Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and several players embraced Ryan Braun's decision to admit to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Brewers react to Ryan Braun’s PED admission
Ryan Braun’s teammates in Milwaukee are supporting their teammate’s admission. That’s one less thing for Braun, who has a multitude of issues on his plate, to worry about.
For more on Braun and the Brewers, head over to Brew Crew Ball.
Roenicke thought the statement released by Braun on Thursday was sufficient, the third-year skipper told Joe Kay of the Associated Press (via Yahoo! Sports) on Friday:
“It certainly was enough for me. I think it’s enough for his teammates. I think no matter what he says, there’s going to be some negative from a lot of people still ... As I read into how he said it, I think there are some things that probably he can’t bring up. That’s OK with me.”
Catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who has stayed in touch with Braun over the course of his suspension, believes his teammate will hold a press conference to answer questions, per Kay. He also thinks the five-time All-Star made the right choice in confessing, and that fellow teammates will accept him upon his return:
“I thought it was a good first step on the road to redemption, I guess you could say ... If he comes back and is a good teammate and performs and contributes to the team winning, I don’t see why he won’t be welcomed back with open arms.”
Reliever John Axford agreed, hinting that Milwaukee will have to be accepting of Braun in order for it to be successful:
“You can be upset, you can be angry, but in the clubhouse here we’re close. We’re friends. We’re family. And you have to have faith and belief and trust in your family.”
Braun has some hurdles to clear aside from the 65-game suspension imposed by Major League Baseball. The embattled 29-year-old is the target of a lawsuit filed by a former friend and college classmate accusing him of defamation -- and perhaps more seriously, PED usage and academic fraud while attending the University of Miami.
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