Baseball and Steroids

Ryan Braun had a busy offseason. Winning the NL MVP is a pretty big deal, but Braun didn’t stop there. He tested positive for steroids. This news broke shortly after he won the MVP, which put the MLB in a sticky situation. Could he keep his title as the MVP?

Fast forward to today. 3 days ago, Braun won the appeal that he filed against the 50 game suspension for steroid use. He will not be suspended, and should be ready to play on Opening Day. The MLB has said that they are unhappy with the board’s decision. What did Braun say to the panel to convince them that he was innocent? No one will know for sure, but people all over the sports media have been speculating. A lot of people think that Braun made a case that suggested his urine sample was tampered with.

I personally think he’s guilty. I accept that I’m being cynical, but I can’t get around the fact that Ryan Braun talked about his innocence for 25 minutes after the suspension was overturned. That screams guilt to me. Another reason that I think could have been a contributing factor is the PR issue that the MLB would have had on their hands if Braun was not acquitted of the charges. Even though the MLB has said that they disagree with the panel’s decision, I think that the panel saved the MLB’s face. If you take the reigning NL MVP out of the season for 50 games, you’re going to have upset fans, players and the media is going to go on a frenzy covering it. The panel that reversed the decision had to be thinking about this. From a PR standpoint, I think it was the best way to handle things.

While the MLB may have come out ahead, they still have a huge problem on their hands. They need to take a stand and rewrite their drug policy. Any player can appeal a drug hearing? I understand that this is something that the Player’s Union demanded, but they need to renegotiate this aspect. In the NFL you can be charged with a crime, be acquitted of said crime and still be suspended by the NFL. This seems like a real tough policy, but it makes sense. If you want to be a member of the league, behave. Make sure you don’t get caught up in those situations. Don’t be associated with drug use.

I understand that you cannot do the exact same thing in the MLB. But in the case of Ryan Braun, I think that this kind of action was necessary. He tested positive and that should have been the end. Now his name will forever be linked to steroid use. Even though I think that he should be out for 50 games, association is still a severe punishment for a player with such a promising career.