New #steroid dickery by Lyin Braun unveiled

It takes a lot to bump Alex Rodriguez off the top of the Major League Baseball steroid-using disliked players list.

But, Ryan Braun has managed to do just that.

The latest from Lyin Braun? It includes playing the race/ethnicity card in his original bust that was revoked.

Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports that Braun reportedly was telling other major leaguers, about his initial suspension that was eventually thrown out, that the collector was an anti-Semite.

That's even worse than calling him a Cubs fan, which Braun also did. 

A couple of weeks ago, ESPN's Buster Olney said what he should be doing:

His first call must go to Dino Laurenzi Jr., the collector whose character and work he called into question when he made his now infamous statement in February of 2012, after he won his appeal.  

But, his first public pronouncement, as a press release, and his first public apology, say Laurenzi's name nowhere near either his lips or his agent's lips and keyboard.

Now, this.


So, yes, Juices Maccabee, the Hebrew Hammer, you've hit yet another new low. And, have even more need than before to apologize. And, folks, if you want to talk about just how bad it is, I still have my poll at top right.

Meanwhile, it looks like you also need to lawyer up. (And, no Lyin Braun there!)

Braun was sued this week by a former friend named Ralph Sasson, who alleges Braun's agent, Nez Balelo, paid him $5,000 to dig up information on Laurenzi. Sasson also said Braun used PEDs throughout his career at the University of Miami.

The college use wouldn't surprise me. Note: Miami. Home of Biogenesis. Pipeline for many Latino players. And, more here on Sasson's claims.

Meanwhile, on Aug. 22, Braun finally has ....

A semi-apology. He admits the roiding was his fault.

BUT ...

No apology to Laurenzi for claiming he tainted the sample from when Braun beat the rap on chain of custody issues, and clearly no apology for playing the ethnicity card. 

Actually, beyond that, it's only a semi-demi apology. Here's why — his claim about what led to his PEDing in the first place:

Here is what happened. During the latter part of the 2011 season, I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation. It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed, and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately. 

Because, no, Lyin Braun, I don't believe that you reached out to a third party after a calf injury.

What a dick. You're transparently lying. I have no doubt you were associated with Biogenesis for some time, and that given its location in Miami, there's probably a long, long chain here.

In fact, I just Tweeted Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson, who did a big "takedown" series of articles about other problems with University of Miami athletics a couple of years ago, that he probably needed to do a follow-up.

My background blogging on Braun's suspension is here.