Ryan Braun didn't answer questions

Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun, who has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs, refused to answer questions during a recent meeting with Major League Baseball about his connection to Tony Bosch and the Biogenesis clinic in Miami, sources told "Outside the Lines."

The meeting took place June 29, a source said, and is one of several that MLB has conducted with players connected to the clinic. A source said New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has not been interviewed, but a meeting is expected to take place within the week.

Commissioner Bud Selig's office is expected to suspend Braun and Rodriguez, along with as many as 20 players sometime after next week's All-Star break, for their roles in the Biogenesis case, several sources told "Outside the Lines." As OTL reported, MLB started building cases against the players last month after Bosch agreed to cooperate with investigators.

The question is the length of the suspensions.

Sources said the commissioner's office was considering 100-game bans for Braun and Rodriguez, the punishment for a second offense, even though neither player was previously suspended for violating MLB's drug policy.

The argument, one source said, would be that they -- and possibly other players -- committed multiple offenses by receiving performance-enhancing drugs from Bosch and by lying about it.

A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com that Rodriguez will meet with MLB on Friday but said the injured slugger likely will refuse to answer questions. The source also told ESPNNewYork.com that 10 players already have met with MLB but have refused to answer questions.

Bosch's attorneys have met repeatedly with MLB officials over the past month, turning over numerous documents to substantiate his connection to the players named in company documents, sources have said.

While sources would not detail what Bosch has turned over, he was expected to provide phone, text, email and other records.


(espn.com)