Brewers LF Ryan Braun "has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and faces a 50-game suspension if the initial finding is upheld," according to sources cited by Fainaru-Wada & Quinn of ESPN.com. MLB "has not announced the positive test because Braun is disputing the result through arbitration." A spokesperson for Braun said in a statement, "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" (ESPN.com, 12/11). Braun "plans a vigorous defense of the positive test," and he "will appeal any suspension." Braun on Saturday called the positive result "BS" (USATODAY.com, 12/10). Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio in a statement said, "Before there is a rush to judgment, Ryan deserves the right to be heard. We are committed to supporting Ryan to get to the truth of what happened in this unfortunate situation" (JSONLINE.com, 12/11). On Long Island, Ken Davidoff notes because of the "lengthy appeals process allowed" by MLB's CBA, Braun "might not learn of his fate until February" (NEWSDAY, 12/12). MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations & HR Rob Manfred noted that "no player has won an appeal." Former WADA Chair Gary Wadler said, "I don't know what defense he's going to come up with, but it's an almost impossible mountain to climb" (USA TODAY, 12/12). Meanwhile, in L.A., Bill Shaikin reported the Baseball Writers Association of America "has no plans to strip" Braun of his NL MVP award or to "hold another vote if Braun is suspended" (LATIMES.com, 12/11).
FALLING STAR? In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt notes the news "was shocking in large part because of Braun's squeaky-clean image" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/11). Also in Milwaukee, Michael Hunt wrote, "It is one of the biggest shockers to hit our corner of the sporting scene in a long, long time and potentially one of the most damaging to its reputation as a fairly clean repository of games if it is true." Outside of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, former NFLer Brett Favre and "select others, Braun is among the biggest of the big-deal athletes to ever pass this way." His character "was beyond reproach." When MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "held up examples of players who ran counter to baseball's Steroid Era, he frequently mentioned Braun" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/11). In N.Y., Tyler Kepner writes if you "love baseball, you hope" Braun is innocent. He is "part of a handful of young, single-team stars to emerge in what we have called, perhaps too hopefully, the post-steroids era." The Brewers "need Braun to prove his innocence, however daunting that may be," because he is the face of the franchise. Moreover, he is a "symbol of hope for small markets" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/12). Also in N.Y., Rob Reischel noted before yesterday's Raiders-Packers game at Lambeau Field many fans were "discussing Braun's guilt or innocence" instead of their undefeated football team. Reischel: "Shock. Confusion. Anger. Frustration. Every emotion was prevalent among Wisconsin sports fans" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/12).
BLOW TO BASEBALL: ESPN.com's Buster Olney wrote, "The past three months have felt like a renaissance for baseball, with a regular-season finish nobody will forget, a World Series arguably among the best ever, and an offseason percolating with big names and big moves. ... So much for that, with Ryan Braun joining Rafael Palmeiro and Manny Ramirez as the most prominent players who ever tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. What hurts the sport most is that Braun is one of baseball's young pillars" (ESPN.com, 12/10). The Miami Herald's Israel Gutierrez said, "Baseball has had such a great postseason, had this great offseason going so far and this puts a stain on everything. ... Hopefully it is not a sign of things to come, but it just brings back those feelings that everything in the sport is dirty" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 12/11). USA TODAY's Mike Lopresti writes if Braun is guilty, MLB's "era of good feeling just got beaned." Lopresti: "At the very least, baseball has been reminded of something any veteran Olympic doping official would know. There is no end to this issue" (USA TODAY, 12/12). FOX SPORTS' Ken Rosenthal wrote, "Even if Braun is found guilty and serves a 50-game suspension, the sport will recover and so will the player, at least to a degree." But the sport "is not clean," and it "never will be clean." While MLB "continues to make tremendous advances in deterrence, adding HGH testing in its new collective-bargaining agreement, no one should ever be under the illusion that everything is fine and dandy" (FOXSPORTS.com, 12/11).
