David Ortiz issued a press release on the allegations that he used steroids in 2003.
One, I have already contacted the Players Association to confirm if this report is true. I have just been told that the report is true. Based on the way I have lived my life, I am surprised to learn I tested positive. Two, I will find out what I tested positive for. And, three, based on whatever I learn, I will share this information with my club and the public. You know me – I will not hide and I will not make excuses.
Ortiz appeared briefly to reporters, saying: “All I have to say right now, I found out like an hour before the game… you guys know that I’m a guy that — I never turn my back on you guys. I always have been true to you guys. And honestly, right now I don’t know anything about it.”
So I ask you: anyone out there think Ortiz is lying, or has cynicism not completely taken over yet?
Loading ...
I think its reasonable to give him a chance to investigate before jumping to any conclusions.
Give him a chance, but he is walking a VERY thin line–it now seems reasonable to assume that all players from the Dominican have used PEDs.
I don’t think he’s lying… but I may be clinging to wishful thinking. :/
I don’t really care. I just assume everyone from that period used ped’s so it didn’t surprise me or destroy my world. As for the whole world series being tainted thing its retarded, as if the Red Sox didn’t face any teams whose best players were using steroids.
I should rephrase that to say I don’t assume that every player used steroids, but I’m never surprised, hell Manny Alexander and Paxton Crawford got caught
I don’t think he’s lying… But I’ll admit I’m am biased as hell.
I don’t think he has any reason to lie. I will say this (a silver lining if you will); I hope he sets an example for how the rest should deal with this situation when their names come up. I’d really like to see someone do this right. God I’m reading what I just typed and I know it makes sense but… I’m just so tired of these guys copping out and lying and bullshitting when they get caught. Jim Rome said something along the lines of, when are we going to see a current big leaguer come forward before being exposed? I suppose holding my breath on that one is ill advised. But there’s something to be said about a man who shows character when he’s faced with situations like these. I hope Papi gets to the bottom of this and takes his medicine like a man.
Rome knows full well that anyone who steps up now with an admission would be accused of “he’s only doing it now because he knows that list will be released soon”.
I do know this, however. Not too long ago, “body building” aids were in common use with virtually every athlete, and those “protein shakes” were sold at ‘health stores’ in bottles that looked like chocolate milk, and powders you mixed with chocolate milk. High school and collegiate athletes were encouraged to “drink up”. They were full of substances that were later identified as dangerous and widely banned. Two things:
1. It is entirely possible something showed up in Papi’s test of that nature. There are so many elusive combinations out there.
2. It is entirely possible that Dominican and Hispanic athletes and leagues got the word about these substances late and were the last to abandon them (if they have). The NEED to succeed as an athlete as the surest way out of abysmal poverty would far outweigh potential risk related to anything that increases the odds of success. We all know plenty of intelligent, educated, fully aware people who understand that smoking will surely kill them, or that fried foods will cause heart problems and diabetes . . . but convince themselves it’s OK. Combine that stubborn denial with a chance to win fame and fortune, and we have a cultural paradigm that just may explain (not excuse) the 104 who tested positive.
Shame we have to be subjected to weeks, possibly months, of Ortiz-related PED crap. How many times can we say/write the same crap about our outrage and disappointment? Does anyone outside of the media even have those feelings anymore? I sure as hell don’t. Sox are in talks with Cleveland and San Diego regarding trades and big name bats and instead the focus will be Ortiz. Worst of all, now anti-Boston sports fans (and mostly Yankee fans) will have more reason to pile on the Sox. Ridiculous.
Back when Ortiz first admitted to drinking shakes, the constitution of which he did not know, I thought he would step up and become an outspoken critic of the Academy and recruiting system in the Dominican Republic and other Latin-American countries. I thought it would be a chance for him to say, “Hey, I probably used and I didn’t know it. It sucks for me because I can’t undo it, but maybe by drawing attention to this issue and the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude that MLB has towards this, I can keep this junk out of 16 and 17 year olds’ bodies.”
With corruption scandals swirling around signing bonuses and kickbacks for scouts, can we trust that these guys aren’t doing whatever they feel necessary to get promising young talent signed by their big league clubs, even if that means compromising the health and eventual reputation of their clients/victims/prospects?
It is hard to excuse the players who made it big both fame and contract wise for using, whether knowingly or not. I had hoped that Ortiz would have used whatever he knew in ‘03 to create a stink and draw more attention to the issue for the folks that never made it. My only leap of faith that I’m making is that he did so behind the scenes when he did outreach work at home, and that maybe he had a message that is resonating still at the far edges of Selig’s reach.
http://firebrandal.com/2007/05/08/did-ortiz-take-steroids.html#comment-236532