Sunday, February 26, 2012

Braun's "Truth Prevailed" Speech is "Fatally Flawed"

Let's face it.  Ryan Braun avoided the fifty game penalty he deserved for violating MLB's drug policy, on a technicality.  As we all know, in legal situations, the technicalities usually determine the outcome of the case. Of course, the technicality that Braun's skillful attorneys exploited had absolutely nothing to do with the issue at hand - the indisputable fact that he failed the drug test.  Period.

During Braun's emotional press conference on Friday, the reigning NL MVP claimed to be "the victim of a process that was fatally flawed", making a big deal about the "timeliness" in getting his urine sample shipped off to the lab, while questioning the integrity of the guy who collected the sample.  We're supposed to believe this guy had something to do with that urine having all that synthetic testosterone in it?  Based on the fact that the sample arrived at the lab intact - with no evidence of tampering - we can rule out that conspiracy theory.

The irrefutable evidence which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Braun is guilty, involves the "type" of testosterone discovered in his urine sample:  SYNTHETIC - the kind that comes ONLY FROM PHARMACEUTICALS.  There is no other way, period; that's according to Dr Gary Walder, who is the World Anti-Doping Agency Chairman.  "Synthetic testosterone is not made in the human body", Walder confirmed on ESPN's "Outside the Lines".

Okay, we know beyond a shadow of doubt that Ryan Braun did indeed add a banned pharmaceutical to his breakfast of champions, prior to his October 1, 2011 drug test.  I have little doubt that this was his first violation, based on his consistent performance during his stellar five-year career.  Plus, he's passed numerous drug tests prior to this one.

What would motivate Braun to cheat this time around?  Simple.  He wanted to win a World Series, and he figured his best shot - maybe his only shot - would be to do it while Prince Fielder was still on the team.  Elementary, my dear Watson.

Aside from having all that testosterone in his system, there is compelling evidence that Braun's performance was indeed enhanced during the first round of the playoffs.  Here are the MVP's offensive stats in the 5 game 2011 NLDS:

BA - .500 (9 hits in 18 AB) - including 4 doubles and 1 home run
OBP - .571
SLG - .889
5 runs scored, 4 runs driven in, 1 stolen base, 3 bases on balls

162 GAME PROJECTION:

291 HITS, 32 HOME RUNS, 130 DOUBLES, 162 RUNS, 130 RBIs, 32 STOLEN BASES,  96 BB

As the pharmaceuticals began wearing off, Braun's offensive production returned to more "normal" levels in the 6 game 2011 NLCS, hitting .333, with a .385 OBP, and .583 SLG.  Those are still great numbers, but clearly, Superman left the building without that coveted World Series ring.

While Braun plays the part of "victim" in this ordeal, he left us with this endearing sound bite:  "At the end of the day, the truth prevailed."

The truth is, Braun beat the system on a technicality.  That's the absolute truth, and he knows it.




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