Braun's lawyer criticizes drug collector, Dino Laurenzi

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ryan Braun's lawyer has criticized the collector who handled the player's drug sample, saying his statement this week defending his actions "is inappropriate."

David Cornwell said in a statement Thursday that the NL MVP "was properly vindicated."

Braun escaped a 50-game suspension last week when his positive test was overturned by an arbitrator. The legal team for the Milwaukee outfielder argued the drug collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr., did not follow the procedures specified in baseball's drug agreement, which states the urine sample should be taken to a Federal Express office on the day it is collected absent unusual circumstances.

Laurenzi said Tuesday in a statement he never tampered with the samples.

Cornwell responded "his efforts will only be persuasive to those who do not understand the evidence or the rules."