Comments on: The Ryan Braun Rules are in effect! MLB, MLBPA Announce modifications to joint drug agreement

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:12:32 +0000

Now THAT would be a battle of epic proportions.

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:10:57 +0000

But there still needs to be personnel who do their jobs to the LETTER. That seems to be the bigger issue here, certainly with the Braun case. You really can’t protect against people making mistakes or not following procedure in any given instance. You can fire them after the fact, but so what? The procedure is screwed and so is the investigation.

By: rico7207

rico7207 — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:00:45 +0000

!st offense, and proven guilty, should be a lifetime ban. Lets see how long the players association will go on strike for the 10% of cheaters. Do you really think that the 90% will be willing to strike for more than a season, losing millions, for the 10%. No damn way, as I see it, but if they are dumb enough to, then let them. The real problem is that the MLB just pretends to care, or they’d put tons of pressure on the players association already. MLB enjoyed the gate $$$$$ in the Bonds, Maguire and Soccia era , which is MLB’s bottom line. So they mask the whole problem better than Bautista is masking his drugs.

By: delawarephilliesfan

delawarephilliesfan — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:35:25 +0000

If the Union were to agree, the lab could explain the results in full detial. I am sure MLB would have no problem allowoing the lab to talk publicly about the result.

By: umrguy42

umrguy42 — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:28:50 +0000

Well, I think the idea is “hey, things are going to happen in the process that we didn’t expect – let’s try to define what’s definitely NOT ‘ok’ in those regards” – covers the idea that, as in the Braun case, the collector couldn’t get the sample to FedEx right away, so he stored it as he’s been storing samples for years, presumably in a fashion approved by his direct employer (the collection company). Before, this technically violated the procedures, so the whole thing got tossed (presumably). Now, this would hopefully allow for some common sense to actually the picture in a future case.

By: ufullpj

ufullpj — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:06:50 +0000

I think that the lab needs to explain the test as well. The burden of proof has to also include the testing and analysis portions. Not saying you’re wrong, but for a guy that’s never tested positive, and has been tested since the minors, and doesn’t have any of the other tell-tale signs – substantially increased production / numbers, physical growth, etc. – something, I agree, doesn’t smell correct. But before the burden of proof is laid solely at the feet of Braun, the testing and analysis phases also must prove they were free of error.

By: MattJanik

MattJanik — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:59:31 +0000

Am I the only one who cringes when I see this bullet point: “Modifying the Appeals procedures of the Program, including the circumstances under which procedural deviations will result in the invalidation of test results.”

I may be reading it wrong, but to me, that sounds like MLB looking to have the chance to say “hey, proper procedures might not have been followed here, but guess what? You’re still guilty/suspended anyway!”… I don’t like that at all.

By: rcali

rcali — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 02:45:17 +0000

MVCheat!

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 02:08:42 +0000

You might remember me from the “Vote For Manny” scheme in June 2009, when I championed this whole “if you get caught using, you can’t be voted an All Star” idea. Go head, look it up!

Crazy times. at least I was then.

By: test2402

test2402 — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 01:17:44 +0000

What?

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 01:16:35 +0000

As for HGH, it metabolizes extremely quickly, so any amount of testing actually catching someone will be luck, or the person caught stupidly uses the hormone constantly. The only real purpose of testing for it is as a deterrent. However, HGH is an ineffective PED. (Feel free to read the article “Human Growth Hormone(HGH): Does It Slow Aging?” at MayoClinic.com; pay special attention to where it states that HGH can increase muscle mass in healthy adults but that it does not translate to increased strength.) in other words, HGH is the snake oil of PEDs, and testing for it is a waste of money.

By: mariner425

mariner425 — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:20:58 +0000

Braun still needs to explain the high amounts of synthetic testosterone in his tests. That sh*t doesn’t magically appear.

By: paulhargis53

paulhargis53 — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 22:51:02 +0000

Awesome Dazed and Confused reference Aaron!

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:08:09 +0000

I still would like to see MLB ban any kind of tobacco use by team personnel while in the ballpark.

By: Detroit Michael

Detroit Michael — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:50:52 +0000

Nice that baseball has the most productive management / labor relations of any of the four major American team sports. This was a pretty contentious issue, but it’s now resolved prospectively.

By: El Bravo

El Bravo — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:45:40 +0000

Have a nice J!

By: cogitobaseballergosum

cogitobaseballergosum — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:38:12 +0000

It’s a folksy version of etc. Craig learned it in rehab from Lawyers’ Use of Latin Words and Phrases.

By: aarontzach

aarontzach — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:46:36 +0000

Say man, you got a Joint Drug Agreement? … It’d be a lot cooler if you did.

By: lanflfan

lanflfan — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:45:08 +0000

If the end result of the Ryan Braun circus are clear, logical rules for properly handling samples then I think that’s a fair trade off.

I still think he’s guilty, and unless/until I read the final written conclusions (which will probably never happen), not much else can be said.

By: lpd1964

lpd1964 — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:24:02 +0000

what does whatnot mean??

By: CJ

CJ — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:00:08 +0000

I don’t think the world is quite ready for an Old and Immortal Gator.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:43:53 +0000

Oooohhh, I just wanna live long enough to see you try to get that one past the Player’s Association.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:40:30 +0000

Interesting you don’t think the adhd/therapeutic use exemption isn’t important. Unless you assume it’ll be the same as all other Selig panels.

By: asharak

asharak — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:37:05 +0000

No (current-year) PED users in the All Star game, huh? Wouldn’t it be a stronger deterrent if this (also) made the player ineligible for the post-season roster and/or prohibited him from receiving a World Series ring or postseason share from his club?