Ryan Braun Motivated by Booing, Hits Three Home Runs

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun is back with the club following last season’s suspension for performance enhancing drug use in the Biogenesis case.  With the possible exception of Alex Rodriguez, Braun is the most vilified of those players who were suspended due to his lying about his involvement in the case.  During his suspension, he began to make some amends for his transgressions and deceptions, but he and everyone else knew he would be booed and vilified in opponent’s ballparks.

So it was no surprise that when the Brewers played the Phillies in Philadelphia for that club’s home opener to the 2014 season on April 8th, the boos from Philadelphia’s legendary boo birds cascaded down when Braun stepped up to the plate.  Braun has said that the booing would motivate him to play better and as a professional, he accepted that challenge.  Putting up a brave face off the field is one thing, it’s quite another to have tens of thousands of fans booing and yelling things at you.

Well, Braun backed it up with a career day.  He hit three home runs, the second time in his career he has done so in a game, and had a career and franchise best seven RBIs.  He also made a circus catch in right field, where he was moved to this season after playing in left for most of his career.  The Brewers won 10-4.

Not bad for a guy who is suffering from a nagging thumb injury. Braun has said he turned to banned substances in 2011 to help deal with another nagging injury.  Assuming he’s clean now (and Braun is no doubt subject to more drug testing as a past offender), and was able to put up career numbers while battling an injury and being booed unmercifully, the obvious question is this:  Why did he ever put his career and reputation in jeopardy by using PEDs when he can play so well without?