Major league players and former players used Twitter to publicly scold Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun following his suspension for violating baseball's performance-enhancing drug policy.
The reactions varied from sarcasm to calls for even stricter penalties for using PEDs:
"Shocked!"- Nobody
— Mark Teahen (@ESPY_TEAHEN) July 22, 2013
As a player there's temptation to cheat to keep up, chase fame, success &/or riches, but like all temptation in life there is right & wrong.
— Mark Teahen (@ESPY_TEAHEN) July 22, 2013
Only way to get PED's out of baseball is with a lifetime ban for any failed test.
— Brett Pill (@PillzRgood) July 22, 2013
In 2012, Braun avoided a 50-game suspension levied by MLB when an arbitrator ruled that there had been a violation of drug-testing protocol. Braun's denials following that decision, as well as a non-specific apology he issued Monday when the new suspension was announced, rubbed some players the wrong way, as well as former major leaguer Geoff Blum, now an analyst on Houston Astros telecasts:
Braun was forced by MLB to "know now" what we all knew then. #ItIsHittingTheFan #Next
— Geoff Blum (@blummer27) July 22, 2013
"I realize now..." and right there I checked out.
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) July 22, 2013
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Barry Enright, for one, wondered how two people were reacting to the news: the sample collector who was blamed for Braun's suspension being overturned, and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, who finished second to Braun in the 2011 National League MVP voting.
I wonder how angry the collector is now...
— Barry Enright (@BarryEnright45) July 22, 2013
Or Matt Kemp...
— Barry Enright (@BarryEnright45) July 22, 2013
A pair of former pro athletes now working in the media felt the same way:
R.Braun suspended for remaining of the season.Apology accept,but the tester you got fired needs to hear you apologies personally to him.
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) July 22, 2013
Apologies to anyone I offended while defending Ryan Braun. Especially the gentleman working for fed ex who had his life ruined
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) July 22, 2013
Some wondered how Braun's friend, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, was feeling about the suspension. In 2012, when Braun was suspended and the suspension was overturned, Rodgers rushed to Braun's defense on Twitter, saying he'd forfeit his season's salary if the allegations were proven true. There were no comments on the situation on Rodgers' Twitter feed as of late Tuesday morning.
What now Aaron Rodgers...
— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson49) July 22, 2013
"Your honor, as this blown up tweet clearly shows, my client is entitled to all of Mr. Rodgers' salary."
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) July 23, 2013
And despite the seriousness of the situation, Miami Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison found a bit of humor, as relayed by Clark Spencer, a Marlins beat writer for the Miami Herald:
Logan Morrison: "You know we're clean. We haven't scored a run in 37 innings." #marlins #braun
— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) July 22, 2013
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