Thoughts on Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun won his appeal of a 50 game suspension for testing positive for an extremely elevated level of testosterone.

Ryan Braun proclaims innocence.

Major League Baseball cries foul.

Regardless of your position on whether or not Ryan Braun should or should not be branded a cheater, and be suspended there are a couple things to think about:

Major League Baseball is a multi-billion enterprise. Billion is 9 zeros after a 1. Owners make a shit ton of money. Players make a shit ton of money, TV makes a shit ton of money. Fans pay a shit ton of money for tickets, parking ($10 for cheapie parking at Miller Park), brats, beer, tee shirts, jerseys.

Players are tested, not only when they are under contract, but their entire playing career beginning as kids. I mean tested in the sense of can they hit, field, throw? Are their joints solid? Is there an injury risk, and on and on. They have to sign contracts promising never to bet on baseball, or they are banned. They have assorted clauses that they have to comply with - all to assure the investment that owners are making is protected.

You would think something as important as the testing for performance enhancing drugs in a mulit-billion dollare enterprise would follow a pretty strict protocol. And according to the current collective bargaining agreement in place, there are protocols in place that each side has agreed to.

Did Braunie get off on a technicality? I don't know, but Major League Baseball - follow your own protocol.

Technically, maybe MLB would do a little more than hire some part time techs looking for some side cash to collect samples. You would think - technically.

Maybe technically samples should be sent the lab according to protocol.

Technically, maybe, technically, said sample shouldn't sit in the collectors fridge for two days until it can be sent to, you know, get tested - technically.

Technically, before you technically take away about a third of a players pay you should be sure.

Technically some guys fridge is not a "cold and secure" location. I mean, I trust my buddies, but I don't want my shit in their fridge. MLB should at least be as stringent as me.


I guess, technically, before owners give up fans' spending money in their stadiums because the MVP won't be there, they should be sure.

Maybe, just maybe, before you forever cast a cloud over the integrity of a player, technically, who has never tested positive for anything, thus harming his earning potential outside of baseball you should be sure.

I don't know maybe you should technically collect samples on a weekday when you have more time to get to the Fed Ex Store.