The 28-year-old Braun helped Milwaukee to a franchise-best 96 regular season wins in 2011 along with the National League Central title, which was their first since moving from the American League in 1998 and their first overall title since back in 1982. Braun hit 33 home runs and 111 RBI and batted .332. He also stole 33 bases and beat out Matt Kemp of the Dodgers in the MVP voting. Braun was selected by the Brewers in the first round in 2005 and was named 2007’s rookie of the year. He’s also won four Silver Slugger Awards and played in four all-star games. His career stats are 161 home runs along with 531 RBI and a batting average of .312.

There have been contradicting reports though as to what caused the outfielder to test positive. ESPN said he failed due to a performance-enhancing drug (PED), but other sources said that wasn’t the case, that something else triggered the reading. It’s believed Braun underwent a urine test in October during the playoffs and it showed that his testosterone level was high enough to result in a positive test. Another test was taken, which showed the high level was caused by a synthetic substance.

The confusion at the moment is whether or not he was using a PED. But either way, whatever it was in his system is a violation of Major League Baseball’s steroid-testing policy. If he’s found guilty, he’ll be suspended for 50 games for violating the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Policy. At the moment, Braun said he’s appealing the test results and requested to take the test again. He’s keeping mum on the subject for the time being until more results and information can be gathered. MLB Players’ Association and MLB officials aren’t making any comments either.

The only person doing any official talking about the incident was one of Braun’s spokesmen. He released a statement which said the there’s some unusual circumstances in the case and Braun in no way intentionally violated the drug policy. He added that Braun will eventually be found not guilty when all of the information is gathered.

Also, Mark Attanasio, owner of the Brewers, said that MLB hasn’t contacted the club regarding Braun’s test results, and Braun deserves the right to appeal it before he should be judged. He said he supports MLB’s drug-testing program and its process of review and feels people shouldn’t jump to any conclusions or speculation until all of the facts are in.

In the meantime, his full support is with Braun. But he made it clear that he’s against prohibited substances because of the negative effects they can have on a person’s life and body. He said he supports drug testing because it’s the right thing to do, not just because it’s MLB policy.

A day after the Mets’ former closer said he’d be willing to return to New York, a club official told ESPNNewYork.com that it would consider re-signing Rodriguez as a free agent.
Francisco Rodriguez may have one unlikely suitor this offseason: the Mets.

“We haven’t ruled anything out,” the official told the website Monday. “We need a closer. It is a long way down the road. We haven’t had those meetings yet. But, for us, I wouldn’t rule anything out.”

The Mets traded Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers last July in a money-saving move. Rodriguez could have earned $17.5 million next season if his 2012 option had vested. Rodriguez agreed to drop the option after joining the Brewers to so he could test the market this winter and ensure he’ll be a closer again.

On Sunday, Rodriguez told reporters that he had no hard feelings toward the Mets and would consider coming back to the club. Rodriguez, 29, was the team’s closer for 2 1/2 seasons.

When “J-Roll” was asked about his future with the Phillies a few months ago by John Gonzalez of the Philadelphia Inquirer,  “J-Roll” responded with: “If I have a good season, more than likely I’ll be here,” Rollins said. “If I have a bad season, that will definitely make for some hard decisions.”

The 2011 season was nothing but just plain average for Jimmy, but he has made it apparent he is still out to seek a five-year deal with a potential option on the fifth year.

GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said he plans to keep talks with Rollins private.  When asked about what losing Rollins would mean, Amaro said, “I will say that it will be a huge blow for us, but not insurmountable.”

“J-Roll’s” numbers have not been anything close to insurmountable the last few years, as his offensive numbers have declined in just about every consecutive season since 2000. However, his glove continues to provide the Phillies with some of the greatest talent in the game at the short-stop position, and many baseball fans would attest.

Will the Phillies offer Jimmy 5 years and an option keeping him in Philly until he is 38 years-old? We’ll let Ruben make that call!

Since his debut September 17, 2000, Jimmy Rollins has always been a huge part of the Phillies offense and a substantial team leader on and off the field. The three time Gold Glove winner is currently batting .257 and has tallied 7 homeruns for the Phils’ so far this season.

Rollins was named the 2007 National League Most Valuable Player, and has been named to the National League All-Star team three times (2001, 2002, 2005). He also became the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to collect at least 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 homers, and 25 stolen bases in one season, and holds the record for most at bats in a season with 716.

Rollins owns the longest hitting streak in Philadelphia Phillies history at 38 games, achieved from August 2005 to April 2006. His streak is the longest in the majors since 1987, when Paul Molitor hit safely in 39 consecutive games, and the longest in the National League since Pete Rose’s 44-game streak in 1978. It is currently the eighth-longest streak in Major League Baseball history.

With the playoffs looming there’s no better time to try your hand at betting on baseball — and no better place to do it than at online sportsbooks. Regardless of whether you’re a Yankees” or Red Sox fans you can put all that time devouring stats and reading baseball news to good use, as it’s easier than ever to go online to place a bet. What used to be a tiny industry has grown to a global, multi-billion dollar a year enterprise with many different reputable and secure online sportsbooks to choose from.

You’ll also have access to far more than just betting on sports, as most major sites offer poker, casino games, bingo, and more, with each accessible from the same account. Creating your account just takes a few minutes and it’s always free, with the option up to you as to whether you enjoy the free games and contests they offer or play for real money instead. If you do decide to play for real cash you’ll have several different secure deposit methods available, including credit and debit cards as well as various online wallet services.

Betting on baseball is one of the most popular sports with many bettors, as the long season gives ample time to pick up on trends and collect and analyze stats and match-ups between teams. You can also tap into historical stats as well, as many teams (and pitchers and batters) face one another many different times, giving you an edge versus other sports when it comes to trying to predict the outcome of games.

Many online gaming sites also offer new players lucrative casino bonus offers when they first sign up, which in many cases can double or triple your initial deposit. Most bonuses can be used for betting on sports as well as at casino games such as slots; pay attention to the terms an conditions, however, as some bonus offers don’t count any wagering at some games like blackjack or video poker, and you’ll typically have to bet a certain amount before the bonus cash can be withdrawn.

For helping the National League become victorious in the All-Star Game for the second year in a row, Fielder was named the All-Star MVP, another first in Brewers history.

Fielder finished 1-for-2 with three RBI’s while lifting the National League to a 5-1 win in the MLB‘s 82nd All-Star Game at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

Fielder’s monster performance most likely has his agent Scott Boras salivating when he begins to think about the money his client could bring in during free agency next season.

If Fielder continues to play the way he has, he could be in the running for another MVP trophy. The slugging Fielder is hitting .297 with 22 home-runs, a league-leading 72 RBI and a crazy-good OPS of 1.006.

Teammate Rickie Weeks also had a decent night in Arizona as he became the only Brewer to ever steal a base during the All-Star Game. He finished 0-for-3 with one run scored and the stolen base.

The Boston Red Sox Adrian Gonzalez went deep for the AL in the first inning off of Philadelphia Phillies Cliff Lee.

Fielder and Weeks will attempt to use this momentum form the All-Star game to help the Brewers attain first place in the NL Central where they are currently tied with the St. Louis Cardinals. Beginning Thursday, Milwaukee embarks on a 11-game road trip against the best of the NL West.

What did you think of Fielder’s performance at the All-Star Game? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

When the club signed Lee back in December as a free agent they knew they had one of the top pitching rotations in all of baseball with Lee, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. Lee must have known he was joining something special too as he rejected offers from the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees to join the Phillies.

Lee has been earning his pay check since signing, with his 5-0 complete-game, two-hit shutout over Boston on June 28 as a prime example. However, Lee said the team’s and his own personal expectations were high when the season got underway back in April.

He said he expected the club to achieve something special and they also expect to take this year’s World Series, but all they can do at the moment is focus on winning their next game one day at a time. With a 9-5 record and a 2.66 ERA after the Red Sox game, it’s clear to see that Lee has been doing his part so far.

Lee got off to a mediocre start though since he was 4-5 with an ERA of 3.94 at the end of May. He’s actually getting hotter as the season wears on as he had a 5-0 record in June with a miniscule ERA of 0.21. He’s the first Philadelphia pitcher to hurl three straight shutouts since Robin Roberts did it back in 1950. His 32-inning scoreless streak is a career high and he’s trying to break Grover Cleveland Alexander’s club record of 41 2/3, which he set 100 years ago in 1911.

Lee said he’s not too worried about passing Alexander’s record as winning each game is the only thing he has on his mind. He admitted that when he’s retired and looks back on his career, personal achievements are something he can be proud of. He added that there’s a long way to go in the season and the team has a lot of hard work ahead of it. The Phillies (50-30) were in first place in the NL East as of June 29 with a 4.5 game lead over the Atlanta Braves.

Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz said that the 32-year-old left-handed Lee has all four of his pitches going for him at the moment and he’s been using his curveball a lot and mixing things up real well. It’s obvious that Lee’s improving with each season. The last time he had an extended scoreless streak was in April 2008 when it reached 27 innings. He won the Cy young award that season with Cleveland.

Lee will be attempting to throw his fourth straight shutout when the Phillies meet the Toronto Blue Jays on July 3.

The Dodgers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 27 and MLB objected to the procedure saying it was opposed to the $150 million debtor-in-possession loan. The league’s attorneys told the bankruptcy judge that it would provide the money for the Dodgers via its own banks and would give McCourt better terms than the J.P. Morgan hedge fund will.

When it filed the objection, MLB stated that the league would offer a no-strings attached and cheaper solution to McCourt’s financial problems over the next year. According to MLB, the original conditions of the hedge fund loan will see McCourt charged 10 per cent interest as well as an additional fee of $4.5 million. However, the hedge fund then agreed to lower the fee to just $250,000 as an exit fee if the judge decides to go with the loan offered by MLB, which will charge just seven per cent interest and no extra fees.

MLB has blamed the club’s current financial situation on McCourt as they said he’s been using the franchise’s funds for his personal use. The league also said that McCourt didn’t have permission from Commissioner Bud Selig or when he filed for bankruptcy, which is an MLB requirement.

MLB also wants the court to look into some other things, such as if the case was filed properly, and if McCourt is eligible to keep control of club during the bankruptcy process. The league also said publicly that McCourt and his ex-wife Jamie siphoned more than $100 million for family us, which disregarded his debtors and the interests of the Dodgers and baseball in general.

They went on to say McCourt put his personal interests before the club’s and not being able to cover the payroll is a result of it. However, McCourt and his debtors say Selig is to blame since they refused to approve McCourt’s multi-year deal with Fox TV which would have injected millions of dollars into the franchise immediately and $3 billion over the life of the deal.

It’s believed the Dodgers’ next payroll payment is $40 million with $8 million of that going to the retired Manny Ramirez as a deferred payment. McCourt is asking the judge to approve the proposed hedge fund loan as well as to open up bidding between media companies to for a new television deal.

Selig said he shot down the deal between the dodgers and Fox because he didn’t feel it was in the best interests of baseball and the Dodgers. MLB is claiming that McCourt has filed for Chapter 11 to have the television deal approved and that he didn’t seek financial help from the league before doing so.

If approved, the Fox deal would have pumped $385 million into the club in an up-front payment to keep it afloat. Fox also loaned $23.5 million to McCourt personally to cover May’s payroll.

Since his debut September 17, 2000, Jimmy Rollins has always been a huge part of the Phillies offense and a substantial team leader on and off the field. The three time Gold Glove winner is currently batting .257 and has tallied 7 homeruns for the Phils’ so far this season.

Rollins was named the 2007 National League Most Valuable Player, and has been named to the National League All-Star team three times (2001, 2002, 2005). He also became the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to collect at least 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 homers, and 25 stolen bases in one season, and holds the record for most at bats in a season with 716.

Rollins owns the longest hitting streak in Philadelphia Phillies history at 38 games, achieved from August 2005 to April 2006. His streak is the longest in the majors since 1987, when Paul Molitor hit safely in 39 consecutive games, and the longest in the National League since Pete Rose’s 44-game streak in 1978. It is currently the eighth-longest streak in Major League Baseball history.

Will a bad season really dictate what Rollins will pursue at the end of this season? Will the Phillies organization really choose not to re-sign “J-Roll”?

“I don’t think the Yankees are gonna get him,” Fielder told The News at the Bombers Boomer Broadway Softball Classic, a charity event at Yankee Stadium. “But I think if everything goes well on the other side, the Mets are one of those teams that if they get that situation all squared away, they could get him.”

Prince enters this week’s three-game series against the Yankees hitting .305 with 21 homers, and he’s expected to be a hot commodity come December. He signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Brewers in January, and Fielder conceded that his son would “probably like to stay in Milwaukee.” But the 27-year-old is represented by super agent Scott Boras, a likely sign he’s headed for the open market.

There are two major factors that put a dent in Cecil’s thinking: The Mets already a have a budding star at first base in Ike Davis – he’s been on the DL since early May – and they don’t expect to be throwing money around come winter. Even if they do, it would likely go to keep Jose Reyes in town, not toward shopping for other team’s stars.

The elder Fielder said he would shuttle Davis to a corner outfield spot to make room for Prince, whom he expects to be enamored by the big city, saying, “If you want to get in the bright lights, you’ve got to come to New York.”

Father and son have had their differences over the years, and Fielder described their current relationship as “really mute.” But he added that he still follows his son and the two speak sporadically.

Fielder also mentioned two big-city teams – the now-bankrupt Dodgers and the Angels – as possible players in the Prince Sweepstakes.

The Yankees, however, aren’t likely to be on Prince’s wish list, because he’s trying to carve his own niche. Like his father, Prince has a portly physique and prodigious power, and all too often, his dad says, people mention both in the same breath. The father helped the Bombers beat the Braves in the ’96 World Series and was also with them in 1997. He can’t see his son following that path.

“That’s why I’m saying the Mets,” Fielder said.

Photo via San Diego Shooter.

Has the season finale of Game of Thrones got you wondering what on earth you will watch now? How ‘bout a mid-week match-up between two of the best teams in baseball? After two yawn-worthy series’ versus the Padres (not even the reunion of Adrian Gonzalez with his former teammates could make Padres baseball exciting) and the Pirates the Red Sox travel to Philadelphia to bring us three games that we actually want to watch. As the Sox power offense goes up against Philadelphia’s insane pitching rotation we are reminded why inter-league play still works. Plus, who doesn’t find it entertaining to watch Beckett hit? Currently the Phillies have the best record in baseball, while the Sox poor showing against poor teams has left them a half game behind the Yankees in the American League East.

Tonight, Beckett, off the stomach flu and twelve days of rest, opposes Yankee heartbreaker Cliff Lee who has tossed two back-to-back shutout games. This makes me more than a little nervous; however, this should still be an exciting pitchers’ duel to the end – I’m hoping for a one-run nail biter. And one run will probably be all the difference as Beckett has a league leading ERA of 1.86 and Lee has allowed only one earned run in his last four starts.

The most important thing to be gained from the outcome of this series? Bragging rights. For those of us that live in the big two sports towns, New York and Boston, we know that Philadelphia will always be that younger sibling we can kick around and force to do all our chores. Perhaps that’s why Philly fans feel the need to come across with a certain braggadocio, hating all over Boston fans as my brother and I experienced on a recent vacation when a woman stopped us and said, “I’m sorry, I just have to say it, Philly is so much better than Boston.” Alright lady, thanks for your opinion, but even if we do lose, you’ll still have the dumbest mascot in the history of baseball – does anyone, anyone, know what a Phanatic is?