Sympathy for Ryan Braun? Far from it

BY foxsports • July 22, 2013

If you were wondering whether baseball players had brethren Ryan Braun's back, the answer's becoming clear. Look no further than his own clubhouse after Monday's news that the slugger was suspended for the remainder of the season for PED use.

Here is what they had to say after the game:

And he isn't getting much sympathy from other teams, either. Remember in “Jerry Maguire” when Renee Zellweger told Tom Cruise, “You had me at hello”? That was sort of the way Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon McCarthy felt when he heard the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player issue his apology.

And they’re not the only ones angry about being taken in by Braun’s denials when he avoided a suspension after his MVP season. College basketball yakker and big baseball fan Dick Vitale, for instance, ended one of his tweets about Braun with this hashtag: “#APhony.” And Hall of Famer Johnny Bench was glad somebody got nailed.

Braun and society, deny, deny deny! Good for @MLB doing a great job.
— Johnny Bench (@Johnny_Bench5) July 22, 2013

One of the Brewers’ most visible fans — watch a game from Miller Park and you’ll likely see her behind home plate — the woman known as Front Row Amy, also sounded betrayed.

Right now all I have 2 say is I believed him. Why wouldn't I? I'm a #Brewers fan. Now just disappointed & filled w/dread.
— Amy Williams (@FrontRowAmy) July 23, 2013

Here’s how another fan handled the news.

Ryan Braun jersey in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/cGp19LsjXX (H/T @BONIGSKI)
— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) July 23, 2013

Twitter also has a memory. Many tweets brought up how Braun impugned Major League Baseball’s sample collector in getting off on his first drug ban:

Others recalled how Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers supported Braun last year by saying he’d put up a year’s salary that Braun didn’t use PEDs.

Aaron Rodgers Bet His Salary That Ryan Braun Was Clean ðŸ™ˆðŸ™ˆ http://t.co/plt1S2cYSi pic.twitter.com/rxKDrch4UL
— Ochocinco's OCNN (@ocnnreport) July 23, 2013

And speaking of Braun supporters, Monday’s news meant they had some backtracking to do.

And if you wanted to see exactly what this is costing Braun …

Finally, sometimes you have to find the humor in these things.