20
2013
MLB Targeting Ryan Braun In Miami Biogenesis Clinic Investigation
An article by 
Major League Baseball has Ryan Braun in their cross-hairs and are going to great lengths to nab him says Bob Nightengale of USA Today. They have contacted his friends and family, those he has done business with; anyone he is connected to. However according to this report, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
There are names of over 90 baseball players who were found in the records of the Biogenesis Clinic, and MLB could use any one of them to find out information on the clinic and even more importantly for them; Braun. Nightengale goes on to give startling detail of how MLB plans to go after the Brewer’s franchise player.
These players will have no choice but to talk to MLB officials. If they don’t cooperate, MLB can suspend them, according to the bylaws of the collective bargaining agreement.
In some cases, according to two officials who spoke to USA TODAY Sports but were unauthorized to speak publicly, some players will be granted immunity even if they admit guilt to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. They would have to fully disclose their arrangement with Tony Bosch, former director of the now-shuttered Biogenesis clinic, including any possible involvement by their agents or knowledge of other players who received performance-enhancing drugs from him.
MLB vice president Rob Manfred told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today however that every player is being investigated with “equal vigor”.
I think Nightengale’s report shows just how much MLB want to prove Braun the cheat he should have been proclaimed one year ago. The fact that they are potentially willing to pardon other players to bring him down speaks volumes. He flat out embarrassed Major League Baseball last year when he became the first player to overturn a positive test on a technicality, so much so that they fired the the arbitrator, Shyam Das, who ruled in the disgraced all-star’s favor.
They want to take him down, and they want it bad. MLB is the watchdog and prosecutor when it comes to steroids, so it is in their power to pardon/suspend players in order to take down a larger evil. However, my question is, is it right of them to do so? It’s a fine line.
They dished out a 100-game suspension to minor leaguer Cesar Carillo like nothing. I can only imagine what they have in store for Braun if they find enough evidence to act on him.
I’d expect a lot of he said/she said coming up in the near future:
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 32 | .256 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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Over 90 players? Release the names. NOW.
Yeah seriously just give us the 90 names and get it over with.
WOW!!!! This is crazy!! If this is true, then MLB really has it out for Ryan Braun. And if you’ll remember Cesar Carillo was Braun’s roommate at U. of Miami. Its hard to believe that its just a coincidence that both of these guys are tied to Anthony Bosch. His story about him only consulting Bosch for advice on how his testosterone levels could’ve been so high sounded very suspicious from the beginning. I’m actually a fan of Ryan Braun as a player since he debuted in 07, but he looks very shady.
I’m breaking my -self given- silence for this post only.
I asked what opinions were when he was named with Cano, Granderson, and A-Rod, and was informed that those allegations were ‘shot’ down. I then showed where the information came from, and it was the same guy who broke the Melky story, A MONTH before his suspension was given out, and no one believed the guy. I’ve been thinking the 4 of them were getting suspensions since I heard their names dropped.
We saw that report. He broke it on twitter. However back in December that same guy stated “I’m going to start randomly naming players above the age of 30 who are performing well” then two days later listed Jeter and Bautista.
We saw that same report but due to the questions of how valid the guy is we decided not to publish it.
Imagine if Jeter DID end up on this list.
Wow, now that would probably have many saying something similar to this.
http://youtu.be/KQveng3Wxz8
NOOOOOOOOO! Braun is on my fantasy team!
Massive suspensions including Braun. Braun who had originally suspended for a failed PED test and then rescinded due to so called “contamination” claim will get the big hammer on him again.
Wow this is HUGE.
I find it hilarious how many people still think Braun is innocent. His piss from that test in fall of ’11 had “off the charts levels of testosterone in it.”
How does that happen exactly?
I think that might be exactly what makes it a little strange. It had “off hte charts” levels, something like twice as much as the previous highest test and 20 times hte normal level or something absurd like that if I remember correctly. That makes the thought of a false positive even more prevalent if he had enough in his system to kill a horse, yet there no physical change in him or any kind of spike in his numbners.
I have no idea what to believe, but I think it should also be mentioned that he apparently hadn’t failed a test before and presumably hasn’t failed once since, and you’d expect him to be subject to a test every other day at this point.
Thats against the CBA.
Since he has not failed a test, technically, he cannot be singled out.
It appears he is, though, and that just reeks of a vengeful witch hunt. I was never convinced Braun was a cheat because of the irregularities in his results, not that loophole they acquitted him on. It just seemes wierd that he tested positive for more stuff in him than three Bonds’s, yet nothing ever happened to his appearance or his numbers. That’s not to say he was clean, but it’s just fishy.
We shall see….I give none of them the benefit of the doubt because when it comes to PEDs, where there is smoke there is usually fire.
There was some guy running around about a year ago claiming that his sources told him that half (50%) of all MLB players were still taking PEDs. Everyone though him a kook. Maybe he was right.
I’m fairly certain just about everyone was on something during the 90′s. Now with such stringent testing, maybe not as many, but there’s definitely still a good number.
PED’s and especially the new “designer products” have next to nothing to do with appearance. Need proof, How does Lance Armstrong compare to a you Arnold Shwarzenagger? I bet Armstrong had far more in his system. I have very little doubt that Braun did in fact do PED’s its just a matter of time before he gets caught just like A-Rod.
“It had “off hte charts” levels, something like twice as much as the previous highest test and 20 times hte normal level or something absurd like that if I remember correctly. That makes the thought of a false positive even more prevalent if he had enough in his system to kill a horse, yet there no physical change in him or any kind of spike in his numbners.”
We have to know how that compares to confirmed PED users. If that is standard for guys who are juicing, then you can’t call it strange.
Hi Xtreem
“a false positive”?
I thought advanced stats based on a correlation of numbers to determine causation (since medical statistics are used to determine what the levels in blood tests indicate) were so precise in nature that accuracy could not be disputed.
No, just people don’t understand how they are really used, and then go running around making silly statements based on things they clearly don’t understand.
Nope, all tests have a fail rate that would invalidate the result be it a statistical formula like a political poll or say a medical test.
Matt,
If you ask him its due to the fact that the test taker screwed up the chain of custody. Little know fact about urine is that if you wait to long to mail it, even if it is in a sealed and signed container and kept a the correct temperature the testosterone levels in the urine often spike to “Off the Charts” (that is the actually scientific term for it) levels.
Yep.. I’m sure that the natural testosterone magically turns into a chemical drug form of testosterone overnight in the urine sample..lol. He was busted with exogenous testosterone, meaning not natural, not of the body.. That the reason they’re going after him.
This is great news for Mets fans. None of our players are playing well enough to be on steroids. If we can’t run faster we’ll just wait for everyone else to be slowed down.
If Braun did indeed take PEDs, he should be suspended.
But, a witch hunt is only going to make things worse, especially when you letting guys off for confessing to the exact same thing.
I agree 100% with your last statement. You either go after them all, or none of them.
Trying to pit one against another – thereby giving some immunity to nail those MLB wants to – is just going to result in a witch hunt that will not end well.
They either go after all or none, IMO.
Completely agree. Everyone gets suspended.
if they can find a loophole to threaten their pension, find some former guys and flip them.
And I can only imagine the holy hell the union will raise.
Good. I hope they nail Braun to the wall. He is a cheater, should have his MVP taken away…was found dirty and only got off because he lawyered up.
As for the rest, who knows? But it would not be surprising.
Someone needs to educate me…
I thought the only ways you could be suspended was if:
– you tested positive for steroids or PEDs
– you are guilty of providing illegal substances to a ball player who then used them.
So even if they prove any of these ’90 ML players’ on the list bought from this clinic, is it enough to be suspended for?
Well if he recieved them he broke one or the other conditions no?
Either he took them or he passed them onto someone else….
And this is a criminal case anyway isn’t it?
So on that alone they could go after him I suppose and ban him from baseball…
Under the new CBS, the standard was loosened. If they can get witnesses or documents to say you received a banned substance, that is enough.
Thanks.
Didn’t realize the new CBA had some new sanctions on that.
actually, I’m not sure if it is in the new CBA or an agreement made after the Braun fiasco. All I know is the union made a major concession and loosened the burden of proof.
It’s not just the new CBA that gives MLB the power to use various forms of evidence to suspend players.
Under the old CBA, baseball could suspend a player if they even have just a shipping slip from a supplier to a player. All they need are verified paper records showing the player bought or was shipped banned PEDs and they can be suspended. They can also be suspended if found in possession of banned PEDs. There does not have to be a positive test.
I learn something new everyday.
Thanks.
Major League Baseball needs to properly blame themselves for the steroid outbreak in the sport. The owners and commissioner are the ones that need to be blamed for turning a blind eye while it was obvious that so many players were using. The integrity of the game has been slowly ruined and the fact that years later they are now trying to go after Braun is comical. They are only making themselves look silly. Fans know that this whole process is, and will be unfair. It is clear, as the article states, that he is being sought after because he has embarrassed the league with the overturn of the positive test. The commissioner should let this go. He never went after Barry Bonds, McGuire, or Sosa this hard.
Could not agree more that this is Selig’s doing. As you said, MLB was well aware of what was going on in the 90s and chose to ignore, thereby making it even worse. Now in this decade they want to claim ignorance and clean it all up.
Maybe if they had started that program when it was first identified and/or growing, they wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
Hypocrites.
Ryan Braun is a cheater” that was me about a year ago when news broke out.. of course, people that hate me defending the guy JUST BECAUSE, well. to those who did….. Apology accepted.
GREAT JOB SHERLOCK!!! Be careful you don’t break you arm patting yourself on the back CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!
Relax Sloat….He did have a BIG argument with some here (I won’t name names but they are the same people who had an issue and trashed Reyes for coming out of a game thinking it was to ensure he won a Batting title against a guy who later got caught using PEDs)
They all claimed (and read above to see one of the posters) that something was wrong and NO WAY was the test correct and HAD to be tainted….
Then comes this report!
He has a right to crow just a bit!
I’m just messing with him but EVERYONE I knowpegged him as guilty! The fact he got off has nothing to do with his guilt. I don’t recall the topics here but Braun is a CHEAT to me and he always will be. I love Reyes and always did but what he did his last game as a Met was BUSH league.
Hi Sloatsburg,
Feel the same way to about Jose. Love him as a player but what he did to win the batting title that last day was indeed bush.
Well you did have people thinking things like this…
“That makes the thought of a false positive even more prevalent if he had enough in his system to kill a horse, yet there no physical change in him or any kind of spike in his numbners”
As for Reyes was it Bush League? or just SMART BUSINESS?
Which seems to get patted on the back whenever a GM makes choices for the Same reasons…. MONEY!
Reyes had his title in hand…
He started the game to give the fans that came a final chance to see him…
He was headed to free Agency and any injury could hurt his wallet in negotiations…
And the game itself was meaningless….
So was it really Bush league or was it just Self Centered over a team who wouldn’t even make an offer to him in Free Agency and Fans who trashed a Met player for doing what any other player who had the Batting title locked up would do in the last meaningless game of the season?
I get people disappointed in that they may have gone to see him off and he left before they did…
But he WAS a MET, he did win the FIRST MET Batting title in history and what he did was no worse treatment of us and the team than what the FO did when they negotiated with him…
YES he did it for the BUSINESS, THE MONEY….
We did the same thing all Offseason long and no one said BOO except a few of us, Alex being one of them..
In FACT money decisions have mostly been patted on the back around here when they went in favor of the Wilpons who I like a lot less than Reyes!
Braun should’ve came forward when he had the chance. I can sympathize that the majority of players in the game are using, but most of them know at least to keep their ratios within the testing limits or wait until the official 2nd test and last test of the year to start using. Braun did a good job of not getting caught until the brewers made it to the postseason, when mlb can surprise you with a 3rd test
The reason mlb is going so hard after him is because he got off on a technicality. The three batches that were tested all were sealed and none were tampered with, no seals broken, and all came back saying he had insanely high levels of exogenous testosterone in his system. That’s not something that just happens to develop in a urine sample because some guy left it in his fridge overnight before mailing it in.
Braun is a great player, and I respect the fact that he’s one of many, many players that use. But taking down the system, lying to the fans, threatening to sue the guy that held the sample? He’s not taking responsibility for his actions, which he should’ve done from the beginning. Throwing everyone under the bus does not help his image.
We will see what happens in the next few weeks I guess.
The man was found innocent. They had their chance and it was overturned, it’s over. If you are found innocent of a crime, the state doesn’t have the right to continue to try to find you guilty. I’d like to add that his numbers have been consistent over the last two years. What they are doing now is immoral and completely unfair. They are actually willing to allow others off the hook just to get Braun. That is why this is t about what is right but about going after an individual who embarrassed them.
‘f you are found innocent of a crime, the state doesn’t have the right to continue to try to find you guilty.’
Tell that to OJ.
‘They are actually willing to allow others off the hook just to get Braun. That is why this isn’t about what is right but about going after an individual who embarrassed them’
This^ I agree with 100%.
“The man was found innocent.”
He got off on a technicality. A little different.
“If you are found innocent of a crime, the state doesn’t have the right to continue to try to find you guilty. ”
MLB isn’t a government agency and this isn’t an issue of the justice system. MLB is a group of private businesses and Braun has a contract with one of them.
” They are actually willing to allow others off the hook just to get Braun. That is why this is t about what is right but about going after an individual who embarrassed them.”
That I agree with. Get actual proof, don’t squeeze the answers you want from guys you have leverage over.
He was not found innocent he got his case thrown out on a technicality….
Make the crime fit the punishment.
A 50 day suspencion for Braun and others hurts their pride, their reputation, their personal stastical achievements, but not their pocketbook. Do something that does hurt them – make it an automatic one year suspension without pay after going through the appeal process if the findings are not overturned – or that the individual’s doctor comes forward and provides medical reasons why certain medications had to be prescribed to treat an existing medical condition.
A second time caught guilty – you’re out of the game.
And I think Selig and others should be held accountable to – not in the court of law (for they can’t) but in the court of public opinion.
Well Joey until someone gets banned from baseball for life for using PEDs it’s going to keep happeneing because there is much money on the line….
This scandal will be be very small compared to the NFL’s when they start doing HGH testing, that is why even though it is part of the CBA the Players Association is balking.
I agree with most, put the names out for MLB. They all will take the Bond’s 5th Amendment, “I did not do it knowingly”. Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated years ago took all the BS out of the did he or didn’t he argument, with a genius approach. Every team issues uniforms annually, from the time period between Bond’s 38th to 43rd birthday via SF Giant’s uniform issue data his jersey size went from 42-52, his hat size (even with shaved head) went up significantly and his shoe size went from I think 10 – 13. Didn’t that happen to all of us during those years ? And people still want to put the guy in the Hall of Fame ?????
pretty sure the only thing happening at that pace during that age range is waist size increasing.
The biggest thing that pisses me off is the impression I get of Braun that he’s smarter than MLB and can keep using testoserone without getting caught.
But Selig is making this personal. He should have retired ten years ago. This is what happens when a power-hungry mutt like Selig stays in that position too long. He’ll die before he ever retires.