The 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.

• Confronting my worst nightmare — (Bill Simmons, May 9, 2009)
• NYT: David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez Tested Positive for Performance-Enhancing Drugs in 2003 — (The Big Lead)
• Big Cheat, or Is He? — (My Sports Rumors)
• David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and the Bloody Sock on 2003 Steroid List — (Deadspin)

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:

• Label me a Favre skeptic — (NFL.com blog)
• Happy Birthday Jaime Pressley — (MoonDog)
• Splain it: lazy children — (Straight Pinkie)
• 10 hilarious celebrity impersonated prank calls — (Hail Mary Jane)
• New blog: Jay Cutler Superstar
• Big Ten Media Days Signal That Football is Almost Back — (Not Qualified to Comment)

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