Posted on 07/30/2009 10:51:39 AM PDT by BGHater
Boston's erstwhile slugging duo reportedly on list of 104
According to lawyers who spoke to the The New York Times, and whose names were not revealed, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are on the list of 104 players who tested positive in Major League Baseball's 2003 survey testing for performance-enhancing drugs, testing that was agreed to and conducted only on the condition that the results would remain anonymous.
Ortiz and Ramirez were members of the Boston Red Sox at the time and helped the club end an 86-year streak in which they hadn't won a World Series.
Results from the 2003 tests, which met a threshold that led to the establishment of MLB's current drug policy that includes random testing, were never destroyed and have been the subject of spirited debate among fans and media about what should be done with the names from that period in which the substances were not yet outlawed under collective bargaining rules. The results have become a legal issue being contested by the MLB Players Association and the federal government.
Previously, other players have been linked to the list based on leaks: Barry Bonds, Jason Grimsley, Alex Rodriguez, David Segui and Sammy Sosa. There are 97 names that remain undisclosed.
According to the Times, new information on Ortiz and Ramirez -- the latter of whom, now with the Dodgers, returned earlier this month from a 50-game suspension for a subsequent violation of the game's drug policy -- sprang from interviews with persons connected to pending litigation.
Earlier Thursday, prior to the posting of the story on the newspaper's Web site, Ortiz responded to questions about the 2003 tests by telling a Times reporter, "I'm not talking about that anymore. I have no comment."
Michael Weiner, the current general counsel and executive director-elect for the players union, also declined comment.
"We, of course, would have no comment and refer all comments to Major League Baseball," said Dodgers vice president of communications Josh Rawitch.
"We have no comment because Major League Baseball has no knowledge of the names that are on the list," said MLB vice president of public relations Pat Courtney.
In its report, the Times points out that Ortiz had been let go by the Minnesota Twins following the 2002 season, and after signing a low-profile contract with the Red Sox, set personal highs with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs in 2003. Ortiz continued improving on those statistics, compiling 148 RBIs in 2005 and 54 homers the following season.
When his recent suspension was handed down on May 7, Ramirez said, "I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."
That five-year period would extend back to 2004.
When Rodriguez admitted to the report of his positive 2003 test, he said he hoped that the names of others who tested positive would not be revealed.
"I hope those names never come out," Rodriguez said. "There's so much negativity and sadness going on around the world and the U.S. ... people look at baseball for a savior or for inspiration, and I know that I've let a lot of people down."
Yea, nothing more exciting than fouls, time outs, free throws, practically meaningless fist halves, infernal squeaking sneakers on the floor, ghetto culture, blaring rap music, pregnant groupies left and right. And best of all, 30 minutes finish the last 2 minutes of a game.
Sometimes I think basketball doesn't really exist. There's no way such a pointless,stupid game could really be watched or played by anybody. The whole thing, from the NBA to March Madness, is one big practical joke the entire world is playing on me.
Manny for UN Abassador for baseball. He really gets it. I have tears in my eyes.
The drip, drip, drip of names is purposeful it would seem.
Just as an FYI, the coach of my high school football team pushed steroids to his players during the 1970’s - 1980’s. The use of steroids in sports at all levels is not new. The only thing new about it is the feigned outrage from fans.
The NYT loves anonymous sources, and leaking secret information. They loved leaking top secret information during the Bush administration even if it hurt national security. I don't expect any leaks happening during the Obama years. Smearing Big Papi and Manny is just SOP.
Maybe it is purposeful. The leak of Ramirez’s and Ortiz’s names would seem to indicate a Yankee fan is behind it.
All that anonymity resulted from one of the stupider moves in sports history. MLB finally decided that indeed steroids should be against the rules, and there should be testing, but because Selig is so weak he couldn’t push the PA to agree to having any punishment or even reporting. So they did all these tests, and all these players failed, and the end result of it was nothing. Actually worse than nothing, now that the “big report” has come out and said there were 100+ players that failed it’s caused all stats from that time to be doubted, creating a level of guilt for all players. They should never have agree to all the anonymity in the first place and should just go ahead and publish the list.
Keep your eyes on the former and current Pirates players as well...some really great talent from their rosters that seem to be clean but for one reason or another can’t put together a winning record...
I would think Derek Jeter, too. If not, I’ll be really disappointed. Probably most players from my Tigers will not be on the list— at least if they were juiced and still that pitiful (at that time), the doctors should be sued for malpractice....
hh
Must be a leaker somewhere, and other than gossip I have no idea why names would be leaked since apparently there will be no penalties from 2003 levied.
Well it certainly wasn't the former parasite politician and Boston Red Sox sycophant, George Mitchell.
And you know this how? BS.
Manny Ortiz, Ted Kennedy’s favorite Red Sox.
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