The stache

No, because he got off on a (finger quotes) "technicality".

I'd take Bauer in an instant over anybody we have right now except for Gallardo and maybe Peralta. You are way underselling Trevor Bauer's potential. His mechanics might be odd, but odd pitching mechanics never seemed to slow Luis Tiant, or Tim Lincecum. I think Bauer has 1/2 potential. And I was floored when the Diamondbacks let him go.

Every time I identify myself as a Brewers fan on another forum, some pinhead starts in with "hey brah, Ryan Braun is guilty of using steroids, you know". It's annoying as hell, and I'd like that to go away. But you know what, guys? None of this will matter at all if at some point in the not-too-distant future the truth finally comes out, and Ryan is vindicated. We all want the immediate answers. I get that, and I'm sure that Ryan Braun gets that, too. He's a pretty smart guy. I want answers not only as a Ryan Braun fan, and a Milwaukee Brewers fan, but as a lover of the game itself. I loathe cheaters of all kinds because the integrity of the game matters to me. So, while we want answers now, it's important to keep some perspective. The guy at the middle of all this has to do it the right way. He's been advised ad nauseum by his legal council, I'm sure, and as much as he'd like to spill the beans, his future, and his legacy, are really all that matter. So he must exercise restraint. If he comes out, and missteps, it could irrevocably damage that future. It could also harm the franchise (what happens to the Brewer's season if Ryan violates the rules of arbitration, and MLB slaps him with a suspension?) So he has to fight his battles in a way that none of us might understand. He might seem overly reserved, but that could very well be because of requirements set forth by binding arbitration that none of us are aware of. In the mean time, publications like ESPN and Yahoo Sports will run their little articles. And the mouth breathers will trash him. Let them have their fun. In the grand scheme of things, are we really concerned about the opinions these people have? I'm not. I've decided to treat it as peripheral noise. When something substantive comes out, I'll read it. But I am refusing to get all worked up every time some piece of notebook paper with Ryan's name scribbled upon it comes out. I am going to focus on the season coming up just like I do every year. I am going to get my fantasy team ready, and enjoy spring training. And when this whole mess is finally resolved, then I will revisit it.

I am so flipping tired of the little "internet scientists" reverting back to the "Braun got off on a technicality" meme. Either people are too stupid, or too lazy, to learn what happens to a urine sample when it's allowed to sit out at room temperature for two days, and by extension, they cannot grasp why exactly an uncompromised sample is of paramount importance in drug testing. "Well the seal on the sample was still intact, derp derp, so the sample was good". Urine cannot sit out for 44 hours, and yield accurate test results. It is a scientific impossibility. Why? Because urine is not inert. In a closed sample, after 8 to 10 hours, the liquid will begin to warm as bacteria grows. Bacterial growth leads to the cellular breakdown. When this happens, liquid evaporates, and the ph factor changes. The exact same thing happened in Diane Modahl's case, and her team was able to prove that the sample sat out at the lab, causing the urine to degrade. There were at least five FedEx locations within five miles of the stadium that were open until 9 p.m. and an additional FedEx location that was open for 24 hours. There were upwards of 18 or 19 FedEx locations that were open between the ballpark and his house that he could have dropped the samples off at. That's a quote from Ryan Braun at his press conference. The assertion by Dino Laurenzi that there were no Fed Ex locations open after 5pm is a crock. Then on the Monday after he collected the sample, he couldn't be bothered to get to Fed Ex until nearly 2 pm. From the time Ryan Braun's piss left Miller Park, the entire process was a comedy of errors. And I am so bleeping tired of ESPN's throwing feces against the wall every day, hoping that something sticks. Either show proof that he did something that warrants a suspension by MLB, or STFU.

Exactly. There's nothing you really can do. Once that smell is on you, deserved or not, no matter what you do, it will never go away. Braun's public statements, which could be 100% truthful, are greeted with hostility, and disbelief. His silence in other areas, even if mandated by binding arbitration, is further evidence of his guilt in the eyes of many. As I said, once his test result was made public, Ryan was put in an untenable position.

Have we heard a single person come out and say "I saw Ryan Braun injecting himself", or "I supplied an illegal substance to Braun"? On the record, or even on the condition of anonymity? No. It's amazing to me in an investigation of this magnitude, there hasn't been one single person to speak out against him. Rumors have a way of finding the light of day, yet when it comes to Braun, none of these rumors exist. Braun could have used. He might be completely clean. But I find the lack of "chatter" about him, so to speak, to be somewhat curious. And this latest "link" (which I consider tenuous at best) does not list any type of medication, or supplement next to his name when every other player has precisely that. Do I want to believe in Braun's innocence? Absolutely. Am I a homer for giving him the benefit of the doubt until we learn conclusively that he did or did not do something wrong? No. There's a world of difference between blindly accepting conjecture as fact, and looking at all the information (or lack thereof) dispassionately. I'm not a lawyer, but the first three years I was in college I was pre law. I spent hundreds of hours in Lexis and Westlaw researching cases. I worked for a criminal trial lawyer, and learned the ins and outs of the system. What we need to remember is that it's our curiosity, our "need to know" that is not being satiated here. In the grand scheme of things, that's not at all important. Braun's future as a player is at stake, and if he's innocent, eventually that will come out. It will suck that every pinhead with internet access will trash his name left and right, but do we really care about what any of these mouth breathers think? As I referenced earlier, there are reasons why Ryan has not, or cannot, speak out, and provide the information that might otherwise exonerate him forever. There are legalities in place that we would not understand. It sucks for Ryan if he is indeed innocent, because while this one source "leaked" confidential test results, confidentiality still applies, and Ryan cannot sit down with a journalist, and connect the dots, so to speak, without violating the provision contained within binding arbitration. However, lacking that, common sense dictates that there's nothing really damning to make me think he's guilty. All we have is a leaked report about one questionable test. We're unable to confirm the veracity of the information we have read, or question the reliability of the source. That is fact. We know, also, that strict procedures agreed upon by MLB and the player's union were not followed. Once that is determined, the biological sample in question is unreliable. When questions about chain of custody, or handling protocols exist, the biological sample in question should be immediately disqualified. The collector of Braun's sample understood the established guidelines, and choose not to follow them, even though there were several locations where he could have deposited the sample as required by his position. Why?

Read the article I linked on Fangraphs by Wendy Thurm. She reinforced what I've thought all along about last year. So many people are screaming "he said he'd come out and explain, and he didn't. So therefore, he's hiding something". What far too many people fail to glean is that although somebody leaked the failed test, confidentiality is still attached to the process, and Braun cannot say certain things in public. That is in part why Shyam Das never released his opinion, confidentiality. Just because the test was leaked, does not mean that confidentiality doesn't still exist for the remainder of the process. If Braun comes out and says something he shouldn't, my impression is that it could lead to punitive action by MLB, up to and including an overturn of the decision on his behalf. It sucks, but it seems to me that it's either "play the entire season, and have people second guess you", or "speak up and defend yourself in the court of public opinion, and get suspended 50 games for breaking the confidentiality clause of binding arbitration". Don't bet for a second that MLB wouldn't slam that down on him if they could. It really sucks because whoever leaked the original failed test put Ryan Braun in an untenable position. He can either save face, and screw the team over by missing 50 games, or he can keep quiet, let everybody trash him, and play the full season.

I feel the same way. I'm not going to condemn him, but I really need to see something this time. Time to back the talk up.

I tell you guys what. I want something definitive this time. If somebody has to sneak fax a copy of a receipt from Braun's team saying "consulting fee" to (insert sports media outlet here), then do it. Enough screwing around with this. I understand that the confidentiality clause of the arbitration is binding, but since this guy was apparently not brought in before the panel, this shouldn't fall under the auspices of the appeal. If so, can't SOMEBODY quickly make public an invoice, or a receipt, or something to show that what we're being told is true?

Here's an article on Fangraphs written by Wendy Thurm, who practiced law for twenty years, and spent "a great deal of time working with experts in high-stakes cases". link "Braun's Explaination on Biogenesis is Entirely Plausible" A very good read.

It makes perfect sense. Ryan is guilty. He decided to buy a lifetime supply of PEDs..$30,000 worth, and he left his checkbook at home. Or, maybe Anthony Bosch was a big fan of Cheers growing up, and Ryan Braun was his Norm Peterson, running up a huge tab. Come on, somebody in Braun's camp just release a copy of the legal contract used in creating a retainer with Bosch. I'd like nothing better than to copy and paste a picture of it to shut some haters up.

I don't buy it. Ryan's explanation sounds completely plausible. His name doesn't appear anywhere else, and the fact that his attorney's name appears, too, sounds like it was a consulting fee, or a retainer + consulting fee that hasn't been paid in full. $20,000 to $30,000 would be a hell of a lot of performance enhancers. For a guy that's been tested numerous times in the last year (and I'd assume more times than normal in light of his overturned suspension), and had no further issue, it just doesn't make sense that this would be a drug of any kind. Remember, Ryan Braun was basically in the fight of his life. He's a millionaire many times over, and he and his legal team are going to talk to anybody that could help discredit the test, or shoot holes in how the sample was handled. Until a couple of weeks ago, this guy and his clinic were apparently considered legit. Do we really think that Braun's team would approach somebody if there were any questions about their credentials? Braun's team needs to release something to show that this guy was hired as a consultant, and it will all go away.

Ok, I'm confused now. I'm in the Dallas area. I'm blacked out for the Rangers and Astros. The Brewers play the Rangers in Milwaukee two games in May, the Astros three games in Houston in June, and two games at Texas in August during interleague play. I should be able to see the rest of the games, no?

What about streaming the HD transmission to my TV with the Roku, and opening up the audio feed on my computer? I've got a pretty fast connection, and since both streams would be over the net, they should be in sync, no?

Thanks for the input guys. I did a little more research, and now I'm thinking a Roku 2 XD. I can also use it to watch my HBO Go, Max Go, EPIX HD and Showtime Anytime on it.

As a Brewers fan living in Texas, I often miss the Crew on TV. I sometimes catch them if they're playing on MLB Network, or against the Astros on FOX Sports Southwest. But now that the Astros are not in the NL Central anymore, I won't get to see those games anymore. So I'm looking for feedback, guys. I want to watch and blog about every single game. I've looked at MLB Extra Innings, which I can get through my Verizon FIOS...but I don't have any choice as to what games I can get in high def. From my research, it looks like my best bet is going with MLB.TV, and use something like Apple TV (or maybe get a Playstation 3) that can transfer the game in high def to my TV. I'm sure we have some Brewer fans here living outside of Wisconsin. What are you guys doing to catch games? Thanks!!

well played.

Can't believe they got Justin Upton, and were able to keep Tehran.

I hate to be negative here, but we essentially gave away Brett Lawrie for...what? Marcum's total WAR while in Milwaukee was 4.2. When Lawrie starts lighting it up...and he will...the trade for Marcum is going to look worse than it does now. We got a good pitcher for a year and a half. The Jays potentially got their third baseman for the next decade plus. At least we got something good when we lost Greinke. We'll get some worthless comp pick for Marcum.

To borrow from Packer coach Kevin Greene: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3f3wcSEAX1qzddo2o1_400.jpg "It is time." Come on Mat, show us what you can do in 2013!

"The Man" was a legend. Does ESPN lead off with his passing? Nope. If I were pressed as to my top 5 all-time pure hitters, I'd probably answer: 1. Ted Williams 2. Ty Cobb 3. Babe Ruth 4. Stan Musial 5. Either Tony Gwynn or Rod Carew More impressive than his 7 batting titles, his 3 MVPs, his 1,377 extra base hits and 6,134 total bases, or his 24 All Star selections...check this: 696 strikeouts...in 12,717 plate appearances. Amazing. The guy could do it all. God's speed, Stan. I'd have given anything to see you play.

He's a dirtbag. He'll get what's coming to him.

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1333/miltonbradleyjail.png

I have really, really struggled with this, guys. I don't think the guys that have been suspected of steroids should be kept out of the Hall. At the same time, I don't think they should be elected on the first ballot. Make them wait...and wait...and wait. My choices for this year's ballot: Craig Biggio Jeff Bagwell Mike Piazza Tim Raines Craig Biggio's versatility made him great. He played 1,989 games as a second baseman, 428 as a catcher, and 363 as an outfielder. 3,060 career hits (of which 1,014 were of the extra-base variety), 1,844 runs scored, 291 home runs and 414 stolen bases...one of the best second basemen ever. Only four men in the history of the game have more doubles than his 668-Tris Speaker, Pete Rose, Ty Cobb and Stan Musial. 5 Silver Slugger Awards (4 as a second baseman, only Ryne Sandberg has more), 4 Gold Gloves, and he rarely missed a game. Mike Piazza is arguably the greatest offense catcher to ever play the game. He's certainly in the discussion with Johnny Bench, Roy Campanella, Ivan Rodriguez, Yogi Berra, Gary Carter and Carlton Fisk. That he was drafted in the 62nd round is baffling. Piazza ended with a .308 lifetime average, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBI. His ten Silver Sluggers are the second most all-time. Only Barry Bonds (12) has more. Tim Raines has suffered being in the shadow of Rickey Henderson. But a .294 average with 2,605 hits, 1,571 runs scored and 808 stolen bases should get him in. He was one of the most exciting players to step on the field in my lifetime. Jeff Bagwell is flying under the radar, but he was one of the best hitters of his generation in my opinion. The numbers he put up in his MVP year of 1994 (the strike-shortened season) were just obscene. He played in 110 games, scored 104 runs and drove in 116. He hit .368 with 39 HR. He slugged .750, his OPS was 1.201, and his OPS + was a ridiculous 213. When you look at the rest of his career, it is impressive. The career numbers of .297 AVG, 449 HR, 1,529 RBI are quite good. But the other splits are better. .408 OBP/.540 SLG/.948 OPS. The 152 runs he scored in 2000 were the most since Lou Gehrig's 163 in 1931. He had 9 30 HR seasons in 10 years, he was 30-30 HR/SB twice. Between 1994 and 2003, his averages: .301 AVG, 37 HR, 116 RBI. He had a .994 OPS for that ten year period. To compare, Miguel Cabrera led the majors with a .999 OPS in 2012. Eventually, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will get in, and I would vote for them, but not for a few years. Jack Morris is NOT a Hall of Famer, in my opinion. His 3.90 ERA would be the highest by any pitcher in the Hall. Larry Walker won three batting titles, and had a .313 career average. To say that his numbers were inflated by playing at Coors Field is an understatement. He hit .379 in 1999, but his splits are eye popping. He hit .286 on the road, and .461 at Coors Field. His MVP season was an anomaly. He hit 29 of his 49 homers on the road, and batted .346 on the road (.384 at home). Kenny Lofton might warrant further consideration. If Tim Raines goes in, the argument could be made for Lofton. A lifetime .299 hitter, 2,428 hits, 1,528 runs, 622 stolen bases...and unlike Raines, Lofton won four Gold Gloves. Rafael Palmeiro, I don't know. 3,000 hits and 500 home runs should get him in, but the steroids....

Oh, and what a nice, young starting rotation the Mets are putting together for the future. Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard. Jeurys Familia I think will be a good closer. And they've got their third baseman Wright locked in for a while. The Mets are on the right track.