Now there are a couple of points related to this we can make here. First things first it proves to me and a lot of other people that baseball players accused of drug use lied outright. the first known case of outright lying, at least that has been proven to this point, was Rafael Palmeiro. In 2005 Palmeiro said he had never used steriods, then it was revealed a few months later that he in fact had used steroids. So there is no way that players are not lying about using performance enhancing drugs. In the case of Braun, he was found positive for using steroids in 2011, the year he won MVP, only to have the decision overturned on account of a technicality. So when it comes to players lying about performance enhancers, I don't trust most of them as far as I can throw them.
In this instance, I will give Ryan Braun a lot of credit. He admitted he made a mistake and is willing to accept the consequences for his actions. i respect Braun for going on record and saying he made a mistake. The official statement from Braun is as follows:
"As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect. I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it ... has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. "I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country. Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed -- all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization, and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love."
Braun has been among the more than one dozen players under investigation for ties to Biogenesis, a closed anti-aging clinic in Florida linked with the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs. MLB officials have been interviewing players, who have been represented by the union and their own lawyers.
So I fully commend Ryan Braun for coming clean about the whole situation and I fully commend Major League Baseball for how they are going about this whole thing.
This then leads to another big question. Will Yankees 3rd baseman Alex Rodriguez be the next big leaguer to be suspended? I know the MLBPA says that suspensions won't start till next year. But that doesn't mean they are going to be stopped from being handed out. Braun at least had the courage to admit to what he did. With Rodriguez, he hasn't said a word about it. i know he admitted to using steroids when he was playing with the Texas Rangers, but that doesn't mean he hasn't used the drugs since then. I know baseball is going to push hard to get all this done and prove players guilty. For A-Rod, it would be a wise idea to just do what Braun did and admit to his wrong doings. I'm not saying that there won't be punishment, because trust me there will be. All I'm saying is that when Rodriguez does possibly go down for steroids use, it won't be as demoralizing if he just admits to it instead of having it proven through the investigation.
There is still a lot of work to be done to clear all of baseball of steroid use. This event may be a step in the right direction.
(Some Information for this story provided by ESPN.com)
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