So now it's not a PED or steroids, but a prohibited substance, but not a prohibited substance... it's exasperating the piss poor journalism that has, at this moment, ruined Braun's reputation forever. Now, if he did do something so be it. But, the process not happening confidentially as per procedure is ridiculous.

I beacon of sanity from Dodgerville

I, too, am amazed at the fact this was leaked prior to completion. Simply terrible for everyone involved.

Braun tells Tom Haudricourt he is "completely innocent".

Damn, I hope so, young man. You now have an entire organization on your shoulders. I am encouraged by how vehemently he is denying the charges. Normally, he is very measured in his responses, almost to the point of parodying Nuke LaLoosh with his cliches.

Braun responded to the test result by telling MLB.com's Adam McCalvy in a text message: "I would love to talk, but unfortunately I'm not really allowed to say anything right now. My day will come soon, though."

Certainly sounds like a man who would like his good name back. We'll see if that's the case, I guess. I certainly hope so, not only for Ryan's sake, but the organization's as well.

My wife just wondered aloud how pissed Braun must be right now. He can't speak on anything, yet an in progress appeal has been leaked. I can say if I felt I was innocent, I'd be livid. Most of what I've read is either absolute condemnation or gloating.

Hell, if I did end up being exonerated, I'd have a few lawsuits for defamation of character in the works.

Just spoke to someone familiar with the details of Braun's test and was assured he will be found innocent. If so, horrible this leaked out.--Tom H, JS

Since being informed of the results, Braun has been disputing his case. A source close to Braun said that when he was told about the positive test, he immediately requested to be tested again. That second test, using a different sample that was tested by Braun's camp, the source said, was not positive. Those close to Braun believe that the difference between the two tests will show that the first test was invalid. Although Braun's representatives acknowledge that a non-positive test would not negate a positive one, they believe the second test shows certain anomalies that will suggest problems with the first. They declined to specify.--ESPN.com


That last paragraph is buried at the bottom of the ESPN story, presumably because when you break a story for the simple fact that you'd be first, being a responsible news source is secondary.
I have no idea if Ryan is guilty, but this sticks out to me: Why would a guy who has been subjected to testing every year since he entered the minors and cultivated a public persona as Braun has, make the risk to use PED's? In the words of Inspector Douglas Todd, "This whole thing stinks to high heaven"

NLCS BOUND... YOUR MILWAUKEE BREWERS!!!!!!!!!

I almost hope we get the Cards... and knock that damn house down!

Quick thoughts, so read from top to bottom, refresh often:

Consistent zone today, but seems a bit tight-ish early on

This has all the feelings of a "Who blinks first" affair

Give a guy 4 strikes and he always seems to find a hit. As soon as I say it, it comes up

That slide was a tad late

Greinke up in the pen stretching, top 4. Don't think he'll be used.

If this game ends 1-0, then hats off DBacks. I'm thinking we'll come alive late

Prince really going outside his zone tonight. He needs to find that patience that he showed this year.

Prince's aggressiveness is a stark contrast to Braun's patience

Hairston with just enough to score. Good thing Morgan's on 3rd. Still, unfortunately a plethora of wasted opportunities again

Anyone else notice that Roberts fielded Yuni's grounder right on 3rd. Was he playing "no doubles" on that? Odd that they'd be playing the lines.

Crew gets some guys on, ties it up. Yo has a quick, clean inning. Is the worm turning toward the Crew here?

Some would say the Brewers are struggling with the bats. When every line drive you hit goes right to someone, it will always seem that way. We need some to fall in.

Nyger has to understand who's behind him there. Make Kennedy throw a strike & take your chances if it goes 3-2.

Those are the types of hits that lead to rallies... let's hope not. That stick-your-bat-out by Young is exactly what I mean.

Not the best outing from Yo, but he gets through 6 still tied. Now it's up to the O & the bullpen. Hold onto your asscheeks, Wisconsin, it's getting late.

Content to walk Fielder here? apparently so. Poor bunt by Rickie, which is a bit surprising.

Anyone else feeling 8th inning Braun heroics today?

Sometimes luck is a bitch... As has been true most of the second half, if the bottom of the order does well, this team wins

And as good as Yuni's AB was, Lucroy follows up with a clueless display of plate discipline

K-Rod will get 2-3-4 in the 8th... you wanted the closer role, well this is as close as it gets fella. Nice bridge inning for the young man Saito.

A microcosm of Casey's year: let good pitches go by, swing at balls. Never a recipe for success.

Carlos probably going in at CF, move Nyger to RF. I would assume Axford will warm just in case K-Rod forgets the K in his nickname. This is where the trade for the 7-inning game comes to fruition.

Luc has been beat up behind the plate... get through this & the pain goes away, kid

Can't be walking people late. BIG TIME changeup to get Goldy... bear down for out 3.

Watching K-Rod makes me appreciate Axford even more than I already do

And, of course, it comes down to an Axford save chance...

Uh-oh... Burroughs with a 4th strike opportunity here... and singles of course

Luck may be a lady, but sometimes she's a bitch. Now you need to limit the damage

Henry Blanco, Brewer killer... NOT happy... that ball was almost hit slow enough to allow everyone to be safe. Awesome play Yuni, now go send us home in the bottom half

Another tagged ball, another long out for the Crew. Sometimes breaks are just bad

166 total games & we're going to extras for the right to play more... frickin' baseball

So Counsell, Gomez, Morgan in the bottom of the 10th...what sort of sorcery needs to happen for that to equal a run? Hopefully, it's the little guys' time to shine.

JJ Putz in for AZ.

And the broken record continues... another skulled ball hit right at a defender

a double may end this game... stolen base by GoGo, now a single ends it...

AND IT DOES!!!!!! GO NUTS MILWAUKEE FANS!!!!!!!!

Yo with 44 through 2 today, which is not a new development for him historically. We've got a good 'pen, if needed.

Who's gonna step up for the Crew outside of the big boys? That's the main question in this game for me. If we need the bullpen early, we're covered very well.

Who's got the big hit in them today?

Yo dealing early again, looks like he's got good stuff, just can't hit the edges... fastballs hard & down, which should set up some breaking ball opportunities in the middle innings.

Yet ANOTHER ball that would've been out in Miller Park

Estrada doing what Wolf could not: Get ahead of hitters & continue to go after them. Something that Yo has been doing very well at lately.

Again, the announcers doing zero homework: Fielder known as a good low-ball hitter, but he just tomahawked that pitch down the line... Prince has shown quite often in his career that he prefers the ball up.

Crew 0-8 with RISP... not a good recipe for climbing your way back into a game.

Kottaras with yet another hard hit Brewer ball... caught. For as bad as the luck has been on defense, it has carried over to the offense tonight.

Dreckman seemingly flipping a coin on the strike zone tonight... equally bad both ways.

Wolf with nothing tonight. Little bit of everything: badly located pitches, squeezed zone, & some unfortunate bleeders. I assume that's his last inning, since there's really no one to save for tomorrow.

Crew up 1-0 on one of the more complete-played games of the season. Yo was absolutely filthy today, ties Don Sutton's record with 9 K's in a Brewer postseason start. It helps for tomorrow's bullpen situation as you're never sure how a SP will be on a short-rest start.

Prince not staying?

There seems to be some surprise by this around the 'net & some people I know. Really, if anyone thought he was resigning with MIL, I have a nice campfire tale about a fiscally-responsible, thrifty current president you might like to hear. They can't afford him & Prince has earned the right to go make whatever small-nation GNP someone else wants to pay him.
Then I read this from Lee Jenkins at SI.com:
He is leaving, an inevitable announcement, delivered at a startling time. If Fielder made this declaration six months ago, the Brewers could have been more serious about trading him. Now, they have no recourse.

Just another case of a national writer trying to write about the Crew, yet being totally clueless to what he's talking about. The Brewers KNEW Prince wasn't signing past '11, so Melvin went out & got pitching he needed, and PLANNED on letting Fielder walk for the draft picks at the end of the season. Short of a cataclysmic breakdown, there was no way Melvin was flipping #28 at the deadline.

Enjoy what is left of the 1-2 punch. It's been an awesome ride, but all good things must end.