The Braun Conspiracy

Let me start by saying, that the following conspiracy is nothing that I personally believe. Where there's smoke, there's fire. However, the following isn't exactly the world's biggest stretch of the imagination. Here ends the disclaimer.

What if the whole world wanted you to tell the truth, but the truth isn't exactly what it appears? If you tell the masses what they want to hear, you'd in fact, be lying. If you told the real truth, you'd be deemed a liar, and forever thrown into the role of pariah

Sounds a bit like a movie plot, where the protagonist is dealt with this decision while the antagonist is pulling strings on his puppets. Inside the world in which this movie is set, the villain appears to be the good guy, the hero appears to be the villain. However, as a viewers, you know what is real and what is propaganda. What if you didn't know the truth, what if you weren't privy to the inside information? You'd probably join the masses against the protagonist.

What if, in my example above, Ryan Braun was the good guy in the movie, Bud Selig, the bad? Let me explain:

After Braun beat the suspension for a failed drug test from 2011, MLB has seemingly had a vendetta against him. Throwing a giant hissy fit over the results, firing an independent arbitrator who voted against them, publicly smearing Braun, and likely vowing for revenge. As we know, Braun then, in February of 2012, struck back hard at the process of which he said he was a victim. He laid a convincing argument on why he was innocent, if it was a lie, he deserves an Academy Award. What if, what Braun said, was the truth, and he didn't cheat, he was being unfairly accused of cheating?

In comes Biogenesis. First reports in the Miami Herald, mention A-Rod and others, but no Braun. It comes out later on Yahoo! that Braun was on the list. Miami Herald later says it didn't list him, as the evidence wasn't strong enough.  MLB takes over, does their own investigation, where it's been rumored they paid for people's confessions. Scribbled notes and forced confessions is all we as the public had to go on. Then, wham, Braun accepts a penalty (doesn't confess to PEDs), he appears to have been guilty all along.....the sports world casts him in the pit of evil.

So, here's the thing. Clearly, the MLB is going to get their way. They have the money, the resources, and judging by their ability to fire independent arbitrators, the means to suspend any and all players using whatever evidence they want. This isn't the court of law, it's the Feudal System. There's the King (Selig), the Dukes and Lords (Owners), the knights (players), and the peasants (the fans). The king will get his way, the Lords will agree, and all of the peasants will believe what the all mighty king says. A knight is forever outcast, for making the king look foolish.

Yes, no matter the evidence, Ryan Braun was going to be suspended, and from the rumors, even a possible lifetime ban was in play. The way Braun's contract is shaped, if the suspension goes into next year, he has a lot to lose. Plus he'd be hurting the 2014 Brewers. Something the fans won't enjoy as they already think he's a cheater, for he has been convicted.

So, either fight, probably lose, screw over your finances and your team, or make a bargain which essentially means you're accepting guilt over something you didn't do, but you won't be punished as severely.  Also, upon accepting the punishment, Braun just gave credibility to the entire Biogenesis investigation, and others will soon drop like flies. King Selig looks like a hero.

There's no doubt, MLB had a witch hunt going for Braun. Like @MillerParkNorth tweeted "Witch hunts almost always find a witch.", but like we all know, a lot of innocent "witches" have been burned at the stake.

Was Ryan Braun Bud Selig's great sacrifice, which will ensure Selig honorable praise when he enters Cooperstown, or is the simplest answer (Braun cheated and lied) the most likely?