LOTD: New York Times Reports Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz Tested Positive for PEDs in 2003

July 30, 2009 By 5 Comments
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NYT Report: David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez tested positive for PEDs in 2003The Big Lead put it perfectly: the lawyers who keep leaking information about the confidential 2003 MLB drug test results are just “twisting the knife in baseball.” And the knife twisted again today as the New York Times reported that both Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during that 2003 round of testing.

The report does not identify the substance that they tested positive for.

I have a feeling that the level of surprise at this report among baseball fans will be the equivalent to what most of us feel each morning when the sun rises: something along the lines of same $hit, different day.

Anyway, here is your link of the day, and then some other links for your daily perusal.

Ortiz and Ramirez Said to Be on 2003 Doping List — (New York Times)

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, the sluggers who propelled theBoston Red Sox to end an 86-year World Series championship drought and to capture another title three years later, were among the roughly 100 Major League Baseball players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to lawyers with knowledge of the results.

…

The information about Ramirez and Ortiz emerged through interviews with multiple lawyers and others connected to the pending litigation. The lawyers spoke anonymously because the testing information is under seal by a court order. The lawyers did not identify which drugs were detected.

Unlike Ramirez, who recently served a 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy, Ortiz had not previously been linked to performance-enhancing substances.

Scott Boras, the agent for Ramirez, would not comment Thursday.

Asked about the 2003 drug test on Thursday in Boston, Ortiz shrugged. “I’m not talking about that anymore,” he said. “I have no comment.”

Here is some other relevant reading on the topic of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz reportedly testing positive for PEDs in 2003, including an old Bill Simmons column that looks even more prescient now.

Quick excerpt from the Deadspin post by Dash:

As everyone will gladly point out, 2003 was Ortiz’s first season in Boston. It was also the season he saw a significant improvement in his stats. He set then career highs in HR and RBI and saw his .OPS jump about 130 points. 

And some other links:

* – Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz photo credit: MLBToday.net

Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: David Ortiz, David Ortiz steroids, links, manny ramirez, Manny Ramirez steroids, MLB, steroids in baseball
About Jerod Morris

A proud graduate of Indiana University, Jerod Morris founded Midwest Sports Fans in August of 2008 and has been its Managing Editor every day since. Follow him on Twitter (@JerodMorris) for MSF updates, sports discussion, and a compelling daily assortment of funny and interesting links.
In addition to his work at MSF, Jerod hosts the fast-growing Indiana basketball postgame show The Assembly Call and provides regular music recommendations at IndieChristmas.com. He also helped develop the Synthesis Managed WordPress Hosting platform on which MSF and all of his other sites are run.

  • Soto

    I don’t feel anything for these guys who are now beinged named, I feel for those players who did not get to play because of those who used had better numbers. The Roger Clemens, Bonds Manny etc. got paid huge numbers over their
    careers, while some who played clean either did not make it to the Bigs, or perhaps didn’t stick around because of the cheaters. Those players can’t go back and try a gain, it’s sad! So now we’ll have weeks of media frenzy and they’ll just go on collecting big paychecks! MLB looked the other way while the clubs made money and clean players were pushed out of the game.
    This is whatgot America in the bind we are in, gread at all cost…even if it’s at the expense of the games integrity. Another myth exposed.
    Hank, Babe, Roger Maris, your records still stand in my mind.
    Peace

  • Laughing Lion

    Cheater!

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  • http://www.realfakesports.blogspot.com Real Fake Sports

    Why is this considered news? It happened 6 years ago. I can’t say that I’m shocked with these two guys. Manny, since he was caught this year, and Big Papi since his HR and RBI stats more than doubled.

    Red Sox Nation Trying to Retroactively Legalize Steroids in 2003 (Satire)

  • http://www.avgguysports.com Bill K

    I am not sure it can be called news when we all knew that certain players were juicing. Just because it comes out now to confirm it is really no big deal. A few years back there were essentially three types of hitters.

    1) “Pure” power hitters (not really pure but full of juice)
    2) Hitters that hit for average
    3) Hitters that should be sent down to the minor league

    I don’t think that any reader of this blog felt that Sammy and Big Mac were pure as the driven snow in their home run chase. If you do think that then you may need to see a doctor.