Take away the MVP Award from Ryan Braun

delcherz · December 10, 2011 9:08AM

As you may have heard 10 minutes ago, Ryan Braun was reported to have been taking PED's last season and will serve a 50- game suspension. What really bothers me is he knew he learned of testing positive a month before the MVP Award was given to him. Is it just me, or sould he not of accepted the award and came out with the truth instead of having sources tell us.

Estil · December 10, 2011 9:11AM

So Ryan Braun* is now the 2011 MVP*

MantleMarisFordBerra · December 10, 2011 9:14AM

I wish there was a way to take away his MVP award, and the MVP awards given to Barry Bonds, Ken Caminetti, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzlaez, Miguel Tahota, Pudge Rodriquez, Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, Jason Gimabi and all the other who have won MVPs with the help of PEDs.

vettfanatic · December 10, 2011 9:15AM

This is a sad day for me as a Brewers fan. Yes I believe he should have turned down the MVP award.

delcherz · December 10, 2011 9:23AM

I honestly think Prince Fielder deserved the award or maybe Loney but when you hear something about this when he was told he tested positive a month before he found out he got the award, then that is 100% wrong. I agree with what you said about all the other guys getting mvp awards while taking PED's

MantleMarisFordBerra · December 10, 2011 9:27AM

From the ESPN report:

Since being informed of the results, Braun has been disputing his case. A source close to Braun said that when he was told about the positive test, he immediately requested to be tested again. That second test, the source said, was not positive. Those close to Braun believe that the difference between the two tests will show that the first test was invalid.

The outfielder has told those around him that he did not knowingly take any banned substances and hoped to prove that during the arbitration process. No major league player has ever successfully appealed a positive test.

frankhardy · December 10, 2011 10:57AM

I am surprised by this. I kind of like him as a player. Why would he do that when he knows he is going to be tested?

lanemyer85 · December 10, 2011 11:08AM

The 28-year-old Braun had to provide a urine sample for testing during the playoffs, and he was notified of the positive test sometime in late October -- about a month before he was named the National League's most valuable player.

The positive result was triggered by elevated levels of testosterone in Braun's system, the sources also told "Outside the Lines." A subsequent, more comprehensive test revealed the testosterone was synthetic -- not produced by Braun's body.

Every individual naturally produces testosterone and a substance called epitestosterone, typically at a ratio of 1-to-1. In Major League Baseball, if the ratio comes in at 4-to-1 or higher during testing, a player is deemed to have tested positive. The sources did not indicate how high above the threshold Braun's sample tested.

To affirm the results and strengthen its case, MLB asked the World Anti-Doping Agency lab in Montreal, which conducts its testing, to perform a secondary test to determine whether the testosterone spike resulted from natural variations within Braun's body or from an artificial source. The test indicated the testosterone was exogenous, meaning it came from outside his body.

perkdog · December 10, 2011 12:02PM

I got no problem with him keeping it, he put himself on a fair playing field with 75%+ of other MLB players who do the same thing.

RoarIn84 · December 10, 2011 12:37PM

<< I wish there was a way to take away his MVP award, and the MVP awards given to Barry Bonds, Ken Caminetti, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzlaez, Miguel Tahota, Pudge Rodriquez, Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, Jason Gimabi and all the other who have won MVPs with the help of PEDs. >>

Hey, leave Pudge out of this. Just because he was on the Rangers in the 'era' doesn't mean he used!! His numbers have been pretty consistent with no questionable 'spikes' here and there, or body freakishness like all other users....

digicat · December 10, 2011 3:37PM

The thing that's different here is that Braun has only had the MVP award for a few weeks. In the other instances, several years had already gone by, and the player who won it had already benefited financially (contract negotiations, endorsements, etc) from it.

Braun's MVP is just a few weeks old, and it hasn't had any impact on his existing contract, nor anyone elses. This would be the PERFECT time to reverse an award w/o affecting the history books significantly.

sagard · December 10, 2011 3:47PM

Must have been amateur hour in Milwaukee. To fail a basic wiz test really is inexcusable with modern PEDs. This guy got popped for the same thing as Floyd Landis back in 2006.

Justacommeman · December 10, 2011 5:03PM

<< 

<< I wish there was a way to take away his MVP award, and the MVP awards given to Barry Bonds, Ken Caminetti, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzlaez, Miguel Tahota, Pudge Rodriquez, Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, Jason Gimabi and all the other who have won MVPs with the help of PEDs. >>

Hey, leave Pudge out of this. Just because he was on the Rangers in the 'era' doesn't mean he used!! His numbers have been pretty consistent with no questionable 'spikes' here and there, or body freakishness like all other users.... >>

You are being facetious right? Pudge's body changed dramatically in Detroit. He got super thin. MJ

lanemyer85 · December 10, 2011 5:41PM

<< 

<< 

<< I wish there was a way to take away his MVP award, and the MVP awards given to Barry Bonds, Ken Caminetti, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzlaez, Miguel Tahota, Pudge Rodriquez, Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, Jason Gimabi and all the other who have won MVPs with the help of PEDs. >>

Hey, leave Pudge out of this. Just because he was on the Rangers in the 'era' doesn't mean he used!! His numbers have been pretty consistent with no questionable 'spikes' here and there, or body freakishness like all other users.... >>

You are being facetious right? Pudge's body changed dramatically in Detroit. He got super thin. MJ >>

that ("dropped" 30 LBs in one off-season) in addition to being a human bobblehead.

delcherz · December 10, 2011 8:03PM

The Baseball Writer's Association will most likely not take away the award from Ryan Braun. They have gone through things like tis with other players all the time and they never took away that players award. However, since hes only had it a couple weeks and not a couple years it could be taken away. We have to remember the MVP is not chosen by the MLB

Saberman · December 10, 2011 9:47PM

I see Braun is appealing the test...but he is going about that the wrong way. As his defense, he is saying he didn't "knowingly" take them.

Ryan, try this one, it works better:

"I fear God too much to take steroids."

MantleMarisFordBerra · December 10, 2011 11:19PM

Regarding Pudge Rodriguez:

In Juiced, Jose Canseco claims to have educated Rodriguez, along with Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez, about steroids when they were teammates in Texas. He subsequently claims to have acquired steroids on behalf of all three before personally injecting each of them 'many times.' Canseco says all three used a combination of HGH and steroids (Deca-Durabolin and/or Winstrol) and 'a small dose' of injectable testosterone.

Also, when asked if his name is on the list of 100+ players who tested postiive tin the 2003 MLB survey, he answered "Only God knows".

brianwintersfan · December 11, 2011 3:19AM

Being a Brewers and Braun fan I am willing to wait and see what happens. I guess everybody has become so jaded in this era of roids that everyone just has to be guilty. I hope this is not the case.

RonBurgundy · December 11, 2011 5:25AM

No clue why he'd do this. He's already Brauny.

sagard · December 11, 2011 7:18AM

<< Being a Brewers and Braun fan I am willing to wait and see what happens. I guess everybody has become so jaded in this era of roids that everyone just has to be guilty. I hope this is not the case. >>

It not being jaded, it's avoiding being delusional. Have no regrets about being a Braun fan, I guarantee you he is playing with no competitive advantage over his opponents. He just was a bit careless with his regimen.

greencrow · December 11, 2011 11:04AM

I'm glad Bud Selig is cleaning up baseball.

markj111 · December 12, 2011 7:07AM

From a friend and fellow collector:

Standard famous-person-getting-outed-scenario:

1. Adamant denial
2. Additional evidence confirms accusation
3. Accused begins to waffle and talk of 'honest mistakes' begins
4. Media frenzy begins to produce ridiculous falsehoods
5. Under heavy pressure the accused admits there is some level of truth to accusations
6. Tearful press conference with admission to guilt and apologies to fans/supporters and so sorry for hurting their family

markj111 · December 12, 2011 7:15AM

Baseball Prospectus has a free article on Braun at:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15654

digicat · December 12, 2011 8:15AM

<< Baseball Prospectus has a free article on Braun at:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15654 >>

Good summary of available information.

It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out.

mikesimo88 · December 15, 2011 6:31AM

Brauns EYES always seemed to be PINNED OPEN and he always seemed to be sweating profusely even on cold days....now it all makes sense!

i guess he grew up idolizing BONDZ

Take away the MVP Award from Ryan Braun

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