Braun tests positive for PED | Presser update pg. 42

[Ayt]

What reason exactly would Braun have to lie about this right now? He didn't have to say a word if he didn't want to. There's no reason for him to lie. ESPN, specifically the guy who broke the story on ESPN has every reason to lie considering this was supposed to be confidential and how ESPN was beating the drum how no positive test has ever been overturned.

He basically said that the people he'd talked to in MLB told him that argument was bogus. Guess what. Those people have agendas. For all we know, it is some loudmouthed dick that thought he could make a name for himself in the media as a "go to source" by leaking this information and it came back to burn him. It could very likely/easily be the same loudmouthed dick that leaked this in the first place.

I bet $100 bucks I could tamper with a piss test any of you have taken if you give me 48 hours.

[paulpressey25]

Braun's offer to do DNA testing and the MLB refusing is huge.

I thought this was a big deal when I heard it a couple hours ago. Then I just read a later version of the story that said Braun's people later then refused to submit DNA after initially saying they would.

Don't really know who to believe on the tidbits of "information" leaking out. Complete cluster.

[Ayt]

Braun's offer to do DNA testing and the MLB refusing is huge.

I thought this was a big deal when I heard it a couple hours ago. Then I just read a later version of the story that said Braun's people later then refused to submit DNA after initially saying they would.

Don't really know who to believe on the tidbits of "information" leaking out. Complete cluster.

Who made that claim?

Honestly, that is smart by Braun. If the sample was tampered with it would still register his DNA.

[paulpressey25]

Who made that claim?

http://espn.go.com/mlb/spring2012/story ... tem-failed

Sources also told Munson that there was doubt over whose urine was actually being tested. Braun offered to take a DNA test to confirm whose urine was in the sample, but Major League Baseball declined. However, an MLB source told ESPN's Mike Golic that Braun's side backed off of the offer to take a DNA test.

[MrLynch07]

Dino Laurenzi, who four sources said was the collector, has collected specimens for MLB since 2005 as well as the NFL and NHL through his job with Comprehensive Drug Testing.
Manfred said in the statement. “He handled Mr. Braun’s sample consistent with instructions issued by our jointly retained collection agency"

So the instructions included placing the sample in his basement fridge? I guess i just don't understand how they don't have a plan B in place

[JayMKE]

Hopefully nobody sends this Dino guy a bunch of pizzas or anything

[WEFFPIM]

Frankly, not sure how I feel about his name being out there.

[dbrodz7]

Braun's offer to do DNA testing and the MLB refusing is huge.

A medical analyst from SI was and the Dan Patrick show and he said that would be completely pointless and wouldn't show anything.

That's odd. I'd think that a test that showed it wasn't his piss would be pretty important.

The guy said the sample was protective sealed in the package, again in a bag, and then the container containing the urine was sealed as well. They said nothing was tampered with so I don't know how anyone else's urine would be in there. Maybe that's why he said it would be pointless but I see what you guys are saying.

[trwi7]

I don't think the guy's name should be out. Especially right after the test when emotions are still running high on both sides.

Those for Braun are going to say what did you do to mess with the test and why and those against Braun are going to ask how you could be so negligent with the test that it let's a player off the hook.

They just had Trenni on channel 4 which I have no idea why I'm watching it as they annoy me, especially since they started saying "On Your Side" with literally every single story they do, even the freakin' weather. She said she just talked to Jeff Passan who said he tried to call this Dino Laurenzi guy but didn't get a response and Trenni tried to call him and didn't get a response. Trenni then said they were heading down to Kenosha to try to talk with him.

How stupid are these people? He's not answering calls, so he obviously doesn't want to talk so why waste time driving down there to get a response when you know he's not going to talk?

[JayMKE]

I don't think the guy's name should be out. Especially right after the test when emotions are still running high on both sides.

Those for Braun are going to say what did you do to mess with the test and why and those against Braun are going to ask how you could be so negligent with the test that it let's a player off the hook.

They just had Trenni on channel 4 which I have no idea why I'm watching it as they annoy me, especially since they started saying "On Your Side" with literally every single story they do, even the freakin' weather. She said she just talked to Jeff Passan who said he tried to call this Dino Laurenzi guy but didn't get a response and Trenni tried to call him and didn't get a response. Trenni then said they were heading down to Kenosha to try to talk with him.

How stupid are these people? He's not answering calls, so he obviously doesn't want to talk so why waste time driving down there to get a response when you know he's not going to talk?

ambush

on one hand I feel sorry for him but on the other I don't

Just hope we're better than Cubs fans with the way they treated Bartman.

I really doubt this story is ending any time soon unfortunately, I'm thinking years

[ReasonablySober]

So one side is saying the sample was in a cooler in his basement, while ESPN's Munson is saying his source claims the sample was in a tupperware container on a desk for two days.

You get the feeling that this won't get cleared up ever.

[paulpressey25]

Yeah, the guy who collected this is for better or worse going to be Bartman, Joe Hazelwood (Exxon Valdez Skipper) and Jeff Gillolly all wrapped into one.

We'll get stories running the gamut from about how he has a league approved, temperature controlled storage safe at his home and Braun signed his name over the seal down to other stories about how the sample sat on top of his Xbox all weekend until Tony LaRussa came over to contaminate it.

And that's before they find his high school friends to interview.

[jimmybones]

I bet $100 bucks I could tamper with a piss test any of you have taken if you give me 48 hours.

This.

[crkone]

I bet $100 bucks I could tamper with a piss test any of you have taken if you give me 48 hours.

This.

Steam does wonders on tape...

[jimmybones]

Yeah, the guy has been doing this since 05. He easily could have materials on hand to re-seal it. I'm not saying he did, or would have the motivation to, but let's not pretend it's out of the realm of possibility.

[Ayt]

Word is the guy has a 17 year old delinquent son who may or may not have messed with the sample just to **** with his father's career.

MTC.

[trwi7]

Absolutely. This plays right into why I was already believing Braun after his press conference. If this is true, it leaves zero doubt in my mind he's innocent. My line of thinking is one I don't see many people talking about. In my line of work I am familiar with testosterone and it's effect on the body and performance. What I've been saying all along is that he looks innocent just on the basis that this was a one time thing. Reason being is that testosterone has to be present for a long period of time- weeks, months- for it to have an effect on performance. Elevated testosterone make muscle and strength gaining easier, but it doesn't magically happen. You can't drink a red bull-esque testosterone drink and boom, Ryan Braun's bat speed.

That said, in order for him to be guilty there are only two plausible scenarios. One is that he was taking it consistently but had a masking agent that the MLB didn't know about. Seems unlikely, because how/why did his masking agent suddenly fail if it had helped him pass tests in the past? He surely didn't forget to take it, especially if he was aware of testing around play off time. And again, if you believe he cheated you really have to believe he's been cheating his entire career. He hasn't changed much at all from the time he entered the league. His body size and more importantly stats have been pretty much the same since entering the league.

The long winded point I'm trying to make is that a short term boost in testosterone means nothing. He'd have to be taking it long term for it to have an effect. Why on earth wouldn't he abort that going into the playoffs if there was something to it? It would only take months to restore normal testosterone ratios and the Brewers knew long before October 1st that they would be present in the playoffs and pee tests were right around the corner.

Let's look at the other option. Say I'm wrong and there is a drug out there that gives instant and short term spiked test levels. Do we really think Braun is dumb enough to risk taking those if he's away of playoff drug tests? I don't think this is realistic regardless. I can't imagine a PED that would short term elevate a guy's testosterone and make him better at baseball that day. Again, long term elevated testosterone would lead to strength gain. Short term would probably lead to more erections.

Finally, if Braun was really on something that spiked his testosterone higher than the league has ever seen before, he'd simply be a bigger human being. With how hard he works there would be no avoiding extra muscle mass. Some say he gained 15-20 lbs going into last year, but I don't see any noticeable or abnormal changes to his body that would be a red flag at all. Braun's power comes from his god like core strength, not McGwire like forearms. Oh yeah, long term elevated test leads to hair loss. Moral of the story, Braun's cabbage is way too pretty for him to be a juicer.

[emunney]

Short term would probably lead to more erections.

You buried the lead, twirl.

[jimmybones]

That southpaw guy is pretty smart hey?

[trwi7]

That southpaw guy is pretty smart hey?

lulz that's you? You pretty much rock.