Ryan Braun's claim that Anthony Bosch was only a consultant is backed up by the Miami clinic owner

Ryan Braun has another supporter in his quest to prove he did not buy performance-enhancing drugs from the scandal-ridden Biogenesis clinic —owner Anthony Bosch himself.

In his first public comments since reports surfaced in January that Major League Baseball was looking into whether Bosch had provided PEDs to players, including Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera and other stars, Bosch backed up Braun’s claim that his name appeared on a Biogenesis ledger only because his lawyers used Bosch as an expert witness in Braun’s successful 2012 appeal of a 50-game drug suspension handed down by MLB in 2011.

“I just answered a few questions from his legal team, not from Braun or any other ballplayer,” Bosch said in an interview reported by ESPN Monday night.

Braun adamantly denied having gotten drugs from Bosch after Yahoo! Sports reported that Braun’s name had appeared on a Biogenesis document indicating that the Milwaukee Brewers left fielder owed $20,000-$30,000 to Bosch, saying that during the course of his appeal, his attorneys, who were previously familiar with Bosch, used him as a consultant.

“More specifically, he answered questions about T/E ratio and possibilities of tampering with samples,” Braun said. “There was a dispute over compensation for Bosch’s work, which is why my lawyer and I are listed under ‘moneys owed’ and not on any other list. I have nothing to hide and have never had any other relationship with Bosch. I will fully cooperate with any inquiry into this matter.”

ESPN also reported that Braun’s name had appeared on a list, but described it as a list of players who received PEDs from the clinic or Bosch, a report strongly refuted by Braun’s lawyers.

Bosch also told ESPN that he knows nothing about performance-enhancing drugs and disputed media accounts of his alleged dealings.

“I have been accused, tried and convicted in the media. And so I think have been falsely accused throughout the media,” Bosch said. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

The Daily News first reported on Jan. 26 that MLB was investigating Bosch’s possible dealings with PEDS and his links to A-Rod. The Miami New Times and other media outlets then began reporting on documents that listed the names of players alongside drug notations and amounts owed.

Bosch is the subject of a lawsuit by MLB for tortious interference with its contracts with players, but said he had not been contacted by baseball officials, a claim MLB strongly disputes, saying it has repeatedly tried to contact Bosch to interview him and, most recently, to serve him with legal papers.

MLB has scheduled a deposition next month for a doctor whose name investigators believe Bosch may have forged on prescription forms.

Coral Gables anti-aging specialist Daniel Carpman told the Daily News last week that he is scheduled to be deposed on May 17 by MLB lawyers.

That deposition might be much more helpful to MLB’s investigators than Bosch himself appears to be.

“If you are going to ask me about baseball players,” he told ESPN, “I have no comment on any baseball players or anybody else associated with baseball players.”


(nydailynews.com)