Ryan Braun: Lack of NL MVP Revote Undermines MLB's Stringent PED Policy

Last week it was learned that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who won the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player Award, tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Despite that revelation, there are no plans to hold a re-vote for the honor.

According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, the Baseball Writers Assn. of America will not strip Braun of his award or hold an additional vote. Obviously the news didn't come out until after the initial voting was done, but taking Braun's award would seem like a fitting punishment.

Braun is currently appealing what would be a 50-game suspension, so he should certainly receive a fair and proper hearing first, but if Braun is proven to have used performance-enhancing drugs, then it would be hypocritical for the MLB to allow him to remain the NL MVP.

Regardless of the result of Braun's appeal, however, the BBWAA seems to be holding firm in its assertion that Braun will keep his award.

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"I got the same question after Ken Caminiti came clean about his steroids usage, and whether we should give the 1996 MVP award instead to Mike Piazza, said Jack O'Connell, longtime BBWAA secretary-treasurer and award administrator. The answer is no.

We did not strip Alex Rodriguez of the 2003 MVP when it was learned later he used PEDs while in Texas."

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O'Connell's point is well taken, but the Caminiti and Rodriguez situations differ quite a bit from Braun. As far as Caminiti and Rodriguez go, it wasn't determined that they had used PEDs until well after they received MVP honors, so the statute of limitations was essentially up.

Braun just won the NL MVP last month, though, so we certainly aren't too far removed to hold a re-vote. I'm not going to suggest that the NFL is a model league in terms of handling steroid usage, but it was faced with a similar situation two years ago.

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing was awarded the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, however, he tested positive for PEDs. Rather than ignore that fact, the league held a re-vote. Cushing still prevailed over Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd, but the vote was closer and it gave the voters a chance to recast their votes while being aware of all the facts.

If a re-vote were held, it might allow for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp to take the award, but there's simply no guarantee that Braun wouldn't retain it. I'm sure more than a couple writers who voted for Braun are having buyer's remorse right now, so they deserve a chance to reconsider.

When it all comes down to it, the MVP Award is symbolic and doesn't really mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but it should be a symbol of everything that is right in baseball. If Braun keeps the award, then it will simply undermine everything the league has done to prevent usage of PEDs.