Posted on 02/24/2012 1:44:59 AM PST by jellybean
National League MVP Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension was overturned Thursday by baseball arbitrator Shyam Das, the first time a baseball player successfully challenged a drug-related penalty in a grievance.
The decision was announced Thursday by the Major League Baseball Players Association, one day before the 28-year-old outfielder was due to report to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers.
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During the hearing, Braun's side challenged the chain of custody from the time the urine sample was collected by Comprehensive Drug Testing Inc. to when it was sent, nearly 48 hours later, to a World Anti-Doping Agency-certified laboratory in Montreal, two people familiar with the case said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because what took place in the hearing is supposed to be confidential.
The sample was collected on Oct. 1, a Saturday and the day the Brewers opened the NL playoffs. The collector did not send the sample to the laboratory until Monday, thinking it would be more secure at home than at a Federal Express office during the weekend.
Baseball's drug agreement states that "absent unusual circumstances, the specimens should be sent by FedEx to the laboratory on the same day they are collected."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
You called it; Yanks fan alright. And though I’d not looked before today, it’s clear that last season’s stats follow Braun’s career curve nicely.
Selig hasn't had an ownership stake in the team for more than a decade. Just 3 years of Selig's annual salary as Commissioner is equivalent to the enitrety of the profits he earned in the 35 years he held either a minority or majority stake in the franchise.
Your argument is that Selig is willing to jeopardize his massive windfall of a salary to satisfy his sentimental attachment to his former team?
Thanks for the abusive profanity. I hope you get banned.
Source?
If that is the case, I'm curious as to who the other players were and how much was in their samples.
One caveat is that Prince Fielder is now with Detroit. Braun will be pitched to differently without Fielder batting behind him.
why? appearances.. He can’t allow his team to get a black eye.
As for the amount reported, it was a "trace amount" in the other 2 samples. If that is indeed the case, it indicates only 3 possibilities:
1) The illegal substance is being used by all 3 players, but only used heavily by Braun,
2) The collector contaminated all 3 sample containers prior to obtaining a sample, AND/OR
3) The collector tampered with all 3 samples, but completely misjudged the amount of substance inserted into Braun's sample.
As for the amount reported, it was a "trace amount" in the other 2 samples. If that is indeed the case, it indicates only 3 possibilities:
1) The illegal substance is being used by all 3 players, but only used heavily by Braun,
2) The collector contaminated all 3 sample containers prior to obtaining a sample, AND/OR
3) The collector tampered with all 3 samples, but completely misjudged the amount of substance inserted into Braun's sample.
So instead he gives MLB's drug testing procedures a black eye? That doesn't make any sense.
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Like when Selig prevented the union from forcing a tie baseball game at the 2001 All-Star game in Milwaukee?
Or when he kept the Brewers in the American League East (and its lucrative home games vs. the Yankees & Red Sox)instead of allowing the team to be moved to the American League Central?
Or when he kept the Brewers in the American League to preserve more lucrative home games rather than moving to the National League and their low-turnstyle teams in Montreal, San Diego, Houston, Pittsburgh, Florida, Colorado and Arizona?
Or when he forced the Yankees to play a daytime playoff game last year so the Brewers could play in prime time?
Oh wait, none of those things happened either!
He has not been exonerated, the arbitrator overturned the employment action based on the drug test.
Baseball is a pastoral sport. We’re not a pastoral people. Having said that, pro basketball is much more boring...and half the league gets into the playoffs.
I hear you about chain of custody but airman snuffy would have had to open Braun’s container and laced it with SYNTHETIC testosterone.
Braun’s sample could have sat in my car for a week....his tape seals were not broken, they were delivered intact.
Wisconsin Ryan Braun ping
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
I agree about basketball as well. My wife and I went to a “pro” game with free tickets and we were bored to death. The teams just acted like it was a slow practice until the last 5 minutes of the game. During each break the promoters were shooting out t-shirts, flying blimps, running goofy contests, etc., to try and keep us in our seats. Boring.........
The best sport to watch in person is hockey!
Here’s the bad news. Gary Bettmann, the commissioner of the NHL, is an acolyte of NBA commissioner Stern, so at a hockey game you have endless Jumbo screen replays and said jumbo screen blocking half the ice, mascots, tee-shirt guns and a blimp. Oh, and the shoot-out because if soccer fans love it, what could be wrong?
He’s been tested before and after and always clean except for this one sample. He’s clean and a high character guy. This isn’t Rose, Ramirez or Bonds.
I have a thought about Braun’s episode....that he had some issues and somehow cooked up a way of getting a buddy of his....who felt he has “good” urine, and Braun just gave his buddy’s stuff.
I hear ya. I like the action of hockey too. I also like Nascar racing depending on the track. Dirt track trucks
and bikes can be pretty exciting as well.
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