Anyone concerned about Braun's performance this year?

Topnotchsy · Feb 25, 2012

I was thinking about this and found it very interesting.

Obviously Ryan Braun's suspension has been overturned, and the court of public opinion is sorting out its position on how to view him. Obviously with Braun playing the first 50 games, fantasy projections have to be altered, and he will likely be a very early (if not #1) pick.

What I find really interesting is that I have not noticed anyone who feels that Braun's performance will decline this year, even amongst people who believe he deserved to be suspended.

While breaking the rules warrants a suspension, isn't the real issue using performance enhancing drugs? And if that was what he did, shouldn't his performance decline this season since (presumably) whatever he used in the past will no longer be used?

Thoughts?

sportscardtheory · Feb 25, 2012

I don't see why his performance would lessen. He has been tested like 25+ times since he came into the league and has been a very productive hitter since making the Bigs.

BrewerSuperCollector · Feb 25, 2012

I think his performance will suffer a little bit only because Prince isn't there hitting behind him. He has come a long way, but still needs more plate discipline(walk more).

sportscardtheory · Feb 25, 2012

BrewerSuperCollector said:
I think his performance will suffer a little bit only because Prince isn't there hitting behind him. He has come a long way, but still needs more plate discipline(walk more).

Ah, yes. I wasn't thinking about the loss of Prince. Now everyone has an "I told you so" option if he does have an irregular season due to the loss of Fielder's bat. Great. lol

Kevbo · Feb 25, 2012

He said that they have "contemporaneously" documented his weight, speed, for years. He hadn't gained a pound or a tenth of a second in speed.
He said he hasn't gained any power, arm strength, or worked out any more often. So if that's been documented for a while, I guess it's true.

He's in his prime now, so this would be the time you'd expect the best numbers of his career, but it looks like Aramis Ramirez will be hitting behind him, and I'd say that's a bit of a downtick from last year. Who knows, the lineup could shake out to be just fine, and it might not effect things too much. I expect fairly regular numbers for Braun, the only stat I'd put money on being lower would be runs.

Edit: Plus, the haters gotta pay, so 40 homers and an 1.000 OPS should be the benchmark here

mredsox89 · Feb 25, 2012

If his numbers go down, doubters will say "well there you go", but won't mention that he is no longer hitting in front of one of the best power hitters in baseball. If his numbers don't go down, supporters will say "well there you go". No matter what his production is this year or any other year, it has no impact on if he took steroids. He passed numerous tests, failed one, which was thrown out. The drug policy is in place so that these reports don't get out before the appeal process. MLB failed miserable (or whoever leaked the positive test) and now they are pissed because the appeal victory is a slap in the face to their policy.

Plus, his image is already tarnished and likely will be forever. If he puts up HOF #'s he will likely still get in, but he will always have his doubters in the public and in the media/voters

G $MONEY$ · Feb 25, 2012

I actually thought of this to myself a couple days ago, i think hes gonna decline and remember, especially for the first couple months of the season, hes gonna be having to answer tons of questions in every city he visits, so he'll have that added pressure as well. Im sure it will be a media circus around him for quite awhile.

Brett Keith · Feb 25, 2012

G $MONEY$ said:
I actually thought of this to myself a couple days ago, i think hes gonna decline and remember, especially for the first couple months of the season, hes gonna be having to answer tons of questions in every city he visits, so he'll have that added pressure as well. Im sure it will be a media circus around him for quite awhile.

I don't see how that's added pressure. He's already had every possible question asked to him and about him. He stood on the brink of possibly screwing up his team's season and having his name and reputation tarnished beyond repair. Through all that, whether you believe him or not, he's been the picture of poise. I don't think there will be that many questions, and think he'll use any as just more fuel.

Lars · Feb 25, 2012

His numbers are going to decline but he's still going to be a pretty good player.

Look for a hit in his slugging percentage as well as his performance in the last part of the season.

matchpenalty · Feb 25, 2012

what about all cheaters that sucked. taking stuff doesn't automatically make you better

brewerfan99 · Feb 25, 2012

I fully expect him to have an MVP type season! He never took a PED and you can't prove he did...so why expect anything less than the HOF type numbers he has put up so far in his career. I would take him #1 in a Fantasy draft and if I were starting a baseball club in the real world ... he'd be my #1 pick there too!

ChasHawk · Feb 25, 2012

Brett Keith said:
[quote="G $MONEY$":xmfe5s4b]I actually thought of this to myself a couple days ago, i think hes gonna decline and remember, especially for the first couple months of the season, hes gonna be having to answer tons of questions in every city he visits, so he'll have that added pressure as well. Im sure it will be a media circus around him for quite awhile.

I don't see how that's added pressure. He's already had every possible question asked to him and about him. He stood on the brink of possibly screwing up his team's season and having his name and reputation tarnished beyond repair. Through all that, whether you believe him or not, he's been the picture of poise. I don't think there will be that many questions, and think he'll use any as just more fuel.[/quote:xmfe5s4b]
Except..."Ryan, did you take a PED?" Nobody at that "news" conference had the balls to ask any real questions.

His production will definitely go down, especially with the loss of Fielder.

It really doesn't matter though. A picture of him with a needle in his ass wouldn't pull Brewers fan's heads out of the sand.

coltsnsox07 · Feb 25, 2012

Without Prince, I don't think he's gonna get a lot of pitches to hit, but he'll still be Braun.

hive17 · Feb 25, 2012

Braun's success and career have always been spread across most of the tools. It's not like we're expecting a 45 HR guy to fall back to 25 HR; Braun has been a consistant 30/30 guy with a good BA. Most of that isn't wrapped around power. Even if his career has been inflated by PEDs (which I doubt) his mean is pretty high, so a regression to it will still be a season that is better than 90% of the players in the MLB.

Brett Keith · Feb 25, 2012

ChasHawk said:
Brett Keith said:

[quote="G $MONEY$":1hiezmi2]I actually thought of this to myself a couple days ago, i think hes gonna decline and remember, especially for the first couple months of the season, hes gonna be having to answer tons of questions in every city he visits, so he'll have that added pressure as well. Im sure it will be a media circus around him for quite awhile.

Click to expand...

I don't see how that's added pressure. He's already had every possible question asked to him and about him. He stood on the brink of possibly screwing up his team's season and having his name and reputation tarnished beyond repair. Through all that, whether you believe him or not, he's been the picture of poise. I don't think there will be that many questions, and think he'll use any as just more fuel.

Except..."Ryan, did you take a PED?" Nobody at that "news" conference had the balls to ask any real questions.

His production will definitely go down, especially with the loss of Fielder.

It really doesn't matter though. A picture of him with a needle in his ass wouldn't pull Brewers fan's heads out of the sand.[/quote:1hiezmi2]

So you don't think in the time the test was leaked, through the hearing till now he hasn't had that question posed? Also, I think his full denial of taking anything constitutes an answer to that question. Like someone said before, I don't expect a noticeable dip in his #'s in anything but runs.

hive17 · Feb 25, 2012

Brett Keith said:
ChasHawk said:

[quote="Brett Keith":1q8h47e3][quote="G $MONEY$":1q8h47e3]I actually thought of this to myself a couple days ago, i think hes gonna decline and remember, especially for the first couple months of the season, hes gonna be having to answer tons of questions in every city he visits, so he'll have that added pressure as well. Im sure it will be a media circus around him for quite awhile.

Click to expand...

I don't see how that's added pressure. He's already had every possible question asked to him and about him. He stood on the brink of possibly screwing up his team's season and having his name and reputation tarnished beyond repair. Through all that, whether you believe him or not, he's been the picture of poise. I don't think there will be that many questions, and think he'll use any as just more fuel.

Except..."Ryan, did you take a PED?" Nobody at that "news" conference had the balls to ask any real questions.

His production will definitely go down, especially with the loss of Fielder.

It really doesn't matter though. A picture of him with a needle in his ass wouldn't pull Brewers fan's heads out of the sand.[/quote:1q8h47e3]

So you don't think in the time the test was leaked, through the hearing till now he hasn't had that question posed? Also, I think his full denial of taking anything constitutes an answer to that question. Like someone said before, I don't expect a noticeable dip in his #'s in anything but runs.[/quote:1q8h47e3]

You're talking to the board's current Braun anti-homer, so let that color any discussion you have.

LazerShow15 · Feb 25, 2012

Prediction on stats.

.334 AVG
31 HR
108 RBI
33 SB
.435 OBP
1.018 OPS
.583 SLG

ChasHawk · Feb 25, 2012

hive17 said:
Brett Keith said:

ChasHawk said:

[quote="Brett Keith":3f9x9eo1][quote="G $MONEY$":3f9x9eo1]I actually thought of this to myself a couple days ago, i think hes gonna decline and remember, especially for the first couple months of the season, hes gonna be having to answer tons of questions in every city he visits, so he'll have that added pressure as well. Im sure it will be a media circus around him for quite awhile.

Click to expand...

I don't see how that's added pressure. He's already had every possible question asked to him and about him. He stood on the brink of possibly screwing up his team's season and having his name and reputation tarnished beyond repair. Through all that, whether you believe him or not, he's been the picture of poise. I don't think there will be that many questions, and think he'll use any as just more fuel.

Click to expand...

Except..."Ryan, did you take a PED?" Nobody at that "news" conference had the balls to ask any real questions.

His production will definitely go down, especially with the loss of Fielder.

It really doesn't matter though. A picture of him with a needle in his ass wouldn't pull Brewers fan's heads out of the sand.

So you don't think in the time the test was leaked, through the hearing till now he hasn't had that question posed? Also, I think his full denial of taking anything constitutes an answer to that question. Like someone said before, I don't expect a noticeable dip in his #'s in anything but runs.[/quote:3f9x9eo1]
You're talking to the board's current Braun anti-homer, so let that color any discussion you have.[/quote:3f9x9eo1]
That's ******** and you know it.

championMan · Feb 26, 2012

brewerfan99 said:
I fully expect him to have an MVP type season! He never took a PED and you can't prove he did...so why expect anything less than the HOF type numbers he has put up so far in his career. I would take him #1 in a Fantasy draft and if I were starting a baseball club in the real world ... he'd be my #1 pick there too!

MVP not likely cause the writer now will hold a grudge against him for winning it last year. But still productive player and all star appearance possible.

Hallsgator · Feb 26, 2012

brewerfan99 said:
I fully expect him to have an MVP type season! He never took a PED and you can't prove he did...so why expect anything less than the HOF type numbers he has put up so far in his career. I would take him #1 in a Fantasy draft and if I were starting a baseball club in the real world ... he'd be my #1 pick there too!

Clearly unbiased.

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