"We won because the truth was on our side." Ryan Braun, the Brewers’ left fielder, was cleared of all charges - Audrey Oppermann Saturday, March 03, 2012 By Audrey Oppermann Advertising After patiently waiting for his opportunity to prove his innocence, facing disparaging remarks from naïve baseball fans, hearing fabricated rumors leak from otherwise respectable sports media, and watching his reputation being dragged through the mud, Ryan Braun was ready to return to the field and play the game he loves: baseball.      After facing the biggest scandal of his career, the 27-year old left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers returned to Spring Training in Phoenix, Arizona.      Just two days after winning an appeal that overturned a drug test and prevented a 50-game suspension, Braun was relieved to finally be back where he belongs: on the field with his supporting teammates and coaches.      Fans were thrilled to see Braun again, lining up for autographs at Maryvale Baseball Park. Braun spent over 30 minutes signing autographs for supportive fans that accumulated around the field.      On October 1st, 2011, Braun took a test right before a playoff game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Miller Park. After thorough testing in Montreal, the test was discovered to have three times the normal level of testosterone.      This put Braun, the eventual winner of the 2011 National League MVP award, in jeopardy of missing out on 50 games at the beginning of the season and of a tainted reputation.      However, after extensive research by those on Braun’s side in the case, much questionable information was obtained regarding the chain-of-custody of the sample.      Dino I. Laurenzi Jr., a qualified individual that is trained in sports medicine and resides in Kenosha County, was the collector of Braun’s sample.      In standard procedure for MLB drug testing, the sample is to be immediately taken to a FedEx location and sent to Montreal to the major-league testing lab.      However, the sample was instead kept at Laurenzi’s place of residence and refrigerated for 44 hours before being shipped off.      Braun claimed that there were “at least five FedEx locations within 5 miles of the stadium that were open until 9 p.m.,” and “an additional FedEx location that was open for 24 hours.”      “There were a lot of things that we learned about the collector, about the collection process, about the way that the entire things worked that made us very concerned and very suspicious about what could have actually happened,” stated Braun when he addressed the media at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix.        Rob Manfred, one of the three judges on Braun’s arbitration panel, immediately defended the collector of the sample, as well as the system as a whole.      Braun won his appeal with a 2-1 vote on a chain-of-custody argument, accomplishing something that has never been done before in the history of Major League Baseball.      In Braun’s 25-minute press conference, Braun passionately denied the fact that he won the appeal simply on a technicality. “We won because the truth is on my side,” said Braun in his address to the media.      He also directly put to rest fabricated rumors that were leaked by the media and various Internet sources.      “There’s never been a personal medical issue; I’ve never had an STD,” said Braun in his address to the media.      “It’s sad and disappointing that this has become a PR battle and that people continue to leak information that’s inaccurate.”      Braun fervently defended his case, stating that his weight, speed times, power, or arm strength never increased during his weekly checkups with the Brewers, and that there was sufficient documentation to back that up.      The news of Braun’s drug test should’ve never been leaked in the first place. Major League Baseball’s drug testing policy is supposed to remain strictly confidential.      The source of the leaked information is still unknown, but suspicions that it came from the Commissioner’s Office have been put to rest.      Despite where the leak of information originated, Braun’s reputation was severely tarnished as a result.      However, Braun has faced this challenge head on, as he showed at his press conference when he profusely described the situation in detail and defended his case.      “I’ve tried to handle the entire situation with honor, with integrity, with class, with dignity, and with professionalism because that’s who I am and that’s how I’ve always lived my life,” said Braun in his press conference.      Braun also professed his utmost respect for the game of baseball and the struggle to keep quiet throughout adversity.      “Part of the reason why I won’t be able to get into all of the details today, is to put the best interests of the game ahead the best interests of myself. And that hasn’t been easy.”      Although Braun has gone through an extremely strenuous procedure, and will continue to fight this battle as he faces the scrutinizing of fans and those associated with the MLB, he is optimistic about the new 2012 season ahead of him.      “Ultimately, as I sit here today, the system worked because I am innocent and I was able to prove my innocence,” said Braun in his address to the media.      “After today, I look forward to returning my focus to the game of baseball, being able to get back with my teammates, allowing my life to return to some sense of normalcy and focusing on helping our team get back to the postseason.”

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