MVP Braun wins appeal of 50-game suspension

NEW YORK -- National League MVP Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension was overturned Thursday by baseball arbitrator Shyam Das, the first time a baseball player successfully challenged a drug-related penalty in a grievance.

The decision was announced Thursday by the Major League Baseball Players Association, one day before the 28-year-old outfielder was due to report to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Braun tested positive in October for elevated testosterone, and ESPN revealed the positive test in December.

No reasoning was given for Thursday's decision.

"Today the arbitration panel announced its decision, by a 2-1 vote, to sustain Ryan Braun's grievance challenging his 50-game suspension by the commissioner's office," a statement from the players' association said.

MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred and union head Michael Weiner are part of the arbitration panel, and management and the union almost always split their votes, leaving Das, the independent panel member, to make the decision.

Manfred said management disagreed with the decision by Das. It is the first time a drug suspension has been overturned in a grievance, baseball officials said.

Wow crazy news. I'll be back later with my thoughts.

I'm very surprised and really curious what lead them to this decision. Didn't seem very likely at all.

That's good for Braun for winning the appeal.

The Brewers need Braun, now that Prince Fielder's with the Tigers.

Rumor has it that he won his appeal on a technicality, based on the improper storage of the urine sample. Not sure how true that is but seems like a crazy outcome. Even MLB has condemned the results, weird.

And we had a forest knocked down after Milwaukee's collective breath

What I've heard so far doesn't really sound good for Braun. I mean, he isn't suspended but its hardly an exonneration and vindication that he's innocent. Curious to hear his side, because right now, he's coming out this looking really bad.

Yeah there are still a lot of questions about this, mainly what was the reason he tested positive?

He may have won his appeal (which is crazy), but he's not going to win back his reputation either way. Like Papa said, there's no vindication that he's innocen.

Originally Posted by Guardian Devil

Rumor has it that he won his appeal on a technicality, based on the improper storage of the urine sample. Not sure how true that is but seems like a crazy outcome. Even MLB has condemned the results, weird.

I heard it was a steroid approved by doctors to treat herpes.

For reals