No matter where you reside in the midst of this treacherous winter, one thing is for certain.
It's always sunny in Arizona.
With pitchers and catchers having been in Phoenix for close to a week, the Brewers are just one day away from their first full-squad workout of spring training. On Thursday, Milwaukee's face of the franchise became the focus of spring camp.
Returning from his 65-game suspension, Ryan Braun is eager to get back to the game he has missed for far too long. Upon his arrival in Phoenix, Milwaukee's embattled superstar was almost immediately attacked by a media hive.
To this point, Braun has made few public appearances while providing minimal information regarding his PED use and consequent 65-game suspension. On Thursday, Braun maintained an unwillingness to divulge details and rehash the past.
Instead, Ryan reiterated his desire to move forward and concentrate on baseball. He acknowledges his past mistakes and expresses deep remorse for decisions which cost both him and his team.
Braun understands that the healing process is exactly that; a process. He will be unable to immediately restore his reputation and earn respect overnight. Braun realizes that it will take time for him to regain the trust of others.
By the same token, Braun acknowledges that there is only so much he can do to rebuild his image. Though he can try everything in his power to prove himself, Ryan concedes that people are entitled to their opinions.
Having put his past mistakes behind him, Braun has set several goals for himself in the season to come.
Braun hopes to put together his most productive season in 2014. He cited his 2012 campaign, during which Braun endured a bottomless pit of accusations and animosity, following his successful appeal of a 50-game suspension.
That season, Braun led the National League with 41 home runs, 108 runs scored, 356 total bases, and a .987 OPS en route to his fifth consecutive All-Star appearance. He also finished second to San Francisco backstop Buster Posey in NL MVP balloting.
Braun has agreed to shift to right field, his third position since joining the major leagues in 2007. Braun's position switch is designed to accommodate Khris Davis, an up-and-coming slugger whose specific skill set projects him as a left fielder.
Though Braun hopes his positional transition is a smooth one, he intends to work hard in his new outfield corner during spring training. Possessing an above-average throwing arm and solid range, Braun is confident he'll excel at his new position.
Braun has promised to be the best he's ever been in 2014. Having been away from baseball since the end of July, Ryan is extremely eager to get back to the diamond and disprove his critics. If Ryan Braun had something to prove in 2012, he now has a mammoth-sized chip on his shoulder for the season to come.
"I think I'm pretty strong mentally and emotionally, and I'm able to
deal with adversity and challenges. As baseball players,
we're all regular people, normal people who all deal with challenges and
adversity. I think the biggest challenge sometimes in this game is not
having peripheral vision. You want to just focus on the task at hand. I
was able to do that pretty well in 2012."
-Ryan Braun
Thank you for reading, and have a nice weekend!
Barrel Man
