Shyam Das, the arbitrator who overturned the pending 50-game suspension for a positive test of a banned substance, originally was scheduled to deliver his written decision within 30 days of his ruling, which came on Feb. 23.
But, according to the AP report, the players' union and management asked Das to hold off giving his reasoning while they negotiate changes to their rules for collecting urine specimens.
If players and owners reach agreement on the changes, Das' decision could be allowed to stand without any written explanation.
AP reports the sides already have made some changes to collection procedures as a result of Das' decision. Collectors are now required to drop the samples off at a Federal Express office on the same day they are collected, provided an office is open in the vicinity. If not, collectors should take the specimens home rather than leave them in a drop box.
The collector of Braun's sample last Oct. 1, Dino Laurenzi Jr., took the sealed sample home when there were no FedEX offices within 50 miles of Miller Park that shipped on Saturday. Laurenzi did not send the urine sample until the following Monday, a delay which became the crux of Braun's successful appeal.
Das heard two days of testimony in New York in late January and eventually ruled in Braun's favor because of the 40-hour delay in shipping, which he considered questionable.
