Braun (and many others) are just big names. I'd guarantee the majority of PED usage in baseball, and over the last 20 years was at the minor league and fringe MLB level.

Furthermore, I'd guess there were as many users who were pitchers, if not moreso, than hitters. A lot more money as a pitcher.

SportsAndLady;1477137 wrote:Do you know a thing about MLB?

Not much honestly, how strict are the testing policies? Seems like a lot of these guys are hiding something.

robj55;1477192 wrote:Not much honestly, how strict are the testing policies? Seems like a lot of these guys are hiding something.

5-10 years ago, maybe.

If you get caught now you're just dumb. Or, thinking you are too rich and smart to get away with it. Certainly you can get around it, but it's much more difficult unless you know what you're doing. Something like this is what probably happens...

MLB's random testing, I believe, is limited to 2 tests in a 12-month period and 3 tests in a 18 or 24-month period (not sure which). If someone puts 2 and 2 together, if they were tested in March (spring training, where apparently many of the first tests happen) and May, that means they can't be tested again until the following March and then would only be tested once in the next 12 months following. You could easily run 3 or 4 "cycles" and properly post-therapy enough to maintain normal levels. You could then start right back up after your 3rd test, which would basically eliminate you again for another season.

The only good news is, when you ARE caught, the MLB rules aren't lax like the NFL. 50 games. 100 games. Done for good. There's no ifs, ands or buts. Still, if they were serious, they would abandon their BS policy on trying to eliminate HGH (do some research, HGH does very little compared to many other PED's) and make it so "random testing" meant truly random testing with unlimited access. Imagine if you could document that you tested Miguel Cabrera like 19 times during a season. It would be impossible for there to be ANY doubt. Until then, people will always question the outlier performers in the sport.

Azubuike24;1477195 wrote:5-10 years ago, maybe.

If you get caught now you're just dumb. Or, thinking you are too rich and smart to get away with it. Certainly you can get around it, but it's much more difficult unless you know what you're doing. Something like this is what probably happens...

MLB's random testing, I believe, is limited to 2 tests in a 12-month period and 3 tests in a 18 or 24-month period (not sure which). If someone puts 2 and 2 together, if they were tested in March (spring training, where apparently many of the first tests happen) and May, that means they can't be tested again until the following March and then would only be tested once in the next 12 months following. You could easily run 3 or 4 "cycles" and properly post-therapy enough to maintain normal levels. You could then start right back up after your 3rd test, which would basically eliminate you again for another season.

The only good news is, when you ARE caught, the MLB rules aren't lax like the NFL. 50 games. 100 games. Done for good. There's no ifs, ands or buts. Still, if they were serious, they would abandon their BS policy on trying to eliminate HGH (do some research, HGH does very little compared to many other PED's) and make it so "random testing" meant truly random testing with unlimited access. Imagine if you could document that you tested Miguel Cabrera like 19 times during a season. It would be impossible for there to be ANY doubt. Until then, people will always question the outlier performers in the sport.

Just to be clear Braun didn't actually test positive for anything did he?

robj55;1477219 wrote:Just to be clear Braun didn't actually test positive for anything did he?

Yes he did. And then he went all out on the offensive to get it overturned on a possible sample tampering technicality or something like that.

Rogers can GFH too. These are all his tweets.
MLB and cable sports tried to sully the reputation of an innocent man. Picked the wrong guy to mess with. Truth will set u free
#exonerated

When its guilty until proven innocent, all u need are the facts.
#howsthecrowmlb
#exonerated

I'll let my buddy take it from here. All u idiots talking about technicality open up for some crow too. See if Espn gets pressured not to..

@toddsutton ya I'd put my salary next year on it.
#ponyup
#exonerated

robj55;1477219 wrote:Just to be clear Braun didn't actually test positive for anything did he?

It was something about the guy who took the drug test was supposed to send it out in a fedex package the same day, but couldn't drive to the fedex store because of a snowstorm or something, so he sent it out next morning. Then he got off.

That's why Braun took the 65, I'm guessing. Technically, it should have been 100, but his previous 50 game suspension was overturned after a contaminated sample or something. He's not an idiot. I'm pretty sure now, he COULD test positive again and not face anything other than 100 games, possibly 50, as they stated this latest one actually isn't accruing toward that total.

Azubuike24;1477304 wrote:That's why Braun took the 65, I'm guessing. Technically, it should have been 100, but his previous 50 game suspension was overturned after a contaminated sample or something. He's not an idiot. I'm pretty sure now, he COULD test positive again and not face anything other than 100 games, possibly 50, as they stated this latest one actually isn't accruing toward that total.

Dumbest thing I have ever heard.

Wow, Braun's official statement is awful lol

"this has taken a huge toll on my family" BECAUSE OF YOU!!

I thought he was being punished for the same test as before, they just have better evidence. I don't think he tested positive a second time.

Laley23;1477344 wrote:I thought he was being punished for the same test as before, they just have better evidence. I don't think he tested positive a second time.

From my understanding those initial tests are out because of the technicality and that this suspension is off of something new entirely (the link to the Florida company).

According to an Associated Press source, 50 games of the penalty were connected to Biogenesis. The additional 15 games stemmed from Braun's actions during the grievance that overturned his positive test from October 2011. The suspension will count as a first violation of the drug program, the source told the AP.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9500252/ryan-braun-milwaukee-brewers-suspended-remainder-2013-season

SportsAndLady;1477314 wrote:Wow, Braun's official statement is awful lol

"this has taken a huge toll on my family" BECAUSE OF YOU!!

Yeah I mean this dude is just getting worse and worse. It's so laughable how he has handled everything.

And of course Braun took the 65 games for this year. All his big money doesn't start until next year and plus the Brewers are terrible.

Iliketurtles;1477398 wrote:Yeah I mean this dude is just getting worse and worse. It's so laughable how he has handled everything.

And of course Braun took the 65 games for this year. All his big money doesn't start until next year and plus the Brewers are terrible.

Yeah, other than the hit to his image, he only loses short-term money in a season where the Brewers are glad the Marlins are in the National League so they look better than someone.

Heretic;1477422 wrote:Yeah, other than the hit to his image, he only loses short-term money in a season where the Brewers are glad the Marlins are in the National League so they look better than someone.

Hey man! The Marlins finally got a win and even scored in the first inning last night! Im just glad that streak didn't get to 40+ lol.

Also just reading the Rodgers tweets. Figured he would be smarter than doing something like that.

Azubuike24;1477155 wrote:Braun (and many others) are just big names. I'd guarantee the majority of PED usage in baseball, and over the last 20 years was at the minor league and fringe MLB level.

Furthermore, I'd guess there were as many users who were pitchers, if not moreso, than hitters. A lot more money as a pitcher.

I don't think I really believe that. How many pitchers are we really hearing about getting popped? They make up usually 44% or so of the roster so you would expect about the same % of those getting busted should be pitchers. I wonder about how many guys are slippingthrough the cracks. Of these on the list a few have popped before, but apparently were still doing so after they were busted, and then all those others who have not tested positive. Masking agents? Know they can start up again soon after they are tested?

Yeah, he got off on the first one, but it was a technicality not because he didn't actually test positive.

Azubuike24;1477443 wrote:Yeah, he got off on the first one, but it was a technicality not because he didn't actually test positive.

Exactly. MLB was wanting more time, most likely like 100 games because they contend the evidence from Bosh, and him lying about it, would constitute a double whammy of sorts and double the initial suspension of 50 games because he technically wasn't suspended. Just like any sort of plea deal you see in the real world I suppose. MLB laid out what they had, what they were wanting to do suspension-wise, and he worked out a deal that was beneficial to him pretty much instead of taking his chances. I imagine he could have fought it, appealed and then have any suspension, most likely even longer than 65 games, to start next season or at the very least begin this year and overlap. For him it was a no brainer as he has already missed a lot of games on the DL and wont put up great season numbers, the team is shitty, so why not do it now and get it over with, and the brewers slide even further and maybe get better draft picks. I had to laugh last night at one of the ESPN sportscenter anchors. He mentioned how many gmaes the brewers had vs the Cards, Pirates and Reds and how the brewers aren't out of it yet and this seals the fate of the team. Really? This team isn't pulling a Cardinals comeback of a few years ago.

thavoice;1477480 wrote:I had to laugh last night at one of the ESPN sportscenter anchors. He mentioned how many gmaes the brewers had vs the Cards, Pirates and Reds and how the brewers aren't out of it yet and this seals the fate of the team. Really? This team isn't pulling a Cardinals comeback of a few years ago.

Yeah, when you have the worst pitching in the division (well, after dumping Feldman and Garza, the Cubs might have something to say about that), you're not going to make up double-digit games in two months. F-Rod can only pitch so many innings a night...with the starters they have, they ain't winning shit in this division.

I want to see Rodgers "pony up" that salary he bet.

Until teams have the power to take away guaranteed contract money, PED usage will be good business for major league baseball players.

se-alum;1477679 wrote:Until teams have the power to take away guaranteed contract money, PED usage will be good business for major league baseball players.

Melky Cabrera is the poster boy. First 5 years of MLB service time, 6M total. 2012-14, 22M total.

His reputation is in the toilet. He's one more suspension from being done. Guess what though? He's laughing all the way to 25M+ in career earnings after a career trajectory that had him destined to be a bench player.

I'd say at any given moment in MLB, 40-60% of the everyday hitters and pitchers could lose their permanent or starting roles in any given year. Why the hell would you NOT take PEDS?

I've taken a few cycles of different PEDS, injectable and oral, just to experiment and for recreational use. Are you telling me that if we had millions on the line and had THREE strikes before a lifetime ban, and a half-assed testing process that is easy to bypass that you wouldn't take them?

That paragraph above makes me believe that literally 90% or more of the sport (hitters, pitchers alike) were juicing in the late 80's, 90's and early 2000's. The only ones who weren't were those who genuinely had a moral belief not to.

Why the hell would you NOT take PEDS?

I like my balls

SportsAndLady;1477688 wrote:I like my balls

If you properly use them, they have ZERO negative side effects. You can use proper pre, peri and post-cycle therapies to remedy all side effects.

The people who take them without any cycling and no accompanying supplements and hormone regulation are the ones who give the side effects a bad name.

Then again, I'm also of the opinion that Phil Mickelson taking Humara for Rheumatoid Arthritis is just as much CHEATING as someone taking Dbol for mass building.

It's a joke because Phil is probably on a vegan diet and R.A. is something that is 100% reversible and the fault of the individual who has it. By taking that, Mickelson is bypassing "natural selection and ability" that is being enhanced (covered up) by a legalized drug.

It's a fucking joke. And he just won the British Open...and how much more money tacked onto his hundreds of millions?