When the Milwaukee Brewers open the season in April, Ryan Braun will be in his familiar left field spot. His potential 50 game suspension for use of a banned substance was overturned Thursday by an independent arbitrator.
Braun will report to the Brewers’ Spring Training camp today, and will hold a news conference to talk more about the reversal of his positive drug test. Shyam Das cast the deciding vote, when an arbitration panel voted 2-to-1 to accept the appeal of a drug test from the National League M-V-P last October. It was the first such reversal in Major League history. Braun’s test reportedly showed excessive levels of testosterone from taking a banned substance that was never disclosed. Braun said he never did it, and he called the arbitrators’ decision quote, “the first step in restoring my good name and reputation.” The 28-year-old Braun avoided a 50-game suspension which would taken effect on Opening Day, and could have hurt the Brewers’ chances of repeating as the National League Central Division champions.
