National League MVP Ryan Braun Wins His Appeal of the Suspension for Performance Enhancing Drugs
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Ryan Braun became the first player to win an appeal of a suspension for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.
The report of Braun’s positive test first appeared on Outside the Lines in early December. He vigorously denied the test results, and a spokesperson had this to say:
“There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program… We are confident he will ultimately be exonerated.”
If the reports of today are correct, he has been exonerated, and will now be suiting up for the Brewers this week, and available on Opening Day. As the report by the Journal-Sentinel notes, MLB has a strict liability policy so that ignorance is not a defense, so the test, which was reported as having twice the levels of testosterone “of the highest test ever taken,” had to be challenged on the basis of its reliability or chain of custody.
[photo via Getty]

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116 Responses to “National League MVP Ryan Braun Wins His Appeal of the Suspension for Performance Enhancing Drugs”
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February 23rd, 2012 at 5:29 PM
What if Ryan Braun were Black or Latino?
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:29 PM
MLB has gotta be furious over this, as a Brewer fan though, hell yeah!
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:30 PM
Sadly, his girlfriend did not win her appeal against him wearing this shirt.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:32 PM
Zioniest conspiracy.
MLB just release presser saying “they vehemently disagree” with the appeal.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:32 PM
it’s the giant testicles that give him more testosterone and better leverage when swinging.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:32 PM
MLB just release presser saying “they vehemently disagree” with the appeal.
funny they didn’t vehemently disagree with his positive test being leaked to the media, don’t you think?
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:32 PM
As a cardinal fan I’m glad he won so that the brewers won’t have any excuses when they fail to make the playoffs. As a general baseball fan, I hope they release more details of the case because I’m really curious how he won.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Congrats to Braun. You may have lost Prince Fielder, but you’ll always have herpes
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:34 PM
As a cardinal fan I’m glad he won so that the brewers won’t have any excuses when they fail to make the playoffs.
typical cardinals derp.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:35 PM
“@AaronRodgers12: MLB and cable sports tried to sully the reputation of an innocent man. Picked the wrong guy to mess with.”
/belt
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:36 PM
Lol at “cable sports.” What, Rodgers doesnt wanna say ESPN?
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:37 PM
The 50 games should be for that alone.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:37 PM
Jew the man again Braun!
/Lin’d
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:38 PM
Fuck it. He was probably juicing. I don’t care. Didn’t before, and I don’t now.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:39 PM
he got off on a technicality.
He was not challenging the result, he was challenging how they got the result.
This is “glove don’t fit, you have to get acquit”.
Joel Sherman saying the sample took to long to ship was one of the arbitrators reasons for appeal.
Look for the HR’s to go up next year, there’s your loophole.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:39 PM
Lol at “cable sports.” What, Rodgers doesnt wanna say ESPN?
He knows where his bread is buttered. Or, his agent wrote that tweet for him.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:40 PM
Braun will now lead my team to fantasy baseball greatness.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:40 PM
he got off on a technicality.
Of course he did. His last is Braun, after all. I’m sure Saul Goodman was his attorney.
The Hebrewer!
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:42 PM
at least we’ve found a chink in the armor of the mlb steroid policies.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:43 PM
Bob Costas, sitting on his booster seat, just had a cerebral hemorrhage.
THE HUMANITY!
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:44 PM
Hyman Roth doin’ work
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:47 PM
Cheating scumbag.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:48 PM
Fraud
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:49 PM
Right here—–>>>http://i.imgur.com/FUMVLl.jpg
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:52 PM
fixed
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:52 PM
Calm down, TBL. After Linsanity, you won’t even care about this story.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:52 PM
/draws community chest card
Testing error in your favor collect 50 paychecks.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:53 PM
That doesnt really jive with his ‘clearing my good name’ statement.. something else mustve been going on
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:54 PM
Jason McIntyre Says: Fraud
How about you do some investigative journalism before you make pronouncements like this? Otherwise, STFU.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:55 PM
TBL should be investigating the ass hats at MLB/ESPN who leaked it and the lab who messed up the chain of custody with his sample.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:56 PM
HA. I was going to say Lisk forgot the “Frauds” tag.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:56 PM
hat doesnt really jive with his ‘clearing my good name’ statement.. something else mustve been going on
well in his warped world it does, like I said OJ was found not guilty so he cleared his name.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:56 PM
That doesnt really jive with his ‘clearing my good name’ statement.. something else mustve been going on
NO CJ! NO! We can’t wait for all the facts to come out. Nor the reasons for his acquittal. We must make knee jerk pronouncements first! It’s the TBL way.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:58 PM
Now I have friends saying that Braun doesnt seem like the type of guy to use enhancers.
I hate that shit. What the fuck does that even mean? You dont know what the fuck these guys are doing when they arent on the field.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1 tweet
Heard that Braun defense was sample wasn’t shipped in timely fashion to lab and that seemed to sway arbitrator in in his favor #Brewers
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Now I have friends saying that Braun doesnt seem like the type of guy to use enhancers.
I hate that shit. What the fuck does that even mean? You dont know what the fuck these guys are doing when they arent on the field.
none of it matters. he was probably juicing. i just don’t understand why everyone cares so much about PED’s.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Penny: He’s a cheater.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:01 PM
Well, apparently Braun takes shots in the ass. Fortunately for him, it appears someone walked too slowly to the FedEx drop box.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:02 PM
I agree. I dont care if he uses. I just hate it when people get on their high horse and say shit like “Braun isnt the type of guy that would use.” WTF is that horseshit?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:02 PM
The Jews really do rule the world
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:02 PM
My guess is slaying an abundance of poon.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:03 PM
or corked bats? both have the effect of making the player hit the ball further/better. both are against the rules.
it’s really not that hard to figure out if you’d take Braun’s dick out of your mouth.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Braun had an inside man, it’s all a conspiracy!
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:04 PM
Adolf Hankler is furious.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:04 PM
Penny: He’s a cheater.
link?
He had higher HR totals in 2007 and 2008… all while MLB was testing. Is your argument that PED’s help you hit doubles better too? Even if he did start using them in October, who cares? Why, exactly is he a Fraud?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:04 PM
I hope Suh crushes Aaron Rodgers head next year, and I can say it didn’t happen.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:05 PM
or corked bats? both have the effect of making the player hit the ball further/better. both are against the rules.
look at his HR totals in 2007 and 2008.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:05 PM
It will be even better when his numbers drop significantly this year and people point to the fact that “see! See! he was a cheater!”
/or maybe he doesn’t have a scarier hitter behind him now
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:05 PM
Hans Landa would’ve had that shit delivered overnight
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:06 PM
It will be even better when his numbers drop significantly this year and people point to the fact that “see! See! he was a cheater!”
/or maybe he doesn’t have a scarier hitter behind him now
stop it with the rational thoughts, Diamondbacks fan!
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:06 PM
Why, exactly is he a Fraud?
He tested for a synthetic substance which is banned by MLB.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:08 PM
When was he tested those years? No way he could have used and got a lucky break in the timing of his testing? This just happened to be the first time he ever used?
You’re having to make a lot of assumptions there. I’m only assuming that a guy that was just caught cheating wasn’t doing it for the first time.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:09 PM
Why, exactly is he a Fraud?
He tested for a synthetic substance which is banned by MLB.
Link? And first of all, who cares? I mean, really. You guys sound like a bunch of Bob Costas’. Second of all… MLB was testing all year, he was putting up massive numbers, and then in October he says, eh, what the hell? Whatever.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:10 PM
My cheater is better than your cheaters!
HA HA!
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:11 PM
meh. Brewers aren’t a problem now. Or at least not yet. But I do have it on good authority that Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain spent several weeks in the offseason murdering an entire village in Tanzania, while Clayton Kershaw watched.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:11 PM
He pissed every day and was tested every day? If not, then you have no point.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:11 PM
I 2nd the “get Brauns herpes infested cock outta your mouth.”
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:11 PM
Link? And first of all, who cares? I mean, really
If you don’t care, why are you asking?
You know steroids are not just for power, endurance, better eye sight, and twitch muscle reaction.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:12 PM
I can’t wait until it comes out that Jeremy Lin has been lifting.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:13 PM
I thought he tested positive for elevated testosterone levels caused by herp medication
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:13 PM
He pissed every day and was tested every day? If not, then you have no point.
Okay. I’ll go on not giving a shit when I watch Braun hit monster dingers in April.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:14 PM
I thought he tested positive for elevated testosterone levels caused by herp medication
we don’t wait for the facts to come out around here, Butters.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:14 PM
No, he tested for elevated testosterone
He siad he was tested 25 times in past few years, hed have to get extremely lucky
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:15 PM
Of course you will. And he’ll still be a fraud. And you’ll be the guy who’s cheering for the fraudiest of frauds.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:15 PM
I really dont give a shit about the Brewers, but all this ‘outrage’ is hysterical
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:16 PM
He siad he was tested 25 times in past few years, hed have to get extremely lucky
Oh no! Now we have a rational red sox fan making a good point! What’s going on here?
up is down, down is up
//what just happened?
///feeling light headed
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Of course you will. And he’ll still be a fraud. And you’ll be the guy who’s cheering for the fraudiest of frauds.
yep. still don’t care. Also, I really hope you’re a pirates fan.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Except for the fact that herpes medication would never have made his testosterone as high as it was.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:18 PM
And you didn’t find it wierd that your herp medication was chewable?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:18 PM
Seems like a reasonable comment.
Looks like I need to go celebrate this wonderful day with a Spotted Cow or 12. Cheers!
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:18 PM
None of those in these parts.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:19 PM
I kind of find posts of YouTube videos about zoos on sports blogs to be fraudy, but who am I?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Giants aren’t going to be a problem at all. The pitching will still be there, but they didn’t improve the offense. Getting Buster back will be nice, but it won’t be enough to overtake the D-Bags.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Guys I just beat off, what’s going on in this thread?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:21 PM
- Ryan Braun
And I still believe him.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:23 PM
But this is the year Bochy quits fucking with Belts development!
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:23 PM
Herpes
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:23 PM
It’s funny reading this as a 3rd party observer when I had to live it during the Bonds era. I applaud all the Brewers fans in here backing their guy, they have to. I also hope they can still admit (even in private) that their guy cheated, just as I “know” Bonds did.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:24 PM
That’ll happen.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:25 PM
His numbers have been fairly consistent his entire career. Calling him a fraud is ridiculous, unless you think he’s been getting lucky with testing for the last 5 years. Which also seems like a rediculous stance to take.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Well, while you were depositing DNA into a tissue, Braun was doing the same to ATL’s pie hole.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:28 PM
Looks like sugar, on a hard piece of meat.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:29 PM
There is a sliver of hope that the rest of the D-Backs start using the meth that Ryan Roberts smokes and they fall off the cliff.
I should be more willing to call the Diamondbacks a flukey gimmick, but I’m slightly worried that’s what the Giants might of been in 2010.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:30 PM
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:23 PM
It’s funny reading this as a 3rd party observer when I had to live it during the Bonds era. I applaud all the Brewers fans in here backing their guy, they have to. I also hope they can still admit (even in private) that their guy cheated, just as I “know” Bonds did.
I’ll publicly admit it. I’ll also publicly admit that I don’t care. Not now, nor with bonds. Outrage over PEDs is silly. As is calling Braun a fraud.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:31 PM
last year might have been a little early for them to rise so much but now they got serious arms coming up. They will be set the next 4-5 years.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:31 PM
Guys I just beat off, what’s going on in this thread?
a jewish circle jerk.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:32 PM
I think fluke is a tad harsh, because they were still competitive last year even with Buster missing all that time and I think they will be again this year. The D-Bags have the same good pitching, and added Cahill (who dominates the Giants) to the mix. I hope I’m wrong, but I see AZ winning the West fairly easily.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:36 PM
every one gets the short end of the stick.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:36 PM
I thought that was an Asian circle jerk?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:38 PM
I don’t know what the big deal is. Still a large portion of MLB’ers that are “cheating” in some way or another and will never get caught. I don’t care. I just hope the Tribe can get better at “cheating.” They need the help
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:42 PM
I am unfamilar with Jewish cranks but I assume either way the handjobs themselves would be rather cheap.
Having said that, Jewish girls give phenomenal dome.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:43 PM
Had they kept Beltran and Belt developed (and played consistently), I think it would of been a good race.
As constructed, the Giants offense is going to be more along the lines of the 2009 version I think. And yeah, easy for Arizona. Fuck.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:44 PM
They were better than competitive but predictably fell off a cliff – their run differential never matched their record into July.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:45 PM
This has Selig’s handprints all over it. What a bunch of bullshit.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:46 PM
I changed my gravatar the day the 49ers beat the Saints, and now it finally shows up. Fucking hell.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:55 PM
Ballz, i saw the 49ers gravatar, but now i see your old one. Did you change it back?
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:57 PM
Agreed, but I think it would have cost too much to keep Beltran. I’m really hoping that Melky turns out to be a good trade and he can hit gap to gap and take advantage of all the outfield space. I’m not holding my breath though, wouldn’t be surprised to see him be Rowand 2.0.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Of course. That Alex Smith pic just brings back memories of when I had hope. At least it changed back in a timely fashion.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Plus, this gravatar is really easy to find when scrolling through a thread quickly. And it really goes well with the color of the user-name font.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:04 PM
Baseball — masters at incompetency since 1888.
Im sure this was all on the up and up. MLB in no way influenced a three man board to let them save face. Thats umpossible.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:27 PM
Must be doing something right to still be in business after all this time
Everything you say about baseball is misinformed and yet you keep at it, I respect the determination to remain so engaged about something you hate
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:35 PM
You know what McIntyre, you need to quit selling yourself as a sports blog. If it’s anything other than pro-NY (Jets, Knicks, Yankees, etc) then they are all guilty and can rot in hell.
Objectivity is something you are unfamiliar with, and frankly, I could care less if I ever read your blog again. You are delusional, and your bias is sickening.
/banhammer me
//SC put me on the sheet as the anti-McIntyre guy (who’s sick of his crap)
///comes here for the commenters (loves Phillymantis, spencer, SG, Guinessgirl, arkbadger, SomeOldRandomDude, and the rest – you know who you are)
////I’m Out!
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:41 PM
Baseball — masters at incompetency since 1888.
Have you seen the NFL’s PED testing policy?
You know what McIntyre, you need to quit selling yourself as a sports blog. If it’s anything other than pro-NY (Jets, Knicks, Yankees, etc) then they are all guilty and can rot in hell.
Objectivity is something you are unfamiliar with, and frankly, I could care less if I ever read your blog again. You are delusional, and your bias is sickening.
Way to put much better than I did.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:42 PM
Although I do take issue with you putting phillymantis ahead of spencer. Interesting.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:46 PM
Thanks?
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:42 PM
Agree completely.
February 24th, 2012 at 12:51 AM
Um, I don’t think you have to completely quite yourself (Jets are not good, and Isles suck? Could be Rangers…not sure?). Anywho, let me calm Th{ well played.
February 24th, 2012 at 12:52 AM
Sorry. I’m being an asshole.
February 24th, 2012 at 1:01 AM
Hey, Jayson, I, mean…c’mon.
February 24th, 2012 at 1:16 AM
Anywho. Grazi, Jason. Grazi. Otherwise, cheers. God Bless, Cheers.
February 24th, 2012 at 1:18 AM
Nope, I’ve got nothin.
February 24th, 2012 at 1:20 AM
Good. So, I says to the guy. Great. Only 45k. Cats…great. Well, played.
February 24th, 2012 at 1:22 AM
Sorry, Jason. I am really sorry. Otherwise..I don’t care. This is fun!!!!!!!!!
February 24th, 2012 at 8:56 AM
I attended a baseball panel with Paul White of USA Today and Ron Shandler of Baseball HQ a couple of weeks back. Paul told us we haven’t heard what the banned substance was that led to Braun’s positive test. He said that there are multiple sources in Milwaukee saying it was something in his herpes medication that led to said positive test.
February 24th, 2012 at 9:19 AM
His attorneys choose the path of least resistance. They had clear eveidence the collector was in violation of the protocol. To do anything other than challenge on those grounds could have cost them a victory. Now it’s up to Braun to clear his name in the court of public opinion.
February 24th, 2012 at 4:09 PM
TheBigLead, embracing his inner message board troll. Didn’t Phil Mickelson teach you anything?