PHOENIX - Hands crossed behind his back, Ryan Braun stepped up in front of the cameras and reporters ready to take the hits. Marc Staal Jersey . A long-awaited day had finally arrived: the Brewers slugger is officially back with his team for the first time since being suspended for 65 games for violating Major League Baseballs anti-drug agreement as part of the Biogenesis doping scandal. Once again, hes sorry. And hes ready to move on. "I took responsibility for that mistake I made," Braun said Thursday. "For me, my focus again is on this year and moving forward and learning a new position and getting ready for the season." One that includes a move from left to right field, and questions about whether Braun is over the right thumb injury that also limited him in 2013. But it was that other topic that again dominated a respectful question-and-answer session on a sunny day outside the Brewers spring training complex. And the 2011 NL MVP offered familiar answers. "Like I said, Ive addressed it multiple times. I appreciate your interest. I appreciate everybodys interest," Braun said to one of several questions about why he used a banned substance. "I understand you have a job to do, but Ive already addressed that multiple times at multiple press conferences." There was a statement in August. A gathering with reporters in Milwaukee during a Thanksgiving food drive. Another press conference at fan outreach event last month, his first major public appearance in Milwaukee since the suspension. Its easy to see why theres still interest. After the Yankees Alex Rodriguez, Braun is perhaps the most well-known player suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs. He remains relatively popular in Milwaukee despite the suspension, judging by fans still wearing his No. 8 jersey at the teams winter outreach event. One such fan watched intently from about 50 feet away behind a steel fence at the Maryvale baseball complex, holding on to a yellow Braun jersey. Nearly two years ago to the day, Braun offered a vociferous proclamation of innocence at spring training. At the time, a 50-game suspension for a positive drug test had been overturned by an arbitrator. "We won," he said then with conviction, "because the truth is on my side." Turned out not to be the case. "Certainly I wish that I hadnt done the press conference. I wish that I had known then what I know now," Braun said Thursday. "If I had, certainly I wouldnt have done it at all." The front office and manager Ron Roenicke appear to be more than satisfied with how hes made amends with teammates. "Yeah, he doesnt need to address anything anymore. If he wants to, fine," Roenicke said. "He feels like hes said enough. Hes said enough certainly for me." Now if he can just get back to that MVP form under a glare of suspicion that will almost certainly still follow him in the short term, especially on the road. Braun hit .298 with nine home runs, 38 RBIs and four steals in 61 games in 2013, well below his career averages. He is usually good for at least 30-plus homers, 110 RBIs and 20 steals, along with a .320 average. "I feel good, but like I said its always a challenge getting use to facing pitching again and seeing curveballs and sliders and some spin on the ball," Braun said about his thumb. "Theres always an adjustment phase but I feel pretty good." Then theres the new position. As part of the acclimation process, Braun brought up the possibility of being an "all-time" defender in a minor-league game this spring, meaning he would be a fielder for both sides. Roenicke said he first thought about shifting Braun in 2011. "It wont be that easy of a transition, even though hes a very good left fielder," Roenicke said. "Its different when that ball turns the other way." Braun also declined comment when asked about his relationship with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The former business partners are two of Wisconsins biggest stars, and Rodgers expressed disappointment after Brauns suspension last summer. To others in baseball, the return of Braun and accompanying drama might be viewed as a headache. Braun is certainly aware that he might get negative reactions away from Miller Park. Roenicke, however, confidently predicted he would not be a distraction for the Brewers. "I think everybody knows the kind of player he is," he said. "We like him for one, and we need him on this team, and hes paid the penalty that Major League Baseball has put in place, and its over." ___ Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP Mats Zuccarello Jersey . Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right. Steven Kampfer Jersey . -- Scottie Wilbekin sat on the bench for the final minute, holding a bag of ice against his left knee. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/jar...-hockey-jersey/ . A player confirmed to TSN on the condition of anonymity that he received his ballot yesterday. Another confirms hes been told to expect his shortly. "The unions executive committee insists a strike vote does not mean were pushing away from the table," the player said. "But we want the league to know were serious about our position. DALLAS -- Columbus had a little head start with a chance to clinch just the second playoff berth in franchise history. The Blue Jackets took advantage right away Wednesday night. Artem Anisimov and Mark Letestu added first-period goals to the one Columbus already had when the puck dropped in a makeup game with Dallas, and the Blue Jackets withstood a frantic third period for a 3-1 victory over the equally playoff-hungry Stars. "Its been a long time," said winger Jared Boll, one of the few players remaining from the Blue Jackets last playoff team in 2008-09. "Its just the first step. Weve still got a long way to go." The Blue Jackets had a 1-0 lead when the puck dropped because that was the score March 10, the night the original game was postponed after Dallas forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench because of an irregular heartbeat. Anisimov doubled the margin on an unassisted goal just 1:33 into the game. That was 71 seconds faster than the goal last month by Nathan Horton, who got credit for it even though he didnt officially play because he missed the makeup game with a lower-body injury. "The only thing that was weird about it was looking up at the scoreboard in warm-ups and we had a 1-0 lead," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "But once you got into the game, I had to remind myself when we scored the first goal that we were up 2-0, not just 1-0." The Blue Jackets set a franchise record with 42 wins, beating the previous mark from their only other playoff season. Columbus was swept by Detroit in the first round five years ago, and now those teams are in a battle for playoff position in their first season since being moved to the Eastern Conference. "Its fun right now to say we clinched, but we cant be satisfied with just getting in," said Boll, who missed four months with a torn ankle tendon. "We want to get there and make a splash." The Stars, who are in a franchise-record playoff drought thats a year longer than what Columbus endured, never really gave themselves a chance to build a cushion on Phoenix for the final playoff berth in the West. Dallas (89 points) has a two-point lead over the Coyotes, who have three games left to ttwo for the Stars. Mike Richter Jersey. "We fell behind before the game even started," Dallas forward Jamie Benn said. "That didnt help, but were not making any excuses." Dallas trailed 3-0 after the first and couldnt capitalize on power plays with fresh ice at the start of the second and third periods against Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 17 of 18 shots in the third period and 33 of 34 overall. The Russian had to work harder at the start of the third, stopping Tyler Seguin on a backhand shot in the crease after Dallas leading scorer skated around the defence and turning away Benn from the wing a few seconds later. The Stars scored when they pulled goalie Tim Thomas for a 6-on-4 power play with nearly 14 minutes left in the game. Bobrovsky made a sprawling save before Trevor Daley punched in a rebound in a crowd in front of the net. "I broke my old record by a couple of minutes," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "I pulled a goalie one time in Atlanta with 9-something. I pulled it at even strength and we didnt score, but we scored the next shift and we pulled him late in the game and ended up tying it, and won it in overtime." Dallas outshot Columbus 18-2 in the third period, when the Stars went with an empty net for a total of about 5 minutes. The Stars ended up playing four times in five nights because of the makeup game, the same thing the Blue Jackets are doing to finish the season. Columbus was on the second night of a back-to-back and is the first team to play on four of the last five days of the season since Ottawa in 1993. Because of the busy schedule, Dallas coach Lindy Ruff went with Thomas over Kari Lehtonen. Thomas was fooled by Anisimov for the Columbus centres third goal in two games against the Stars, and Letestu made it 3-0 when his shot went off Daleys stick to the side of Thomas and somehow slid between the goalies legs. NOTES: STATS research going back to the 1989-90 season couldnt find an instance where a player scored a goal without officially playing in a game. Matt Calvert and James Wisniewski got credit for assists on Hortons goal. ... Daley tied his career high from three years ago with his eighth goal. Cheap Chargers Jerseys Cheap Rams Jersey Cheap Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Vikings Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jersey Cheap Saints Jerseys Cheap New York Giants Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Cheap Eagles Jerseys Cheap Steelers Jerseys Cheap 49ers Jerseys Cheap Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Titans Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys ' ' '