Braun tests positive for PED | Presser update pg. 42

[gbmb34]

Something that seems fabricated from Braun's speech is that he didn't get any stronger in his six years in the big leagues. That just seems impossible.

Here's a link from On-Deck

http://brewersbeat.mlblogs.com/2011/01/ ... live-blog/

I remember dozens of other articles like this about his workouts with Gabe Kapler.

Obviously none of us know what really happened, but that seemed very curious.

[skitch815]

I think when Braun talks about not getting any stronger or quicker he is referring to the time between his last passed test and the failed one.

I know there are a few law students that post here so I ask you this. Isn't the point of having an arbitrator that both sides agree to abide by their decision? How could MLB possibly be considering challenging this decision?

[sidney lanier]

Disagree with Conte or attack his credibility all you want, but this would actually explain a lot. This doesn't account for the collector's behavior, though. That may or may not have had anything to do with the result, and we really don't know one way or the other. It could just have been unprofessional slacking/apathy on his part. He probably does these all the time and almost never has a positive, so maybe he thought he didn't have to worry about being held accountable for not following protocol. I'm not arguing that Braun is guilty, but this would seem to be the simplest possible explanation. Tampering, incorrect science, degradation of the sample (why would not explain why it was synthetic T), or flat-out incompetence at the lab all seem less likely to me.

I wouldn't expect a three-chord bass player to know enough music theory to discuss a Bach fugue, and I wouldn't expect this bass player, Victor Conte, to know any more biochemistry than he picked up around the BALCO water cooler. Certainly not enough to speak authoritatively on gas chromatographic testing for synthetic testosterone. Still, I have to admit that topical steroids crossed my mind during Braun's presser when he talked about things entering his body. Not exactly a "I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinsky" nondenial denial, but nevertheless phrased a little oddly.

I really hope this isn't the explanation. I believe Braun is innocent. I'm fed up with the arrogance of MLB and its proxies throughout this process. I'm annoyed by twirps like Tim Kurkjian intoning "triple sealed" as though the standard testing kit from the identified supplier, Capitol Vial, was made from the hull of Superman's arrival craft and not the cheap plastic it appears to be:



I'm confused by the alleged anonymity of a process when Eric Byrnes on MLB TV defends it with, "Well we all sign a bunch of strips when we're tested." And I'm disgusted by the anti-intellectualism that makes Harvard, University of Chicago and Yale Law-educated Shyam Das just a guy with one man's opinion and someone incapable of competently weighing evidence.

[coolhandluke121]

I like Braun. I hate MLB cronies (sometimes). So I really want Braun to be right, and I want the people who are being jerks to be wrong. But why would MLB be attacking the leading vote-getter for the NL all-star team and one of the most popular players in the game so viciously if they weren't absolutely convinced he's guilty? That can't possibly be in their monetary interests, can it? Does their self-interest in supporting the drug testing at all costs outweigh their self-interest in preserving the ultra-clean image of one of the most exciting players in the game? On one of the most popular teams to boot? I would think if it was just a matter of not wanting to admit they were wrong, they would see the advantages to swallowing their pride and congratulating Braun on being exonerated. It's debatable whether this helps or hurts baseball's image, so why are they so pissed?

I know baseball doesn't promote stars the way the NBA does. Maybe they're worried about losing fans from 29 other teams because of the backlash at Braun "geting away with it" because he's popular. There's a lot going on here. I guess you can't put the worms back in the can.

[trwi7]

I think supporting the drug program is exactly why they're attacking Braun. Nobody had ever won before and if somebody actually did win it was never supposed to get out so nobody in the media knew and maybe a few select players and management knew if that.

Now Braun's positive test is leaked. Something obviously went wrong with the way the test was handled or something like that to the point where Braun was able to get the suspension overturned which is obviously very difficult and since it was leaked everyone now knows about it and it casts a bunch of doubt on the testing process.

[Aaron It Out]

I don't recall the MLB ever saying they were sure he was guilty. Just that they disagreed the suspension was overturned.

[emunney]

Why would anybody listen to Conte unless he was playing with Tower of Power? The guy is corrupt to the core. How did he even get his hands on these test results? Let's ask Jose Canseco what his conclusions are.

In all fairness to Canseco, regardless of how corrupt he was didn't he prove to be right on almost all counts?

He was proven right on a couple counts, notably McGwire and A-Rod. Maybe it wasn't the best example on my part. He also said 85% of the league juiced, which seemed designed to make it seem like he was just following traffic, which is also how I view Conte.

[sidney lanier]

I don't recall the MLB ever saying they were sure he was guilty. Just that they disagreed the suspension was overturned.

When you disagree "vehemently," the implication is clear.

[paulpressey25]

What Victor Conte is saying is that there are fast-acting creams that enter the body quickly and are gone within 24 hours or less.

When this broke a few months back, I had a guy I know who used to play minor league ball and knew some Brewers tell me that he speculated Braun was using this cream to deal with wrist issues.

Now as I say that, I'd encourage everyone not to believe it at all, because it is total hearsay. I have zero idea whether or not this is true of one of the many wrong rumors out there. I only cite it so that some of you guys can understand the idea stuck in my head.

And where it tied together for me was to the point Sidney noted above. At Braun's presser, he made that opening statement where he used the terms "knowingly and unknowingly" along with "entering my body". It just didn't sound like something a normal guy would say in denying PED use. All he had to do was say "I do not use PED's. I have never used PED's. "

So I keep looking back at all the guys who have denied PED use over the last 25-years and it seems like very few if any of them actually didn't use PED's. Combine all three things above and that is why I am skeptical here.

But as I always have to asterisk in every post, I have zero problem with him being cleared and am open to future news and evidence as it relates to the collector and the lab. It also doesn't pass the smell test that a collector of the MVP's drug test is going to hold onto it for two days before getting it immediately to the lab, per the terms of his job and MLB rules.

[trwi7]

People who know this guy say he would never tamper with anything. That's all well and good but his son was there, if he has a wife, she was there. Who knows how many other people were in his house for those 44 hours who saw the sample and saw who's sample it was who may have had ulterior motives. That's why it's so important to get the sample to Fed Ex as quickly as possible. They know how to store that stuff too and once it gets to Fed Ex there is no name involved, it just becomes a number so nobody knows who's test it is.

[jimmybones]

What Victor Conte is saying is that there are fast-acting creams that enter the body quickly and are gone within 24 hours or less. They are not used for long-term gains, but rather to help muscles recover faster so the player is fresh for the next game. Some people, like Conte, say that players use them right after games all the time. There is a very slim chance of getting caught, or even arousing any suspicion for that matter, because the synthetic testosterone is out of your system within hours and doesn't have a lasting impact. Just to throw some more fuel on this fire, it's interesting to note that Braun was tested shortly after the first play-off game and went 3 for 4 with a double and a homer the next day. If he used a cream and was tested immediately afterwards, that might explain his extraordinarily high testosterone levels. Food for thought.

Disagree with Conte or attack his credibility all you want, but this would actually explain a lot. This doesn't account for the collector's behavior, though. That may or may not have had anything to do with the result, and we really don't know one way or the other. It could just have been unprofessional slacking/apathy on his part. He probably does these all the time and almost never has a positive, so maybe he thought he didn't have to worry about being held accountable for not following protocol. I'm not arguing that Braun is guilty, but this would seem to be the simplest possible explanation. Tampering, incorrect science, degradation of the sample (why would not explain why it was synthetic T), or flat-out incompetence at the lab all seem less likely to me.

So basically he'd have to be dumb enough to use one of these knowing the high odds of test being playoff time.

[paulpressey25]

So basically he'd have to be dumb enough to use one of these knowing the high odds of test being playoff time.

Every guy who uses PED's does so knowing they might get caught. I think they do constant testing during the Tour de France, don't they?

I know your angle is that Braun isn't the type of guy who would chance juicing and he didn't turn giant like Jason Giambi. But I don't think those arguments are compelling given we've seen guys like A-Rod and Lance Armstrong use them also.

The real compelling argument is the 44-hours. I'd like to see the transcript of any deposition that Dino gave. Some report back on Friday tried to claim that holding the samples was standard practice for Dino but I haven't heard that reference any time since then. Wouldn't be that hard for someone to tamper with it IMO.

I also still don't understand why they are giving the lab a complete pass here unless somehow they have photographic proof of the sealed samples arriving at the lab.

[trwi7]

TH tweeted that MLB, the Players Union and Braun's people know who leaked the positive test. Have to think whoever it is is getting sued.

[paulpressey25]

TH tweeted that MLB, the Players Union and Braun's people know who leaked the positive test. Have to think whoever it is is getting sued.

Heh. This is getting good. We know that name is coming public.

[WEFFPIM]

Something that seems fabricated from Braun's speech is that he didn't get any stronger in his six years in the big leagues. That just seems impossible.

Here's a link from On-Deck

http://brewersbeat.mlblogs.com/2011/01/ ... live-blog/

I remember dozens of other articles like this about his workouts with Gabe Kapler.

Obviously none of us know what really happened, but that seemed very curious.

He never said he didn't get stronger in his six years. He said he didn't gotten stronger, faster, etc. between tests.

[trwi7]

Seth Everett had a former federal prosecutor on his show and a guy who handles tests for drugs and things like that.

Prosecutor said if MLB tries to sue the decision it would be an open record case. MLB may try to get it private but it likely wouldn't work and the only way you can overturn an arbitrator's decision is if you can prove corruption (like Braun paid off Das to get the ruling in his favor.)

The guy who handles drug tests said when he did them they could only hold them for 4 hours before it had to be dropped off at Fed Ex or the lab (depending on the distance). If it was held for longer than 4 hours, they had to re-test. Also said you could very easily tamper with the test and make it look like it wasn't tampered with.

[trwi7]

Seth Everett with a great point. When ESPN got this information why didn't they go to MLB to say they had it and to expedite the appeals process? Instead they just put it out there right away when they know it's supposed to be confidential.

A week earlier the Bernie Fine story comes out with a tape between the victim and Fine's wife that ESPN had for 10 years but did nothing with.

[Ryan5UW]

And where it tied together for me was to the point Sidney noted above. At Braun's presser, he made that opening statement where he used the terms "knowingly and unknowingly" along with "entering my body". It just didn't sound like something a normal guy would say in denying PED use. All he had to do was say "I do not use PED's. I have never used PED's. "

Since he spoke, you've been very adamant about his wording regarding something entering his body. If you think he used cream - what do you think happens to it? It gets absorbed into his body. Whether it's a pill, injection, cream or whatever - it all ends up entering his body. So I doubt he's going to use the phrase "entering my body" to dance around whether or not he used a PED.

[MickeyDavis]

What I'm hearing is that when Braun was informed of the positive test some people (or maybe just one person) from his "team" contacted some experts to ask some questions. And it was one of those experts who did the leaking.

[trwi7]

What I'm hearing is that when Braun was informed of the positive test some people (or maybe just one person) from his "team" contacted some experts to ask some questions. And it was one of those experts who did the leaking.