Ryan Braun Suspension Unlikely to be Overturned

Earlier last month, the baseball world was rocked by reports that National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Braun had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.  Braun seemed just as surprised as everyone else, and immediately came out defending himself and declaring his plans to appeal the ruling.  While news has since come out revealing that Braun’s positive test may not have been caused by performance-enhancing drugs, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the 50-game ban the Brewers slugger faces is unlikely to be overturned.

After the initial reports linked Braun’s failed test to PED’s, it slowly leaked that the NL MVP’s dirty sample was due to medication he was taking.  While the nature of the ailment Braun required medication for is unknown, it would fall in line with the slugger’s repeated and adamant denials of knowingly cheating.

Still, if this proves to be the case, Haudricourt says Braun will still not be off the hook.  In order for Braun to win his appeal and have his 50-game suspension overturned he will have to prove one of two things; lab error or proof that the Brewers signed off on his unknown treatment.

A person familiar with the situation told Haudricourt that you can rule out lab error.  Haudricourt detailed the testing system, which is designed to prevent such a mistake.

Haudricourt’s source also told him that the Brewers “did not sign off on whatever substance Braun took”.  Though this isn’t official, it would also rule out any chance of having the ban overturned.

So, while later results may aid Braun in the court of public opinion, it appears that the Brewers are likely to spend the first 50 games of the 2012 season sans the reigning NL MVP.

For more on the Brewers, be sure to check out Reviewing the Brew.