Kuzul

ESPN and the Associated Press are reporting that Corey Hart will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The meniscus in the knee functions as a shock absorber. It is located between the femur, and the tibia and fibula. Whenever we take a step, the meniscus is what stops the femur from directly rubbing against the tibia and fibula.

With the amount of impact that baseball players put on their legs, the meniscus becomes a critical part of the anatomy. Without proper function of the meniscus, the player will be in constant pain every time they take a step.

During arthroscopic surgery, surgeons will insert instruments into the knee, through three small holes. One of these instruments will be a camera.

The surgeon will locate the torn piece of the meniscus and either cut it off completely, or stitch it back together.

Recovery from this type of procedure is relatively quick compared to other knee surgeries.

With the loss of Prince Fielder, the Brewers can’t afford to have a player like Hart out for an extended length of time.

Luckily for him, pro athletes have some of the best training and recovery staff in the country.

Hart will miss up to four weeks while rehabbing from this injury and surgery.

Louie Babcock has over five years experience in emergency medicine, and is studying Biology and Health Science at the University of Minnesota.

Follow me on Twitter@lcbjr3000

Love me or hate me, just as long as your read me.

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We all do it. That little judge in our minds bangs the gavel and declares, “Guilty!” when the words “tested positive” flash across the computer screen. Case closed. We decry. We smirk. 

Mob rules.

Ryan Braun‘s suspension over a positive PED test was overturned by an arbitrator, and a ruckus has been raised by the mob as a result. The results did not sway the mob, as the Brewers slugger appears to have been exonerated on a mere technicality. 

It helps to begin by saying the arbitrator’s decision was not based on a simple technicality. Chain of custody is vital to preserve the integrity of collected samples, and the sample collector certainly did not follow protocol. Whether he put the sample in his refrigerator or left it sitting in a tupperware bin on his desk, the chain of custody was compromised and the tested sample could no longer be trusted.

Was the sample tampered with? Did the sample somehow degrade because of poor storage conditions? These are important questions that arise when the chain of custody is broken, hence the arbitrator’s ruling.

Skeptics mock Braun, saying he tested positive and that is the only truth in the matter. That is far from the truth, however, at least based on our knowledge of the situation. That we do not know what happened to his sample between collection and testing means we know squat about whether Braun tested positive or not. 

And what of Braun’s measurables and metrics? He claims he has not gained a single pound or decreased his base-running splits by one-tenth of a second. I will trust him on that count—with a grain of salt, of course—since I do not have access to that week-to-week data. I do have access to his career numbers, though, and here is how they pan out:

Setting aside that he has great career numbers, has Braun been taking PEDs throughout his five-year career and managing to get away with it this whole time? He has been consistent thus far in his career, and he is just now hitting his prime. I expect that to continue, even if he has an abnormally good or bad season because of this whole mess.

Is this proof he is not doping? No, it is purely circumstantial. Neither is an aberrant, morbidly positive test on a mishandled test sample proof that he is juicing, however. We are in the court of public opinion, not a federal court room, but there exists here more than a reasonable doubt.

Healthy skepticism is a good thing; without it, science would stagnate. This is not a question of science, however, not when it comes to judging a man guilty for a transgression nobody can ultimately prove. 

True, he may have simply beat the system and fooled the likes of me in the process. While it may be naive to take Braun on his word, though, I suppose I tend to see the sample cup as half full. At the very least, judgment has been reserved for another day.

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By now, everybody knows that Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers tested positive for a PED just weeks after being named MVP of the National League. 

Braun is currently in the midst of appealing this positive test, but the odds of him getting it overturned do not look great.  (the rest of this article is written with the idea that his appeal will fail) 

Because of this, many fans and experts are calling for Braun to lose his MVP award, either by refusing to accept it or by a re-vote.  I, however, could not disagree more.

1.  The voters awarded it to him because he had a great regular season.

First and foremost, Ryan Braun won this award because the voters recognized that he had a fantastic regular season.  Braun led the NL with a .994 OPS, finished third with a 166 OPS+ and second with a 7.7 WAR while leading Milwaukee to the NL Central Division title.  That much has not changed.

The BBWAA has already announced that they have no plans to re-vote on the award even after Braun’s positive PED test, largely because they have no interest in re-writing history like that.  Another of the reasons for this is because…   

2.  His positive test came in the postseason.

This is very important to note, as the Most Valuable Player award is handed out to the player who had the best regular-season performance.  The BBWAA voted on the MVP award right before the postseason began based on the information they had at the time—which included at least two negative PED tests during the regular season for Braun. 

In fact, since Braun was only tested in October because Milwaukee made the postseason, it could be argued that we would not be having this debate had the Brewers stayed home for October.

A cynical person would probably state that Braun started using right after his last negative test…and to be fair, they could be right.  However, isn’t it also equally plausible that he didn’t start using PEDs until the postseason began?  After all, we have more evidence that he did not use during the regular season than that he did use.

3.  He is already set to be punished.

A lot of fans seem to be under the impression that Braun will be getting off scot-free if he’s allowed to keep his MVP award.  Nothing could be further from the truth, as Braun is set to be suspended for the first 50 games of the 2012 season—without pay, I might add.  This means that, not only will he likely be eliminated from award consideration next season, but he will also lose over 30 percent of his salary (about $1.85 million) in the process.

Nowhere in the collective bargaining agreement does it say that players are ineligible for awards because of a positive test, mainly because awards are handed out by an independent third party.  But this brings me to my next point…

4.  Cheating has never, ever made an MLB player retroactively ineligible for an award.

The easy argument here is from all the recent confirmed PED users—players like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Alex Rodriguez have all kept the trophies they won even after admitted PED usage.  Heck, considering the problem with PEDs in sports goes back as far as 1889, any number of awards could have been won by PED users over the decades.

Of course, it’s not really fair to punish players for rules that were not yet in place, so there’s no reason to take the awards from those players.  But how about those who cheated by breaking long-established rules? 

We never demanded that Gaylord Perry give back either of his Cy Young Awards, even though he made a living off the spitball (and was actually ejected for it).  Same goes for Whitey Ford, Don Drysdale and Mike Scott, each of whom were masters of doctoring the ball. 

We’ve even let entire teams get away with cheating. Heck, the 1951 Giants won the Pennant, thanks in part to an elaborate system of illegal sign-stealing.

Baseball has never retroactively punished players or removed awards/achievements; it has always punished by removing future opportunity.  To suddenly start doing this because of steroids would be pure hypocrisy, which brings me to my final point…

5.  Steroids (and other PEDs) do not have magic powers.

One of my biggest pet peeves about the entire PED issue is that countless fans are treating steroids as if they are the Super Soldier Serum that instantly turns scrawny, talentless weaklings into Captain America.  I’m sorry, but that’s not the way it works. 

Steroids (and other PEDs) are NOT what creates great athletes. Hard work, dedication and lots of practice are what do that. Can steroids help?  Absolutely…but they are but one factor in a very complex equation. 

Steroids can make you bigger, stronger and faster, but only if you work your tail off in a strength and conditioning program and adhere to a proper diet.  And even if one does all of this, they will still not be a great (or even a good) baseball player without hours upon hours of practice at their craft.

To assume that an athlete is only great at hitting a ball because of steroids is a slap in the face to every professional baseball player, because it completely devalues the hard work that all players—PED users or not—put in to make it to the show. 

This is why Ryan Braun should keep the MVP award:  The fans need to realize that it was hard work (and not some PED) that made him a great baseball player.

Conclusion

By no means am I saying that Ryan Braun should not be punished; after all, he did break the agreed-upon rules between management and players.  However, he’s set to be punished with a 50-game suspension, and the punishment will be worse should he do it again.  But this is the perfect opportunity for MLB fans to stop overreacting to the issue.  What’s done is done, and it’s time for baseball to move forward.

Besides, at least we know that MLB’s testing system is working and that nobody—even the freshly minted MVP—is bigger than the game.

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There’s just no way around it, this is bad. Mark Fainaru-Wada and T.J. Quinn of ESPN are reporting that National League MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. 

It’s hard to imagine this ending well. Actually, it’s impossible to imagine this ending well for Braun. Not that that bothers me, it shouldn’t end well for him.

He deserves to be suspended for 50 games. But even if he finds a way to avoid that suspension, this news is going to doom him in the court of public opinion. It’s going to hurt him in future MVP voting, and if it gets that far, will hurt him in Hall of Fame voting.

We’ve seen it with guys like Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire. There’s no way we’re not going to see the same thing happen when Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds become eligible for the Hall of Fame. It’s hard to imagine Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez not suffering when their careers end.

And in the case of every one of those guys, we should see it. They don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Neither does Braun. I don’t want to hear the typical excuses. I didn’t like hearing Barry Bonds say that he never “knowingly” took anything. If you’re a tested professional athlete and put something in your body without knowing what it is, that’s about as bad as knowingly cheating. You don’t deserve any sympathy when that happens.

According to the report, Braun has made that claim:

Since being informed of the results, Braun has been disputing his case. The outfielder has told those around him that he did not knowingly take any banned substances and hoped to prove that during the arbitration process, said one of the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

We’re going to need a lot more than that. False positives do happen, but they’re not common. Not in a company like Major League Baseball. Proof of that is that no player has ever had an appeal upheld after testing positive.

The worst thing about this is that this is an era that needs to be gone. All of the aforementioned players were from a bygone time.

I know that positive tests are going to happen. But those should not be from players of Braun’s caliber. Those tests should come from players that are struggling to find a spot on a team, or maybe earn a starting position.

That’s clearly not Braun. He’s the league’s MVP and has been one of the best hitters in the game since coming into the league in 2007. Frankly, he’s better than that, or I thought he was. 

When this happens, personal awards need to be stripped. I don’t care if the award then goes to the runner-up, or if it’s just declared vacant. But too many players have this cloud over their heads.

Too many of the game’s best awards are just tainted. Braun’s certainly not the only person that applies to, but this test shows that he’s no better than any of them. 

What Braun’s done before doesn’t matter. Who really cares if there’s proof that this was the only time. By extension, that would mean everything done before this was done clean. But it doesn’t matter. When you make the decision to cheat by using illegal performance enhancers, you ruin your entire career. 

This is a terrible day for baseball. Look at the players listed above. Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez.

Those are all great players of the “steroid era.” Ramirez and Rodriguez are still playing, but their careers had significant overlap into the steroid era.

The advantage of that era being over is that we as fans got to live in a state of bliss, even if it was naive. We now had the knowledge that the top players of this era and future eras are clean.

Today’s revelation shows that none of it’s true. No reasonable excuse is good enough for this one. This hurts Braun and it hurts the sport and its fans.

Yet another MVP award is tainted. It never gets easier to deal with.

Follow @mdixon1985

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Ryan Braun is the last guy I’d think who would be using performance-enhancing drugs, but today Major League Baseball announced the NL MVP’s drug test came back positive.

The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder plans to challenge the results of the test, with his spokesman explaining the circumstances:

There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program. While Ryan has impeccable character and no previous history, unfortunately, because of the process we have to maintain confidentiality and are not able to discuss it any further, but we are confident he will ultimately be exonerated.

Despite the positive test, you do have to keep an open mind until more facts come to light. The spokesman’s explanation of “unusual circumstances” sounds like the same old, drawn-out excuses that we’ve heard from athletes before Braun.

Let’s hope this time it’s true.

Braun is the reigning NL MVP and could start his 2012 campaign with a 50-game suspension, no doubt a huge loss for a team that will be without their former slugger, Prince Fielder.

It would also be a devastating blow to Major League Baseball if Braun has been caught cheating as he would be added to the list of elite players who have been caught since the MLB began serious testing.

I can’t stress enough that we all must give the benefit of the doubt and wait until all the facts come out. For now, all we can do is speculate and not allow the steroid problems of the past make us rush to judgement now, and in the future.

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When Francisco Rodriguez accepted the Brewer’s arbitration offer, the hope of retaining their All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder went from small to practically gone. While losing Fielder obviously hurts, fans should still be optimistic about the Brewer’s chances to repeat as division champions in 2012.

The defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals took an even bigger hit when Albert Pujols signed with the Angels. The Cincinnati Reds have an inconsistent pitching staff and the Pirates and Cubs are probably a few years away from truly competing. Then there is also the Houston Astros who were the only team to lose 100 games in 2011.

So as much as it stings losing Fielder, the NL Central is still Milwaukee’s for the taking.

The following reasons are why the Brewers should be the favorites to win the NL Central.

Begin Slideshow

When the Milwaukee Brewers offered Francisco Rodriguez arbitration, they thought it would be a smart move. I understand that the team wanted to get compensation for the reliever, but unfortunately it ended up backfiring on them.

Not only did the Brewers lose out on a draft pick, they are now on the hook to pay a setup man $13 million. The team also missed out on the chance to sign other relievers such as Octavio Dotel and LaTroy Hawkins, both who would have been much cheaper options. Dotel signed a one-year deal with the Tigers for $3.5 million, while Hawkins agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Angels. Keep in mind Hawkins had a 2.42 ERA with the Brew Crew just this past season.  

Rodriguez, who complained all last season about wanting to close, accepted arbitration because he obviously was unable to a find a team to pay him more than what the Brewers offered. Manager Ron Roenicke has already stated that John Axford will remain the team’s closer, so K-Rod’s wish of closing will not come true in Milwaukee. Axford was lights out for the Crew in 2011, saving 46 games in 48 chances, while also posting an ERA of just 1.95.

Losing Takashi Saito and LaTroy Hawkins definitely makes Rodriguez more valuable to the Brewers, but there are other affordable options that they could have pursued. The Brewers also have some nice young relievers in Kameron Loe, Marco Estrada and obviously Axford. Not to mention, Zach Braddock is expected to be a key contributor in the team’s pen in 2012. Braddock missed most of the 2011 season, but in 2010, the 24-year-old posted a 2.94 ERA in 46 games.

I do also like that the Brewers addressed their problem at shortstop by signing Alex Gonzalez to a one-year deal. However, now that they have K-Rod’s contract, the rest of the team’s offseason plans might be in jeopardy.

Before Rodriguez accepted arbitration the Brewers were rumored to be front-runners for the Cubs’ Aramis Ramirez, and now the third baseman will probably be out of the team’s price range. Ramirez, who already turned down arbitration from the Cubs, is seeking a lucrative contract for three to four years.The Brewers want to keep their payroll under $100 million, and with K-Rod accepting arbitration it currently puts the team over the $80 million mark.

What the Brewers need to do is find a team to take K-Rod off their hands. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal said there are several teams who already expressed trade interest in Rodriguez. It’s not too surprising that teams are interested in the righty, especially if the Brewers are willing to eat a portion of his contract.

Before K-Rod was traded to Milwaukee, he recorded 23 saves in 26 opportunities for the Mets, and is someone who can still definitely help out a ballclub. Personally, I would like if the Brewers negotiated a new contract with Rodriguez, but only if it’s for $10 million or less per year. Rodriguez is still an asset to the team, but paying $13 million for a setup man is just absurd. Not even Jonathan Papelbon and Heath Bell are making $13 million a season.

Another option for the Brewers would be to release K-Rod before spring training, a move that could potentially save the team $10 million to $11 million. This option seems unlikely because K-Rod appears to have plenty of suitors, but it is still a possibility.

Any way you look at it, the Brewers must find a way to get out of paying $13 million for a guy who is not even their closer.

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The offseason is starting to gain steam, and it is time to look at the starting rotation for the Brewers. It seems like one of the only parts of the team with any stability going into 2012.

Assuming all five starters from 2011 are back in 2012, let’s take a look at what kind of numbers they might put up next year.

Begin Slideshow

Life moves on.

I’ve now had a month to come to terms with the heartbreaking end to what was arguably the best season in franchise history for Milwaukee. I have come to terms with the fact that the Brewers have a lot of work to do if they want to win 96 games next season, that we are losing one of our best coaches to one of our bitter rivals and perhaps most importantly, I have come to terms with the probability Prince Fielder will not be wearing a Brewers uniform in 2012.

Sure, there is still a possibility that Prince can return next year, especially with what appears to be a very small market for his services, but it is becoming apparent that Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, and the rest of the Brewers brass are making plans to build a team without Prince Fielder for the first time since 2006.

It is a bitter pill to swallow, and the task the Brewers face heading into the offseason may seem insurmountable on the surface.

We’re losing one of the most feared hitters in baseball, and on top of replacing his production, the Brewers must now figure out how to protect Ryan Braun so his production can remain prolific.

For a week now, I have been trying to figure out an article about how to replace Prince Fielder. Initially, I was going to write about five potential players that could fill his hole at first base, but to say that one player will replace the production and the presence of Prince Fielder is ludicrous.

I also tried writing a five step process that could help the Brewers replace Prince, but even that just didn’t seem to do the trick.

The simple fact of the matter is that the Brewers simply cannot replace Prince Fielder… and I have come to terms with that.

Signing Jose Reyes, Aramis Ramirez or any other big name free agent would not be enough. Both of those players would be great additions to the Brewers, but realistically, neither will happen. Even if they did, Prince’s presence would still be sorely missed.

The good news is that even without Fielder in the clubhouse in 2012, the Brewers are going to be just fine.

Sure, there is a lot of work to be done this offseason. With no organizational shortstop ready to move to the big leagues, and no major league shortstop currently on the roster, the Brewers must make a move to fill the most difficult position in the infield.

Whether that’s a big ticket guy like Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins, a reliable veteran like Clint Barmes or Rafael Furcal or even bringing back Yuniesky Betancourt, the decision must be made soon to provide some sense of stability to this team.

Finances are an issue for this team, but the big men in the office for the Brewers have made it clear that they are not afraid to spend some money to make this team competitive.The trick for the Brewers this offseason is not going to be dumping a ton of money into big ticket free agents.

Most people talk as if Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are the only superstars on this team. Even with Fielder gone, the Brewers still have Rickie Weeks (providing he has an injury free year) and Corey Hart, both of whom are coming off great seasons and  have the potential to be superstars.

Mat Gamel has given us back to back great seasons in AAA, and it is time to give him a chance. Some people try to argue that he has been given a chance, but let’s get real… he’s had under 200 at bats in the majors, and has not been given a chance to compete every day. If coached properly, he could give the Brewers 20+ homers and 80+ RBIs, as well as solid defense.

Casey McGehee is coming off a horrible season, but he has every chance to bounce back—if he can get back to the way he played in 2010, that will be another great bat. If he doesn’t, young Taylor Green has proven that he is capable of great play in the majors.

And of course, the pitching. The whole starting rotation will be back (and possibly extended), and while the bullpen will need work with three of the best arms possibly leaving, I have great faith that the Brewers will be able to make the bullpen a strong point again next season.

John Axford is anchoring the pen as the closer, and anytime you have a shutdown pitcher like Axford (2011: 1.95 ERA, 46 SVs, 73.2 IP, 86 Ks) finishing games, you are in good shape.

The Brewers do not need to try to “replace” Prince Fielder’s insane production. It would be a waste of time, effort and very likely, a colossal waste of money.

What the Brewers need to do is focus on building a team that plays better defense, has speed on the bases, gets through the game without giving up big innings and gets on base.Those are goals that are possible without Fielder, and if the Brewers do that they will be in great shape going into 2012.

Projected 2012 opening day line-up (2011 stats)

1 – Corey Hart (.285, 26 HR, 63 RBI)

2 – Nyjer Morgan (.304, 4 HR, 37 RBI)

3 – Ryan Braun (.332, 33 HR, 111 RBI)

4 – Rickie Weeks (.269, 20 HR, 49 RBI)

5 – Casey McGehee (.223, 13 HR, 67 RBI)

6 – Mat Gamel (.310, 28 HR, 96 RBI) – AAA stats

7 – Clint Barmes (.244, 12 HR, 39 RBI)

8 – Jonathan Lucroy (.265, 12 HR, 58 RBI)

9 – Yovani Gallardo/Starting pitcher

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Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Sarasota, Florida, 21-year-old second baseman Scooter Gennett has quickly transformed himself into one of the top young minor league prospects in the organization.

Primarily known for his outstanding speed and quick hands at the plate, the Florida State product has used his athleticism and pure hitting skills to his advantage.  In his first season with Milwaukee’s class-A affiliate, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Gennett hit .309 with nine HR, 87 runs scored and 55 RBI.  He was also able to amass 14 stolen bases as well as a .817 OPS.

Prior to the 2011 season, Gennett was swiftly promoted to high class-A Brevard County, where he would continue to strut his skills—only this time to a much more vigilant crowd.

In 134 games, (556 at-bats), the 5’9,″ 170-pound infielder batted .300, including nine HR, 51 RBI and 74 runs scored.  His 167 hits were enough to lead all minor league prospects in Milwaukee’s system, and his .300 BA ranked fifth.

This fall, the youngster is currently honing his skill set in the Arizona Fall League, MLB’s most preeminent and well-known league, a place where many of today’s top talents sharpened their games just a few years ago.

Through the league’s first nine games, Gennett has torched opposing pitching to the tune of a .395 BA, two HR, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, 24 TB and a 1.097 OPS for the Peoria Javelinas.

On top of his superb hitting abilities, breathtaking athleticism and quickness, Gennett is also a great fielder.  Having made the transition from shortstop (his natural position) to second base, the youngster can play virtually any infield position with outstanding effectiveness.  His strong arm may even allow him to become a future third baseman if need be.

He’s still a raw talent, but it seems as though the young Gennett is gaining more and more recognition as a prime-time prospect for the Brewers.  If he continues to make strides down on the farm (he’s expected to start 2012 with class-AA Helena), he could be with Milwaukee by late 2103, and possibly land a starting role by 2014.

Alec Dopp covers the Milwaukee Brewers as a featured columnist on Bleacher Report.  Follow him on Twitter: @alecdopp, and read his blog.

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