Braun's 2014 level of performance

[NAHSTE]

Presumably he'll be "clean" and he'll be coming off of a long layoff. I don't think we know what type of player he will be when he comes back.

Discuss what you expect his performance level to be when he returns from suspension for the 2014 season.

Poll added.

 

[Pitty]

Presumably he'll be "clean" and he'll coming off of a long layoff. I don't think we know what type of player he will be when he comes back.

Discuss what you expect his performance level to be when he returns from suspension for the 2014 season.

 

[JimLeavy59]

Similar to what it was in 2012.

 

[EmpireWF]

FWIW, I read if he's caught again, it's a 100 game suspension and not the ban.

 

[Goober]

I personally don't think steroids have a big impact on player performance, so I don't think much will be the same. Presuming he will be healthy after the long lay of, he should have a great year.

 

[FirstTimer]

I personally don't think steroids have a big impact on player performance, .

:dead:

 

[jms493]

I personally don't think steroids have a big impact on player performance, so I don't think much will be the same. Presuming he will be healthy after the long lay of, he should have a great year.

 

[jms493]

I personally don't think steroids have a big impact on player performance, so I don't think much will be the same. Presuming he will be healthy after the long lay of, he should have a great year.

Why do you think players are risking everything to take PEDS? To look good on the beach?

 

[Obst]

I personally don't think steroids have a big impact on player performance, so I don't think much will be the same. Presuming he will be healthy after the long lay of, he should have a great year.

Yeah I thought the same thing about Carlos Ruiz after he got caught.

 

[FedEx227]

Why do you think players are risking everything to take PEDS? To look good on the beach?

Gooby isn't saying they don't have an effect, he's just saying (like I believe and studies have attempted to show) that taking steroids doesn't make you significantly better at baseball.

Sure, it allows you to workout more than others and get bigger quicker but when has baseball ever been dominated by body builders? Bonds was great because he was, well, great, he was able to give himself a second peak due to steroids but it didn't suddenly make him a great player, he already was one. Guy was a HOFer before he ever put a syringe in his ass.

I'd imagine Braun will stay relatively consistent to what we've seen. Perhaps drop off a bit but I'm with Gooby the idea that he's not a 1 WAR player because he's not on steroid is baseless and without precedent. Braun is likely closer to the Barry Bonds arch than he is the Brady Anderson/Javy Lopez one.

Sheehan (everyone's favorite cave-troll) does a great study in this book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0465024033/baseballpro07-20/ref=nosim/) about the statistical effects of steroids. I was hoping it would make its way online at some point but I haven't found one with the same level of detail. If I do find it, i'll post it here.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I've always beleved PED's can take you up one level. Fringy to a bench guy, bench guy to platoon starter, platoon guy to starter, starter to all star, all star to star, star to super star, super star to immortal. Like Fed says, it's not a magic shot that turns quad a players into Barry Bonds, you have to already be Bonds to begin with. Braun is obviously a tremendous talent. If you think he's going to fall off the shelf and become Delmon Young, well, you're nuts.

I think the biggest benefits aside from raw power is injury recovery & longevity. Clemens, Bonds, Palmeiro etc playing at such a high level at such old ages is an obvious clue.

 

[FedEx227]

Totally. Steroids have more to do with keeping you great for longer than it does with making you great.

 

[NAHSTE]

I personally don't think steroids have a big impact on player performance, so I don't think much will be the same. Presuming he will be healthy after the long lay of, he should have a great year.

I somewhat agree, and it doesn't affect everyone the same way, not everyone's skills will "play up" so to speak. But I do think they can make an average player good (Melky) and a great player superhuman (Bonds). What if Braun has been taking them since college, which is a fair assumption considering he was getting them from the Miami strength coach (not to mention Yasmani Grandal and other former 'Canes being heavily implicated in Biogenesis), and has been playing above his true talent level this whole time? I would not rule out the possibility that he's just a solid player going forward. I get what you are saying, PEDs aren't going to give you hand-eye coordination or pitch recognition skills, but the enhanced bat speed, day-to-day durability and general strength they provide all can combine to mask a player's flaws.

I think it will be funny if he has a slow start out of the gate due to simple random variance, poor BABIP results or just plain rust -- because you already know the conclusion people will be jumping to.

 

[jms493]

Steroids are used in all athletics from high school to Olympics to professionals. These things significantly change your body in positive ways and if taken correctly there are very little side effects. They also help you mentally as well. Everyone at these levels are already superior athletes and these things just improve everything. Every athlete is looking for a little boost but to risk you whole career for a little boost logically is incredibly dumb. Which is not out of the question i guess. I think once these guys are on them for a bit and see the results...they cant stay away.

It also doesn't help when the guy competing for your job is taking them...sort of almost makes you take them as well.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

What these dudes in baseball take help with recovery moreover developing yourself physically. There is physical develop by proxy, sure. Its secondary to recovery though.

As for Braun, somewhere between God-mode and Regular All-Star. He's an A+ player who plays in God-mode when he's on the good stuff. Without it, he's just an A+ player.

 

[Goober]

Weird how all the people known for actually knowing about baseball don't think it will have a big impact while the Guido type fans thing Braun is done. #smrt. :tiptoe:

 

[ThomasTomasz]

I just played it safe with All-Star caliber. No way is Braun anything less than that moving forward, at least for 2014. As Larry pretty much stated, he's more in the 5-7 range.

 

[FirstTimer]

Weird how all the people known for actually knowing about baseball don't think it will have a big impact while the Guido type fans thing Braun is done. #smrt. :tiptoe:

Who thinks he is done?

 

[Villain]

I expect Braun to be at least All-Star caliber. He's fucking good at baseball, roids or not. As long as he doesn't get hurt, Braun should be one of the top outfielders in 2014. My perception of what steroids does to MLB players falls somewhere between Gob and W2B. I think that the marginal increase in production for a guy at his level isn't that significant so he'll be productive.

Obviously since he's a douche bag, I don't think the negative media attention will affect him all that much. He'll play well, most Milwaukee fans will forgive him instantly, and he won't give two shits about the boo's in other ballparks. It's not like there's a crushing media presence in Wisconsin.

All that being said, it would be much more fun for him to show up next season and be an absolute disaster so that's what I'll root for.

 

[Slateman]

I'm going to say same as always. He'll simply use a PED supplier who can keep his/her mouth shut. Not like they're going to catch him on a test.