The Red Sox' big man has heard the whispers, too, an unavoidable consequence of playing in the Steroid Era. It is in the air, is how David Ortiz puts it, especially when you are 6 feet 4 inches, 250 pounds, and hitting more home runs than you have ever hit in your life. (Full article: 2481 words)

This article is available in our archives:

Globe Subscribers

FREE for subscribers

Subscribers to the Boston Globe get unlimited access to our archives.

Not a subscriber?

Non-Subscribers

Purchase an electronic copy of the full article. Learn More

• $9.95 1 month archives pass
• $24.95 3 months archives pass
• $74.95 1 year archives pass