By: Chris Terlop

Brewers’ slugger Ryan Braun is once again in the middle of a steroid controversy.  First time, the handler held on to his urine too long and Braun got off on a technicality.  This time, the man with the “word” on Braun’s banned substance purchases is a shady, low-credibility drug dealer. Not the most reliable of sources, but is still a source. I have heard a lot of speculation as to why Braun’s name popped up and there is only one theory that drives me up a wall: The MLB is on a witch hunt for Ryan Braun.

Why in the world would Major League Baseball and Bud Selig want to crucify one of its most likeable and talented players and pull him in to the dark cloud that is the steroid era?  Some say Selig took it personal when Braun got off the first time.  Perhaps, but Selig is the best commissioner in professional sports right now and knows that his league needs Ryan Braun to be clean and that is more important than some grudge.

Braun is the perfect role model that the MLB wants to promote, went to college and received academic scholarship, clean cut, is active in the community, has shown loyalty to a small market team, and oh by the way, is one of the best hitters of his generation.  He never put a ton of weight on ala Barry Bonds and may be one of the last people someone would suspect of being on banned substances.  These reasons are all reasons baseball wants him to be clean; if Ryan Braun is on steroids than anybody can be.

What Bud Selig has tried to convince fans of, is that they are past steroids; there are only a small number that still use.  Having Braun being an offender is another black eye that baseball will have to add to the list of things they will have to hurdle if they ever hope to overcome the NFL and fend off the NBA in the battle for the fans’ almighty dollar and attention.

If Ryan Braun is under investigation, the MLB must have some damning evidence.  They are not an organization that is going into something without the ammo to win.  If Braun is suspended, it will be because he broke the rules, not because Bud held a grudge.

You can hear Chris M-F on Sportsline and Saturdays at 8 am.  Follow him on Twitter, @ChrisTerlop