Can Braun Handle the Pressure?

   Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, and reining National League MVP, is 1 for 17 this spring and has seen limited action.  In the offseason he tested positive for elevated testosterone levels, suspended by Major League Baseball for 50-games, and won his appeal based on the way the test was delivered to the lab.  He remained quiet for most of the winter until he addressed the media from the Brewers spring training camp regarding his successful appeal.  Braun might have been successful in his appeal process, which is a problem that might be too large at this point for baseball to clean up, but the emotional distraction is starting to show on the field.  It is only spring training, and he has been nursing a groin strain but the distraction of the offseason along with the added pressure of being without Prince Fielder is proving to be a factor.  Already this spring he has been booed and called a cheater, but the worst is yet to come once the regular season begins.  When he plays on the road the fans in cities such as St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Chicago just to name a few will pay to sit in left field and make sure Braun knows how they feel about him.  Each time that he comes to the plate he will hear the boos and taunts and there is nothing that he can do about it but try and get the job done.  Each time, however, he will come to the realization that he did cheat but got away with it based on a technicality.  In contrast the fans in Milwaukee will be on his side, or at least keep their disapproval to themselves until all of this distraction gets to him and his numbers fall off.  Once this happens, like it already has this spring, there will be no excuses worthy enough to keep the home fans from also turning on him.
   To be fair to Ryan Braun he did win the appeal, and this should negatively reflect more on Major League Baseball than on him.  The test was positive, but he was granted an appeal and anyone in Braun's position would be a fool not to take advantage of that right.  So don't put the blame completely on Braun himself, Major League Baseball and their drug testing policy also played an important role in the bitterness of baseball fans everywhere.  This is a real problem and baseball knows it.  Now that Braun has won his appeal based on a loophole how many other players are going to do the same thing.  Baseball is so far behind on the drug testing policies that it is going to take years before it is corrected, and this has already proven to leave a black mark on the game.
   Opening day for the Brewers is April 6th against the rival St. Louis Cardinals, and this will be the real test to see if Braun can handle the pressure created this offseason.  For his sake the season opener is in Milwaukee, and not before a hostile crowd in St. Louis where the Cardinals' faithful might turn Busch Stadium into the Roman Colosseum.  Time will tell if Braun can get through this and produce on the field despite all of the pressure, but if he can't he has nobody to blame but himself.  After all, he knows the truth and that fact might be the heaviest weight on his mind all season.