Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun issued a lengthy statement of apology for his use of performance-enhancing drugs during the 2011 season. Braun failed a drug test that fall, but he successfully appealed what would have been a 50-game suspension.
The statement did not mention Biogenesis, the now-closed Florida clinic that, after a Major League Baseball investigation, resulted in the suspension of 14 players.
Braun was the first of 14 players disciplined this year as a result of the Biogenesis probe. Twelve accepted 50-game penalties, including a trio of All-Stars: Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz, Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta and San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera. Braun was suspended for 65 games.
“It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately,” Braun said in a statement released by the Brewers.
“During the latter part of the 2011 season,” Braun said in a statement, “I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn’t have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation. It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately.”
And so it goes. Another Major League player plays the deny, deny, deny card until it can be no longer played, followed by a “sincere” apology for using PED’s in hopes of restoring a measure of credibility for however long a career he may have.
There are those who will claim his apology didn’t go far enough. That it didn’t answer questions about where he got the PED’s and which ones he used. Still others will say who really cares? Count me in that camp, but there are two things we know about Braun.
He used PED’s and he is a liar.
The Brewers have Braun signed through 2020 for another $114 million. If comments by his peers are any indication he may be facing an uphill climb towards his once lofty place among the most feared and respected hitters in the game.
“I thought this whole thing has been despicable on his part,” Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer said. “When he did get caught, he never came clean. He tried to question the ability of the collector when he was caught red-handed. So that’s why the whole Braun situation, there is so much player outrage toward him.”
“I think everybody’s frustrated, especially the players. I think we all feel a little bit cheated,” Seattle Mariners pitcher Joe Saunders said.
“Watching him talk right now makes me sick,” Los Angeles Dodgers Skip Schumaker said.
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said it’s time to get past this.
”To me, it doesn’t really matter what they say. Let’s lay down the penalties and move on,” he said. ”I hope they continue to catch them.”
Well said, Mr. Bochy, well, said
