Ryan Braun Avoids Milwaukee Brewers Fans, Will Skip Event: A Fan's Take - MLB
Ryan Braun showed up to accept his MVP Award, but he won't show up for the yearly Milwaukee Brewers fan event this weekend. According to ESPN, it was Brewers owner Mark Attanasio that made the announcement , rather than Braun actually standing in front of a camera or issuing a statement on his own. Such has become the way that Braun operates now though, especially since he got suspended for 50 games by Major League Baseball for a drug policy violation.
With the exit of Prince Fielder this offseason, Braun is alone as the face of the franchise, putting him into a leadership role for the remainder of his contract. He is also the leading role model for the Brewers and is definitely the guy that will help the team sell tickets in 2012. Testing positive for an elevated level of testosterone was his first act as the new leader, but it is still worth noting that he has appealed the positive test in an effort to clear his name. Maybe he will clear his name and maybe he won't, but apparently he couldn't care less about the fans.
There was a lot of debate about whether Braun deserved to win the NL MVP in the first place, especially with the great numbers that Matt Kemp put up for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Braun hit .312 with 33 home runs, 111 RBIs and 33 stolen bases. Kemp had a .324 batting average, 39 home runs, 126 RBIs and 40 stolen bases to his credit. Apparently having superior numbers in every statistical category doesn't guarantee anything when it relies upon a popular vote of national sportswriters.
Braun is making a mistake by avoiding the very fan base from which he needs the most support. Bailing on a fan event like this one is about as bad as it can get for a baseball player, especially one that is clearly now the superstar for the team. He could have helped create buzz for the upcoming season, given honest answers about why he tested positive for banned substances and possibly helped to sell even more tickets for the upcoming Brewers season. Instead, he remains in the shadows, acting like a man who has something to hide.
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*Ryan is a lifelong baseball fan that has attended games all across the nation. From The Kingdome to Busch Stadium to AT&T Park, he loves exploring the ballparks and watching the game in all its glory. He is also a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
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