Ryan Braun suspended for the rest of 2013 by MLB

[03EBZ06]

Major League Baseball has suspended Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun for the remainder of 2013. Braun, embattled by PED accusations related to the Biogenesis case, is suspended immediately and without pay, according to the commissioner's office.

MLB's announcement didn't offer specifics about Braun's suspension, only that it was related to baseball's joint drug prevention and treatment program.

Per MLB's announcement, Braun said:

“As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect. I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it is has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country. Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed – all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization, and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love.”

For the rest ---> http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...b-apologizes-admits-214538814.html#more-93560

 

[Keifer]

Ouch. Time to close the record books and start over.

 

[Tabascocat]

Next man up...Aroid

 

[jimmy40]

Good, he should be suspended for another year for getting out of the failed drug test last year.

 

[kristie]

Next man up...Aroid

oh yes.

 

[NIBGoldenchild]

If they started giving out lifetime bans, the amount of players getting caught would fall down to zero. I think all major leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB) should be putting that in their next CBAs. But that would only be something that the leagues in question were actually trying to get rid of. I'm not sure some of these leagues are doing anything more than the bare minimum.

 

[TheCowboy]

He lied, cheated and is a fraud. I would like to see a lifetime ban on him.

 

[bounce]

If they started giving out lifetime bans, the amount of players getting caught would fall down to zero. I think all major leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB) should be putting that in their next CBAs. But that would only be something that the leagues in question were actually trying to get rid of. I'm not sure some of these leagues are doing anything more than the bare minimum.

Except, they need to find the balance between enforcing the rule, and not totally killing their sport. To me, the steroid issue is dumb. They're cherry picking who they want to go after, and make an example of.

 

[khiladi]

If they started giving out lifetime bans, the amount of players getting caught would fall down to zero. I think all major leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB) should be putting that in their next CBAs. But that would only be something that the leagues in question were actually trying to get rid of. I'm not sure some of these leagues are doing anything more than the bare minimum.

Lebron wouldn't be Lebron then...

 

[Rogah]

A lifetime ban for a first offense is not a realistic solution to the problem. They'd be cutting of their noses to spite their face.

What they should do is allow a team to void any contract of a player found to have been using PED's. Braun is laughing all the way to the bank right now. He lost about $3 million from his suspension, but he'll be making about $100 million from his 5 year contract extension. Milwaukee will be paying obscene money for a player who will be far more mediocre than expected.

 

[03EBZ06]

I still believe M. Kemp should have won last years NL MVP award, Kemp put up better numbers than Braun in most of the offensive catagories.

 

[joseephuss]

Except, they need to find the balance between enforcing the rule, and not totally killing their sport. To me, the steroid issue is dumb. They're cherry picking who they want to go after, and make an example of.

You mean like ARod now that he sucks. If he were still good they wouldn't be doing anything.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

A lifetime ban for a first offense is not a realistic solution to the problem. They'd be cutting of their noses to spite their face.

What they should do is allow a team to void any contract of a player found to have been using PED's. Braun is laughing all the way to the bank right now. He lost about $3 million from his suspension, but he'll be making about $100 million from his 5 year contract extension. Milwaukee will be paying obscene money for a player who will be far more mediocre than expected.

There is a lot of talk about this and the Players, the Players Union and the Owners all seem to be pulling on the same oar here. Nobody is talking about challenging that. I think it's a very good possibility that the rules are changed to facilitate this very thing. It's the only thing that will prevent players using IMO. Even lifetime bans will not do it because if you are a player from the Dominican that plays ball there for a few thousand dollars a year, said player is going to take the risk and use, even if he gets caught and is banned. He would still collect his money. Same for players all over the world. Your going to take the risk because the alternative is so much worse that you would be stupid not to take the risk if it means getting a MLB contract.

I know, I know, the Players Union is too strong and that will never happen. I don't know what I'm talking about, that day will never come..........


Except that day is already coming. For what it's worth, I agree with your opinion on this Rogah.

 

[bounce]

You mean like ARod now that he sucks. If he were still good they wouldn't be doing anything.

Exactly. You're telling me they didn't suspect McGwire or Sosa during the barrage? And Barry only became suspect after he hit 73? They needed those people in the game, because fan interest was HUGELY waning. All the people they went after are way past their prime, except Braun.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Exactly. You're telling me they didn't suspect McGwire or Sosa during the barrage? And Barry only became suspect after he hit 73? They needed those people in the game, because fan interest was HUGELY waning. All the people they went after are way past their prime, except Braun.

I agree. Baseball, IMO, is as big a part of PEDs usage in the game as are players. They, IMO, encouraged it and looked the other way when they new darn well that it was going on. Had the story not been broken by the Miami New Times on Tony Bosch and Biogenesis, I doubt any of this would have been investigated further. MLB knows it's complicit in this issue, IMO.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

So this is interesting. It sounds as if A-Rod will be given a deal where by MLB offers him the remainder of 2013 and the entire 2014 season as suspension or a life time ban. If he is banned for life, then the Yankees have grounds to get out of the contract entirely. If he accepts the 212 games (which does not seem likely), then the Yankees are basically on the hook for 15,16 and 17. The question you would have to ask yourself is, if he got suspended for 13 and 14, could he or would he come back and play in 15, 16 and 17? The combined salaries of the 15, 16 and 17 seasons are 61 million. Remember that A-Rod also has a kicker in his contract that compensate him (6 Million) for achieving specific milestones. After basically sitting for what amounts to 3 straight seasons, would he be able to come back and reach those milestones? I'm not sure he could. It may be wiser for him to simply go along with the insurance policy clause and collect 80% of his contract. In order for that to happen, he would likely have to be injured and unable to return to play. This would make a lot of sense, based on what we saw earlier this month. A-Rod talking a lot about being able to return 1 minute and then agreeing that he is not ready to return the very next day, after Cashman tells A-Rod to shut up.

That might make more sense then anything else.

 

[Rogah]

So this is interesting. It sounds as if A-Rod will be given a deal where by MLB offers him the remainder of 2013 and the entire 2014 season as suspension or a life time ban. If he is banned for life, then the Yankees have grounds to get out of the contract entirely. If he accepts the 212 games (which does not seem likely), then the Yankees are basically on the hook for 15,16 and 17. The question you would have to ask yourself is, if he got suspended for 13 and 14, could he or would he come back and play in 15, 16 and 17? The combined salaries of the 15, 16 and 17 seasons are 61 million. Remember that A-Rod also has a kicker in his contract that compensate him (6 Million) for achieving specific milestones. After basically sitting for what amounts to 3 straight seasons, would he be able to come back and reach those milestones? I'm not sure he could. It may be wiser for him to simply go along with the insurance policy clause and collect 80% of his contract. In order for that to happen, he would likely have to be injured and unable to return to play. This would make a lot of sense, based on what we saw earlier this month. A-Rod talking a lot about being able to return 1 minute and then agreeing that he is not ready to return the very next day, after Cashman tells A-Rod to shut up.

That might make more sense then anything else.

If that is the suspension he gets, he's got about 60 million reasons to come back in 2015, and he played most of 2012 so he really would have only missed 2 seasons, not 3. I think that he and the Yankees will have a very hard time collecting any insurance money because the insurance company isn't going to just smile and hand over a blank check. They are going to have to prove he has suffered a debilitating injury and is not just suffering the effects of age (not to mention that that assumes A-Rod would be comfortable never playing another inning of baseball again, which I don't think is the case).

Despite what the mediots want us to believe, I don't think MLB has any legal grounds whatsoever to give A-Rod a lifetime ban for what is, technically, still a first offense. I probably wouldn't accept the 212 games if I was him. He should counter-offer that he would accept a full season suspension if he got to apply it retroactively to 2013. That way he would have to give some money back, but would be able to start fresh in 2014 and collect the rest of the money owed him. And if they turned me down, then I'd tell them to give me 50 and then shut the you-know-what up.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

If that is the suspension he gets, he's got about 60 million reasons to come back in 2015, and he played most of 2012 so he really would have only missed 2 seasons, not 3. I think that he and the Yankees will have a very hard time collecting any insurance money because the insurance company isn't going to just smile and hand over a blank check. They are going to have to prove he has suffered a debilitating injury and is not just suffering the effects of age.

Despite what the mediots want us to believe, I don't think MLB has any legal grounds whatsoever to give A-Rod a lifetime ban for what is, technically, still a first offense. I probably wouldn't accept the 212 games if I was him. He should counter-offer that he would accept a full season suspension if he got to apply it retroactively to 2013. That way he would have to give some money back, but would be able to start fresh in 2014 and collect the rest of the money owed him.

No, he got paid for 2012 but he didn't really play a lot in 2012. I am specifically speaking about his ability to come back and play after that long of a layoff. Also, what you rather have, 60 million or 80% of 114 million? I think his insurance clause pays 80% of the contract.


What it sounds like to me is that MLB is going to use the evidence to support justification for multiple violations. He has already admitted to using earlier in his career so that, technically, would be the first offense, according to how it sounds as if MLB is presenting this. If what MLB says is true and they have "A lot more evidence against A-Rod", then I think they will go after a lifetime ban and they may get it. Not a lot of people are supporting any of the players who are using. Be interesting to see what happens here.

 

[Rogah]

No, he got paid for 2012 but he didn't really play a lot in 2012.

He appeared in 122 games and had 529 plate appearances in 2012. Like I said, he played most of 2012.

I am specifically speaking about his ability to come back and play after that long of a layoff. Also, what you rather have, 60 million or 80% of 114 million? I think his insurance clause pays 80% of the contract.

Sorry, but you're totally misunderstanding the insurance policy - and no offense, but you're once again showing you don't really understand how baseball contracts work.

A-Rod doesn't have an insurance policy on himself, it's the Yankees that have the policy on A-Rod. Baseball contracts are 100% guaranteed, even against career ending injuries, so A-Rod is going to get 100% of that $114 million with or without a career ending injury (taking away, of course, any money lost to suspension). So A-Rod gets the whole $114 million (less fines and suspensions) and it's the Yankees who are the ones who would collect roughly 80% of the $114 million from the insurance company. But like I said before, the insurance company is not just going to gladly smile and hand over a check for roughly $90 million. They are going to want their own doctors to look at A-Rod and A-Rod himself would have to go along because the policy only insures against a career ending injury, it does not insure against him hitting .245 with 8 home runs in 2014. There is absolutely no way whatsoever the Yankees could claim he suffered a career ending injury if he keeps rehabbing and signs with some other team somewhere so he would have to be willing to retire, which I don't think he will.

What it sounds like to me is that MLB is going to use the evidence to support justification for multiple violations. He has already admitted to using earlier in his career so that, technically, would be the first offense, according to how it sounds as if MLB is presenting this.

There is absolutely no legal justification for this. As crazy as it sounds, PED's were not a violation of the CBA back then, so you can't punish someone for doing something which wasn't a violation of the CBA at the time he did it. You can't call that a "first offense."

If what MLB says is true and they have "A lot more evidence against A-Rod", then I think they will go after a lifetime ban and they may get it. Not a lot of people are supporting any of the players who are using. Be interesting to see what happens here.

They need to have something which hasn't come out yet because so far they have nothing than would legal allow a lifetime ban.

 

[joseephuss]

They need to have something which hasn't come out yet because so far they have nothing than would legal allow a lifetime ban.

MLB are just making this stuff up as they go along. Very inconsistent.

I say let them all use PEDs if that is their choice. So what if it affects historical numbers. There have been numerous changes in the game that led to significant changes to records. Dead ball era, night games, more games, west coast teams, racial integration, expansion, raising and lowering the pitching mound, the DH and many more.