why bring up the fact that he’s a father and is concerned with the effects PEDs have on the body? The side effects from steroids won’t show up for years for these players if they abuse them

Because in addition to giving some athletes an unfair advantage, they CAN have serious harmful physical side effects? As for effects showing up only years later, those who noticed gross changes in Bonds body around 2000 would beg to disagree.

Also, DUI’s can and do kill hundreds of thousands of people, including the driver. Having a player die will likely affect the on field product, don’t you think?

Yeah, and war and genocide kill even more. Having a player die does not impact an even playing field. DUIs are a separate issue and no one with half a brain condones them. Your trying to mix the issue of DUIs and PEDs is disingenuous or just totally inane.

As for it being an on the field issue, why bring up the fact that he’s a father and is concerned with the effects PEDs have on the body? The side effects from steroids won’t show up for years for these players if they abuse them, let alone how much longer, if at all, if they cycle their use. It’s disingenuous to say he’s speaking out only because it’s an on the field issue.

Also, DUI’s can and do kill hundreds of thousands of people, including the driver. Having a player die will likely affect the on field product, don’t you think?

Also, a DUI is an off-the-field issue. It is primarily a personal issue. PEDs is an issue that goes to the core of the game in terms of ensuring an even playing field. Apples and oranges.

Regardless as has been reported by various news and media outlets MLB has never overturned the results of a players positive drug test

Careful with this. As Jay Jaffe notes in this piece*, While it is believed that no positive test finding has been overturned in the short history of MLB’s drug testing program, it is more accurate to say that no positive test finding that has been made public has been overturned. The possibility exists that there have been situations where players were exonerated via the appeals process — due to false positives or other anomalies — without news of the original positive becoming public. Splitting hairs, but it does make a difference.

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

Also as Jaffe notes, ESPN and/or the reporters involved could do everyone a favor by clearing up the testing issue. Was it the B Sample that was sent for more rigorous testing, or was it a second test entirely?

As a father, I take the use of prohibited substances seriously, because I know the effects they can have on the body and on a person’s life. I want the Milwaukee community to know that we support drug testing not only because it is MLB policy but because it is the right thing to do.

Hey here’s a novel idea. If you are a father and worried about the effects of substances on people, why not start a crusade against all the DUI crap going on. Alcohol related deaths far exceed those from steroids, yet we don’t hear any of this grandstanding when players/managers/GMs get busted. Get your priorities straight.

Regardless as has been reported by various news and media outlets MLB has never overturned the results of a players positive drug test. Like I said above and you said/implied Braun deserves to have his side of the story heard.

But like I also said where there is smoke there is generally fire. And I don’t think “I didn’t know what I was taking” or “it was an innocent mistake” changes the facts at least for me it doesn’t. In my opinion with the stigma that is now attached to being caught using PED’s in professional sports if there is even a tiny bit of doubt about what you are putting in your body don’t use it. Period.

However, the MLB has in the past tacitly approved supplements that had banned substances, see JC Romero, by saying no over the counter drugs would induce a positive test. Also, the Starcaps scandal in the NFL where an unlisted ingredient led to the suspension of 3 players. Sometimes its an honest mistake, and as pointed out by Attanasio, I will wait for all the facts before condemning Braun.