that there is tampering (at least anyone independent)

No one is questioning the lab

No one is questioning the integrity/qualification of the sample taker

This really doesn't clear anything up, other than that the MLB needs to clarify their program a bit more so the discussion ends up on the sample/testing and not on the process it's obtained in the future

Brauns appeal was based on a procedural issue and that it can create uncertainty

His public appeal is based on how he knows he didn't take anything so he had no idea how his sample could test positive - he also has no idea what happened with the sample between collection and testing

Unfortunately, it just leaves the whole thing gray

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not saying the guy is innocent, I certainly had judged him guilty from the day the announcement came out but I have to admit to some questions now. As he said, there is no discernible improvement in any of his measurables so that suggest he might either be innocent or that whatever he was doing to mask his long term use failed. Add in the comments from the analysts that have changed their opinions on this guy (in his favor) and it just makes me wonder. I know that if this came out and it was Justin Upton in the exact same circumstances I'd be giving him the benefit of the doubt. I'd have some concerns but I'd be defending the guy until proof positive forced me otherwise.

Steve

 

[MigratingOsprey]

As he said, there is no discernible improvement in any of his measurables so that suggest he might either be innocent or that whatever he was doing to mask his long term use failed.

Again - just like the "look" test, I fail to see how this is relevant in proving that he didn't take anything

There are many reasons why players would take stuff - maybe the fact that in his 4 full seasons as a starter he has averaged 154 games and has seen an increase in his power numbers post ASB each season would lead to the thought process that he was using something that allowed him to even take the field and be able to perform consistently without breaking down over the course of the season

Even that would be wildly speculative though

Also, if someone is a long term user then it would be hard to differentiate between samples as their "norm" is while using

There are plenty of players who took "PEDs" who didn't get any better, didn't see shifts in their physique or "measurables"

We know they took them because they failed a test - changes in how someone looks, spikes in numbers, etc can bring about doubts about how those changes were obtained

However, the lack of such changes doesn't mean that the person is clean

This is why there are tests and this is why MLB needs to make sure their process is strong enough that you can't sneak out an appeal on the process - keeping the focus on the testing & results

 

[devilalum]

Bump!!!

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8...ulting-anthony-bosch-appeal-positive-ped-test

 

[Dback Jon]

Braun is scum. MLB is scum for letting him play in the NLDS.

BBWA is scum for being cowards.

 

[Lefty]

I'm not saying the guy is innocent, I certainly had judged him guilty from the day the announcement came out but I have to admit to some questions now. As he said, there is no discernible improvement in any of his measurables so that suggest he might either be innocent or that whatever he was doing to mask his long term use failed. Add in the comments from the analysts that have changed their opinions on this guy (in his favor) and it just makes me wonder. I know that if this came out and it was Justin Upton in the exact same circumstances I'd be giving him the benefit of the doubt. I'd have some concerns but I'd be defending the guy until proof positive forced me otherwise.

Steve

Still give him the benefit of the doubt? He is a big cheat and loser. The Diamondbacks got screwed by Selig for letting Braun play in that playoff series.

 

[TruCard]

All that crap about the last time and he got off, I hope he gets a lifetime ban.
The MLB is a joke. You let guys like this back in but keep guys like Pete Rose out. What a joke.

 

[DWKB]

All that crap about the last time and he got off, I hope he gets a lifetime ban.
The MLB is a joke. You let guys like this back in but keep guys like Pete Rose out. What a joke.

Regardless of what PED users are doing to the game they in no way contribute to the illegitimacy of the sport more than Rose has with his gambling on his team as the manager of the team.

 

[Folster]

We are so hypocritical when it comes to sports and PED's. Look at the football players we watch every weekend, college and pro. I know nutrition and strength is amazing these days, but half of the players look like professional wrestlers. Could you imagine if your average running back or linebacker dawned a baseball uniform and stepped into a batters box? NFL players get caught every year and all it garners is a collective yawn.

For the record, I am strongly against the use of PED's and support strict punishment of those caught using.