Free Republic

Te retirement tour of Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is nearing its emotional conclusion, and the universal praise for the accomplishments of perhaps the most beloved ballplayer ever to call Fenway Park home has been lavished on Big Papi from opposing teams, fans, and a press corps that has long elevated the slugger to folk hero status. You can't argue with Ortiz's legacy in Boston. He was a monster producer in all three of their World Series championships since breaking an 86-year "curse" in 2004, including a number of iconic game-winning hits, and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of...

SAN FRANCISCO- After a nearly decade-long steroids prosecution, Barry Bonds emerged victorious Tuesday when federal prosecutors dropped what was left of their criminal case against the career home runs leader. The government's pursuit of Bonds ended quietly with a one-paragraph motion by the U.S. Department of Justice announcing Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. will not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appellate decision that overturned Bonds' obstruction of justice conviction. ....snip...."William Portanova, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, disagreed, saying the prosecution acted as a deterrent despite the lack of a conviction. "There's no question...