Following a 65-game ban for Ryan Braun that halted his 2013 season back in July, a lot could change for the embattled slugger when he returns to the diamond next season. One of those changes, aside from how his teammates, peers and fans will receive him, may be a switch of positions as Brewers general manager Doug Melvin recently said Braun may be switching from left field to right field when the season kicks off in April.
Melvin said there has been internal discussion about moving Ryan Braun to RF. Said no decision has been made on that yet
— Tom (@Haudricourt) October 1, 2013
According to The Journal Sentinel, Melvin said there has been some internal discussion on moving Braun to right field, but there has been no decision made on the matter just yet.
Braun has manned left field for his entire career, but the Brewers are looking for a way to give young outfielder Khris Davis more playing time. Such a move would set up a bit of a domino effect for the Brewers as if they move Braun to right they'll have to find a new position for Norichika Aoki to play.
Braun is a controversial figure throughout baseball following his acceptance of a 65-game suspension back in July for his connection to the Biogenesis clinic and performance enhancing drugs. Though 14 players went down, Braun and New York Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez remain the faces of the controversy due to their history with PEDs.
He's done a lot to try and make things right with the fans, even calling up season ticket holders to apologize, but it remains to be seen if he can do anything to protect his reputation at this point.
Braun failed a urine test following his MVP season back in 2011, but was able to get off on a technicality and avoid a suspension all while defaming the character of the urine sample collector, leading to his termination. When Braun was once again listed as a PED user and suspended by baseball, he lost a lot of respect from some of his peers, teammates, friends and fans. However, Melvin expects that as long as he comes back and does what he needs to do on the diamond, all will be forgiven from a Brewers standpoint.
"I think internally, he'll come back, he'll be accepted, Melvin said per The Journal Sentinel. "He just needs to continue to go out there and do all the things that every other player does on the 25-man roster. Once he's back in uniform, everyone puts the uniform on together...he'll be accepted from that standpoint."
Braun appeared in just 61 games before the ban, and posted a .298 average with nine homers, 14 doubles and 38 RBIs. The Brewers sorely missed the slugger from the lineup as the team finished in fourth place in the National League Central division with a 74-88 record while falling 23 games shy of the division and 16 games out of a wildcard spot. Melvin knows it's important for a healthy and clean Braun to help lead the team next season.
"Everybody knows we need Ryan to come back and perform," Melvin told the paper. "He was punished for what he did. I don't' know the details...he served his penalty. Beyond that, I don't think there's anything else to discuss from that standpoint...to be able to perform at the level he needs to perform at."
Braun and Melvin both realize that away games, especially in front of fans of division rival teams, won't be too kind to the controversial outfielder.
"There'll be tough times when you go into visiting ballparks, but he's going to have to handle that. He knows that," Melvin told the newspaper.
While the perception of Braun will be changed heading into 2014 due to his off-the-field controversy, there may also be some changes on the field as the Brewers mull a position change for the once celebrated athlete.
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