Dodgers utilityman Skip Schumaker was among the most outspoken players on the topic of Ryan Braun‘s recent suspension. Here’s what he said:
“Watching him talk right now makes me sick,” Schumaker said. “I can’t stand it. It needs to be eliminated from the game. I have an autographed Braun jersey in my baseball room that I’ll be taking down. I don’t want my son identifying what I’ve worked so hard to get to and work so hard to have, I don’t want him comparing Braun to me.
“In my opinion, he should be suspended — lifetime ban. One strike, you’re out. It’s enough. It’s ridiculous,” Schumaker added. “He lied to a lot of people. I was convinced, after that MVP, that he didn’t do it.”
A number of people pointed out that Mark McGwire, Schumaker’s hitting coach both with the Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals (from 2010-12), was a steroid user during his playing career. That led some to wonder where was Schumaker’s outrage toward McGwire.
A sampling of sentiments:
@Ken_Rosenthal so it's not like Braun will suddenly be an average player. For those 'mad' now, what abt Schumaker, is he mad at McGwire?
— Robb M (@robbymaxximus) July 25, 2013
Question re: Skip Schumaker's comments on Braun…Does Skip feel the same way about his boy Mark McGwire? http://t.co/XhgQULdXIm
— Mike Colombo (@Mike_Colombo) July 23, 2013
Someone should ask Skip Schumaker if he knows Mark McGwire, his hitting coach in both St. Louis and now L.A. also cheated, like Braun.
— Troy Lovdahl (@tlovdahl23) July 23, 2013
So today I asked Schumaker if he ever discussed the topic with McGwire.
“That was a long time ago. He dealt with that a long time ago,” Schumaker said. He politely declined further comment.
Schumaker elaborated a bit in an interview with Dan Patrick earlier in the week:
“Mark’s never lied. That’s the thing with Braun. He had this heartfelt conversation with fans and players. I was backing him with all my non-baseball friends back home. I believed him. In Mark’s era, it was a different time. I wasn’t involved in that time period, of when everybody felt like everybody was using it in baseball.”
Does time indeed heal all wounds? Is this good news for Ryan Braun?