Getty Images Huge news: As first reported by Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Ryan Braun has won the appeal of his 50-game suspension for taking a banned substance. The MLBPA has confirmed. Braun is the first player to successfully appeal a drug suspension.
Immediately after this news broke, Major League Baseball released a statement, printed in full below, saying that while they “vehemently disagree” with the arbitrator’s decision, it will respect the process.
To which I say: How freaking noble of you to respect the process, Major League Baseball. And to all of the writers who, in the wake of the leak of Braun’s positive test, demanded that he either give up his MVP award or have it put up to a re-vote, I suppose you should probably revisit that view in light of the appeal. You know, now that the process has actually run its course and there is a determination you can assess rather than an unauthorized leak to which you can react.
As for Braun and the Brewers: nothing but good news here. From staring a 50-game suspension in the face to reporting to camp tomorrow as if nothing had happened. Which, if the integrity of the testing and the appeal process had been respected like it had been in all other cases, would have been totally unremarkable.
Here’s Major League Baseball’s statement:
“Major League Baseball considers the obligations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program essential to the integrity of our game, our Clubs and all of the players who take the field. It has always been Major League Baseball’s position that no matter who tests positive, we will exhaust all avenues in pursuit of the appropriate discipline. We have been true to that position in every instance, because baseball fans deserve nothing less.
“As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute. While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das.”
We have more coverage of the Braun decision:
See why Braun won his appeal. Hint: it involves a urine sample, a closed Kinko’s and some guy’s refrigerator; and
For anyone who thinks Braun got off on a technicality, well, they have another thing coming.
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AP
It’s just Ryan Dempster‘s luck: he allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings versus Pittsburgh on Friday and then fell to 0-3 anyway. The Cubs racked up 10 hits tonight, yet lost 1-0 to drop their 10th straight game and fall to 15-30 on the season. They were the first team since the Dodgers last…
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After Franklin Morales drilled Luke Scott in the top of the ninth — apparent retaliation for a plunking of Dustin Pedroia earlier — benches cleared in Friday’s game between the Rays and Red Sox at Fenway Park, which Tampa Bay went on to win 7-4. Some bad blood likely carried over from last week’s series…
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AP
Josh Hamilton‘s home run drought is finally over. And yes, I write that with tongue firmly planted in cheek. After Aaron mentioned this morning that Hamilton hadn’t homered in nearly two weeks, the Rangers’ slugger went deep in the bottom of the second inning tonight against the Blue Jays. His solo shot off right-hander Carlos…
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AP
Tonight is Dustin Ackley bobblehead night at Safeco Field. However, Ackley isn’t playing. Manager Eric Wedge said he’s resting his second baseman, even though the Angels are throwing a right-hander. Which is just plain stupid. Ackley should be playing tonight regardless of the bobblehead matter. He’s a left-handed hitter who has hit righties far better…
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Jhoulys Chacin diagnosed with pectoral injury after getting second opinion
May 25, 2012, 8:55 PM EDT
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UPDATE: Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Chacin was diagnosed with an injury to his pectoral minor muscle involving a nerve entrapment. This rules out an injury to his biceps, shoulder or elbow. The injury can be treated through rest and exercise, but Chacin isn’t expected to resume throwing for at least another…
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Yoenis Cespedes wasn’t ready to return from the disabled list when he was first eligible on Tuesday, but he could rejoin the Athletics’ lineup next week. According to Jane Lee of MLB.com, Cespedes took 28 swings in the batting cage today without pain and is scheduled to take full batting practice tomorrow. He hopes to…
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Diamondbacks and Miguel Montero agree to five-year, $60 million extension
May 25, 2012, 7:37 PM EDT
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Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the Diamondbacks and catcher Miguel Montero have agreed to a five-year, $60 million contract extension. The deal is expected to be officially announced at a press conference tomorrow. Montero was due to hit free agency this offseason, but he’ll now be signed through the 2017 season. The new…
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It just hasn’t been Brandon Guyer‘s year. He’s still facing a $5 million lawsuit because a drunk Matt Bush was driving his vehicle at the time he nearly killed a guy, and now he’s going to require shoulder surgery and miss the rest of the season. Guyer, a 26-year-old outfielder, had been in the majors…
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AP
That’s the way it’s working in both the American and National Leagues to date this year: AL East vs. AL Central: 37-20 – .649 AL East vs. AL West: 29-22 – .568 AL West vs. AL Central: 33-29 – .532 NL East vs. NL Central: 45-33 – .577 NL East vs. NL West: 34-25 –…
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Reuters
Chipper Jones has been teammates with future Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz and he got to see plenty of Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Kevin Brown during their heydays. Stephen Strasburg, though, might outclass them all: “He has the best stuff, the best repertoire of pitches that I’ve seen on…
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After watching Ramon Hernandez perform poorly while playing through tendinitis in his left hand for most of the season the Rockies have placed the veteran catcher on the disabled list. Hernandez played well enough for the Reds in 2010 and 2011 that the Rockies gave him a two-year, $6.4 million contract at age 37, but he’s…
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Curt Schilling’s company told employees it was selling their homes; didn’t
May 25, 2012, 5:00 PM EDT
Reuters
Not only did Curt Schilling’s company go belly-up and lay everyone off, it allegedly boned some of them via a relocation program that apparently didn’t do what it was supposed to do: Some of the hundreds of 38 Studios employees laid off yesterday were hit with a second round of bad news this week when…
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AP
Earlier this week Juan Carlos Oviedo reportedly received his work visa, but then it turned out he received a pardon from the U.S. State Department that’s necessary before getting a visa but hadn’t gotten the actual visa yet. Now he has both, with Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reporting that Oviedo has finally been…
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Baseball seems to have come to a complete stop, news-wise, in the past couple of hours. That’s OK. It’s a holiday weekend. Everyone is firing up the grill and cracking coldies I guess. Of course teams are releasing guys. Our third one of the day is Bill Hall, who was just DFA’d by the Orioles. Hall…
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Reuters
Ben Francisco exited yesterday’s game with a strained hamstring and today the Blue Jays placed him on the disabled list while recalling first baseman David Cooper from Triple-A. Francisco has played sparingly for the Blue Jays, getting most of his starts versus left-handed pitching and hitting just .206 with a .535 OPS in 37 plate…
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When the Pirates signed Nate McLouth to a $1.75 million deal in December, they were hoping he’d at least be a shadow of the productive hitter he once was for them. Instead, he wasn’t even a shadow of the shadow and now, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors, they’ve designated him for assignment.…
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As expected, D.J. Carrasco and his $1.2 million salary passed through waivers unclaimed after the reliever was designated for assignment by the Mets last week and today they released the veteran right-hander. Carrasco’s solid track record suggested he was a nice bargain signing for two years and $2.4 million last offseason, but he proved to…
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After several weeks of what often sounded like pointless, boring testimony, things are finally heating up for the prosecutors in the Clemens case: A forensic scientist testified that two cotton balls and a syringe needle allegedly saved after a steroids injection tested positive for Roger Clemens’ DNA, a key moment on Friday as the government…
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David Segui hit pretty well off Roger Clemens in his career, going 14 for 38, walking six times and driving in six in 44 plate appearances. yesterday, he hit Clemens again: Former Major Leaguer David Segui testified at the federal perjury trial of Roger Clemens on Thursday, backing up Brian McNamee’s claim that the strength…
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Tim Stauffer is on the disabled list for the second time this season because of a sprained right elbow and was able to make just one start in between DL stints, so not surprisingly he sought a second opinion on the injury. Rob Terrnova of the North County Times reports that Stauffer was examined recently…
