If it's Andro, just say so & we'll all move on.

I don't care. 2003 is so yesterday. He was clean for both WS. Enough already!

The fact that he didn't deny taking HGH or steroids as soon as the news broke tells me he's guilty. Waiting to find out what he tested positive for sounds to me like he was taking more than one PED and wants to see which one he has to apologize for. It boggles my mind that Ortiz and Ramirez can be so smart about baseball and so stupid about life.

He should shut up, put up or sit down!!!!!
We can't win with a DH hitting .228....and a catcher hitting .233
Put Papi and V-tek on the end of the bench and leave them there......
What's wrong with:
Ellsbury-Pedroia-Martinez-Youkilis-Bay-Lowell-Drew-Kotchman-Lowrie?
It's better than putting Papi or V-tek in there
I thought Papi was going to tell us in a day what he took - is he on a different clock? It's been many days, Papi. you knew in 2003. What's the mystery?????
He probably traded some of his steroids for a fake birth certificate....he's only 33.....where are the skills???? try eating less and working out more

I'd ignore Shank for the rest of my career.

Hey, aren't we all juming the gun a little bit here..what I see is a NY Times reporter given third party information on what was seen on the list with virtually no corraboration..

I just wish any of these guys would just admitt that they, like any of us, would do anything to get a competitive advantage to play professional baseball, earn millions apon millions of dollars and be treated like a god with tens of thousand of people chanting their name every night. Wouldn't you juice for that? I would.

This is just an insult to my intelligence as a life long fan of the SOX, and even more so that he is playing stupid for not knowing what he tested positive for!!! Fess up and get this over with. As stated above if it is Andro, we will all move on. But for the amount of guff Ortiz has given other players for using steroids, I will always and forever look at him in shame…unless he takes his year long suspension.

My guess is that the union is slowing this down...

Just fess up. I can forgive an athlete using steroids during the steroid-era... but I can't stand the "Roger Clemens" types who refuse to admit it !!

Papi should just lay it out succinctly.
1. It wasn't illegal at the time of the testing.
2. He didn't need to pay attention to the supplements he was taking because it wasn't illegal.
3. The minute it was banned he stopped.
4. He will never knowingly take a banned substance.

This still doesn't address why he's acting all surprised with the 2003 test results. If he was caught off guard just say so----the findings were supposed to be private.

What does "move on" mean? More importantly, what the heck does "not moving on" look like? If he performs well, he'll play, we'll cheer. If he doesn't play well, we'll boo, he'll be vilified and that'll be the end. What he says, ultimately doesn't matter one bit.

Just admit you were wrong and looking for an edge.

No lame excuses.

Papi - we love you but you need to address this. It's not going to go away....

Papi's next move is just to MOVE ON, and IGNORE Bob Cryin and Dab Shaughnansy-pansy.

This is seriously OVERRATED!

Everyone was doing it, so theoretically, the playing field was even!

Maybe it is the media that needs to move on. NEWSFLASH - LOTS of players used steroids back then....hardly a NEW newsflash, though, is it? Since many players on every contending team back them ALSO were using, it leveled the field, so it's not like anyone gained a huge advantage.
When someone tests positive NOW, when it is unquestionably a violation; THAT is news. Yankee fans still cheer for A-Rod, even SF fans kept cheering for Barry. Why are BoSox fans expected to turn their backs on their stars for past mistakes?
Let the past go....otherwise, why not dredge up new Black Sox 'revelations', or evidence that Babe Ruth was a womanizing drunk and Ty Cobb was a racist a**hole?

Since it is obvious pretty much everyone was involved, the league, the teams, and the players, it serves no purpose to focus on one player. The issue with me is that Papi seems to have been lying to the kids that idolized him. Tell the truth, its easier to remember.
The longer the list stays secret, the longer the damage continues.
Either destroy the list or reveal it in total. Stop dragging Baseball through the mud, whoever you are. Stop leaking a name per month.

Papi should fess up and be a straight shooter like he always has been. Don't act like Palmeiro et al.

I think that Ortiz should sue the bastards who released this information and push the union to get off their ass and get these guys that leak these "confidential" test reports into jail where they belong.
None of these players in 2003 did anything wrong. I truthfully cannot imagine a player not investigating any means possible to improve oneself if there wasn't a rule against it. Now there is a rule. A good rule. But you cannot throw crap at these guys for what they did to improve themselves before the rule.

As long as what he took doesn't include the use of needles than it won't matter. In 2003 ephedra and andro were both available at GNC so if it is anything similar to that than who cares!!

get a life guy's everyone used the junk including pitchers.....ortiz collected 40 million because of it why not use?

Maybe it was only eye drops for his dry eyes.....

I think the fact that there are barely any comments here shows us how little most people care. I personally am hodling out hope it was something over the counter that is legal....if not though, ultimately still a forgiveable offense. I would imagine that most human beings have done far worse in their life than taking a banned substance...

How is he not making excuses? He should know what he took in 2003. You want to come clean Big Papi? Tell us what substances you took that year (and in subsequent years) without having to hear from the union about what you tested positive for. Disclosing what you took in full, without running behind this facade that you have to find out from the union what you tested positive for, is coming clean. Why do the reporters in this town keep letting him hide behind this bogus excuse?

tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
When you do that then you never have to worry about what you say.
People will forgive.
As far as New York goes I think that they need to be reminded that they also have two players who also tested positive, and just as big of starts.
Hello A-Rod and their only left haned picture
\Don't let NY get waay with this

If it's something like dehydroepiandrosterone, he has nothing to worry about. However, if it's an injectable androgen, he will lose all credibility.

Not to side with cheaters, but what about the 90-plus other players who have not been identified? When 15 percent of the total major league workforce was apparently in violation of the rules, it's hard to become so strident about it. Anger seems to lie along political lines. Sox fines scorn A-Rod; Yankee fans pillory Manny and Pap. And so it goes.
I think Dan is correct -- play the "Dominican pharmaceutical standards" card, and let it go at that. If you're Papi, you're looking for plausible denial. Good line about O.J., though -- I thought the same thing. Papi has built up such a reserve of good will, I think The Nation will give him a pass on this one -- unless he joins Damon in the Bronx.

Lay low it was a supplment big deal.

Mmmmmm, bye bye

I'd like to hear him say how many more homers he will hit the rest of this season and next. I'd like him to question why his leaked from this list if it was supposed to be confident under contract (especially since it's only Dominicans players they're leaking out). I'd like to hear him say what he took a move forward.

And for you medias out there, if any is taking HGH how are we going to know? so i just want to hear about the game and not this Steroid crap you guys want to push into fans.

Papi just has to hit. He can't change the past. IF he returns to his 2004 form, Rex Sox nation will give him a pass even if the talking heads don't.

He should come right out and say that he has never intentionally used banned substances. No one is going to believe him any more than they believe Roger Clemens but the statement would make it clear that he's not trying to conceal something.

He should also point out the fact that data from this ostensibly "sealed" list leaks out sporadically and that someone in a position of trust obviously violated their agreement, but the media seems to have no interest in how that happened.

Moreover, this particular leak about a Boston player just happens to be published in a New York newspaper in the middle of a tight pennant race involving the Yankees and the Red Sox. Coincidence? Hardly!

I think at this point he has no option other than to come clean. Its too bad people thrive on destroying other peoples reputation.

I think you guys in the media helped create this mess in baseball, and continue to propel it. You are the ones putting the stories on the front page, and then you ask what kind of example does that set for the kids. Bottom line is you guys are the ones putting this in everyone's faces, and to me you guys are the ones that are most accountable. Im not saying what the players are doing is right or wrong, but I am saying you guys are at least 50% of the problem. What it comes down to is you guys really have nothing better to do, so you exploit these types of stories so you get on the front page. Its kind of pathetic imho.

I go with JT on this one.
Papi, if you are reading this...honesty is the best policy.
You're still a hero - our hero. Liars are not heroes however. Heroes are the ones that stand up, fess up and let it be known, just like we all know you are capable of.
Just please come clean. Make it to the point, all the details in a press conference in front of reporters. Use Pettite's example - he admitted to HGH, and he's one of the greatest post-season pitchers of all time, like Papi is one of the greatest
postseason hitters...The respect will be there always. We can accept honesty...not a lie.

It is what it is. I still love the guy!

I'm sick of hearing about this issue, that was then, this is now.
It was accepted and winked at back then. Given the millions at stake,
I can understand the presure to do it.

Baseball has now cleaned itself up, lets move on...

Best: Admit it, apologize, move on and hit 50 HRs.
Worst: Stay mum and hope all of us forget about it, cuz we won't.

at this point jus call it a supplement from GNC baseball players only stock...and your good.

Boston Globe and other news outlets. If you guys didn't report these stories it wouldn't be a story. The only person Ortiz and others have to satisfy is you. does that make any sense that Ortiz has only the Boston Globe and other reporters to reply to? NO it doesn't make any sense. Is his employer banging on his door looking for answers? NO, just you Boston Globe. Drop the story.

This story is inaccurate, in the article they reference the ballplayers were told they were on a list, NOT that they tested positive. In which case Ortiz' story so far holds water.

How could the news blindside him when he was told he was on the list about 5 years ago? Perhaps he has steroid-induced memory loss or he is as big a fraud as the others who claim innocence. Come on all of you Boston fans--get real. Look at the before and after 'Boston' pictures of Ortiz. Clearly his body had changed. If this were A-Roid, or any Yankee, Sox fans would be all over this, but most are givin Ortiz a pass. Ortiz--just admit you cheated.

The quickest way to put this behind him is to play it straight-up.....just tell the truth...regardless of what the substance was. We all like happy endings but both World Series will be tainted unless he is candid, remorseful and, most hopefully, will attest that he has been substance free from 2004 on....If he is silent on the post-2003 period, it will leave a stain that we all will feel. Papi is a good man...and we all know it. We all make mistakes....but it is the compulsion to take responsibility for those mistakes that separates a quality human being.

Can you really believe MLB when they say that those who tested posiytive were informed?
Especially since they also said the list will never get out.
You can't trust any of them...I say get it all out and move on. It wasn't against the rules in 2003.

Who cares... nothing was banned back then... it's over with... they just need to give up the entire list and be done with it, dragging this on over years is just going to sour the MLB. Just get it over with.

You guys are exactly why Ted Williams hated the sports writers. If you can do no more than speculate then just SHUT UP, idiots!!!!!!!!!!

It's disgusting really!Now the New York fans can start screaming about the 04'and the 07' Ws Championships -of how they will forever be tainted!92 years and counting will shouted from the Skyscrapers!
First the Pats with Spygate and now the "Roid"sox!?
Can't they win without cheating?

Big Papi should not back away from the issue...be upfront, be honest and let the chips fall as they will. It is going to happen one way or another.

It doesn't matter what Ortiz injected himself with. He is the heart and soul of Red Sox Nation and the Nation can NOT live without Big Papi. I think everyone should just back off and realize that you need steroids to compete in the big leagues and that every one does it. For those that think most players are clean, they are wrong - they just have better masking agents than Papi had back in 2003! Since then he got a huge bump in pay and can afford the good stuff (as you can tell because he hasn't flunked a test yet). Either way, I am pro-steroids. It makes the game much more fun because there are a lot of dingers hit.

This just in from the fans, "We don't care."

Retire in shame.

He is guilty, we know it and he knows it. But the one thing that bothers more than this infamous list is how the players association and MLB aren't taking the heat. They both knew there were drugs in baseball and just turned a blind eye to it. is there really a worse Commisioner of sports than Selig? I think not. The players made a bad decision but can you honestly blame them? Giving themselves the edge made them millions of dollars and set their families for life. I would do whatever it takes to know my family never has to worry about money in their lifetime. Just release the whole list, a few here and one there is just going to prolong it. Get it over with.

Maybe Papi should only speak in spanish when anyone asks any 'roid questions, like what dumbo Sosa did.

It's a good thing that Mr. Ortiz has such brilliant and ethical mentors like Shaughnessy and Massaroti and even the estimable Callahan to help him chart his moral compass. I'm still waiting for one of you hypocrites to expose who the lawyers are that are leaking this information. THAT IS THE REAL STORY THAT THE FANS WANT TO KNOW! But you cowards will never go after someone else's journalistic source, professional courtesy and all. Oh, since 04 and 07 are tainted, when will you and Tony be donating your book revenues to charity?

Tell it all Papi. We'll forgive you if you play it straight.If you try to finesse this you will end up like Richard Nixon.

Regardless of what it is he took, he should completely come clean with what it was, and when he took it.
Baffle everyone with his honesty.

Time to come clean (pun intended). Time to tell the truth and let's move on.

He should say he did PED's so he could support his family!
He will continue to plead nolo contrende'!

I think Wilbon and Kornheiser are right. The only people who really care are sportswriters and people with AARP cards. Let's just assume that everyone was on it and move on with the game and let these guys do what they are paid to do, entertain us! So what if they used "special effects" to wow us for a few years. Everyone, sportswriters and AARP card holders, are acting like the curtain has been pulled back on the wizard and they can't get back to Kansas anymore. Guess what Kansas was washed away with the Flood or free agency.

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt until Tuesday to get a story together. Love Papi.

After that, he should be grilled. After everything he's said in the past, he can not pull a Manny (no comment) on this.

He's a LIAR AND A CHEAT . In feb he said the punishment should 1 year suspension. When do you want your suspension to start papi?

JT sounds like an insecure spouse. We all love Big Papi and I think we have now all come to the realization that EVERYONE was taking something. If I'm shelling out $150 per game to watch these guys win, I would almost be dissapointed if they weren't taking PED's. Fess up we shouldn't care. He did it for us as much as himself? TWO WORLD SERIES TITLES...GO SOX!

Please, stand up and be one of the few, if not the only one, to tell the truth. No confessions of a serial killer type thing (A-ROD), just this is what I did, I did it for this long and it's in the past.

Make up something like Andy Petitie, it was an honest mistake. Say that when they asked if you wanted beans and roids, you thought they said, beans and rice....so you asked for double!

I've heard enough on the subject. Why don't you guys just stop trying to sensationalize everything and get over it. I know the only one's that actually care are you (the media), the fans are sick of it!!!
Papi apologize and play ball.

Admit that he's a liar and a cheat, which will put him in the same boat as 65% (my estimate) of the major leaguers who were using PEDs in 2003. I suspected Ortiz was a user back in 2005 when he commented that it seemed only Dominican/Latin players were being identified as using hormones and making excuses that they didn't know what they were taking when buying across the counter substances. I have no respect or affection for him any more. He is a fat ass has-been as far as I'm concerned

give back the money and go away.

Who ever is doing this releasing of ball players names is a moron...
I'm having a hard time trying to understand why a few names are released periodically. As Jime Rice said on NESN last week, "Release all the names, & get it overwith, & move forward." The players will have to deal with it. Baseball is a great game. It's already been tainted with all the crap that has taken place.

Retire! Then, Mike Lowell and Vicor Martinez can DH, when they're not playing in the field.

My guess he was on a bunch of things and does not know what he tested positive for. He probably does not want to say "Hey I was using X" when it turns out he was tested positive for Y.

Yes, if it's just a supplement, who the heck cares. Just say what it is and let's move on. We still have 2 months of baseball to get through.

He has to explain himself. Say it from the heart and not some PR-sounding (see A-Rod) way. He does have a ton of good will in the city of Boston BUT, he can`t use it to get himself off the hook.

He has to explain himself. Say it from the heart and not some PR-sounding (see A-Rod) way. He does have a ton of good will in the city of Boston BUT, he can`t use it to get himself off the hook.

It is what it is. I still love the guy!

he knows thedrugs he was taking! he is lying and should be thrown out oif Baseball for lying!

Funny... I remember the same Shaughnessy writing a fairly sensationalist piece on this topic not more than a week ago. And Bob Ryan... didn't he follow suit with a piece virtually damning Big Papi on the spot? Now that they've had time to think about it (or someone had time to do the thinking for them) they'd like Ortiz to "Just fess up. If it's a supplement, nobody will be excited." Where was that rational stance a week ago!? If Ortiz was using a supplement that, unbeknownst to him, contained a steroid pre-curser or something else that would cause a positive test, would these stories have been written with the same vitriol? Wouldn't Papi's comments in February speak to the theory that (1) he did not know that he had tested positive in 2003, and (2) he did not knowingly ingest a substance that would cause a positive test? All this reactionary 'journalism' stinks. Get to the bottom of the story BEFORE bringing out the crucifix. Please. What I wouldn't give for this to turn out as a false positive test, or a positive based on something much less nefarious than these gentlemen have all but accused David of. Can you say vilification? Defamation? How about libel? Where can the standards of professional journalism be found today?

Just be honest.

Big Papi should be "big" and tell the world what substance he used and the circumstances. I assume there is no penalty, except for 'disgrace", and that the sooner he tells us the sooner it will be over.

I'd like Ortiz to tell me what he took, when he took it.

At this point I really have alot of apathy towards the whole "Steriod Era". I think MLB helped to create the monster and now wants to suppress everything these people have done or accomplished. MLB should make the stand and say do the records or accomplishments count or not. As for David Ortiz, I feel his documented use is in a private test, therefore he owes no one any explanation and he should just answer questions relating to when MLB started testing. Has he used since the testing and rules went into effect. I feel the same for any of the people on the "Magic" list.

According to one report, 8 people tested positive due to diet pills containing andro,?????So it was an innocent mistake on their parts.

LET IT GO! Andro was an over the counter supplement for the longest time. Besides Papi already said he knew about it and that he was into supplements. He already said that he was going to find out which one it was or type it was.

I think he should use the opportunity to discuss offshore baseball academies and the way Latin American teens are developed and mentored by pro scouts. There is incredible incentive for the mentors to bring prospects to the signing table, and recent financial corruption charges might be a good indicator that a "whatever it takes" attitude pervades among the guys entrusted to develop these kids.

All that said, once he finds out what he tested positive for he should apologize and accept responsibility.

Shouldn't those stories about 2004 say "Source Claim The Players were Notified"

Go on the warpath Big papi- ask Shaughnessy and Ryan if they took a urinalysis before they voted on the new Globe contract (since they changed their minds, I'm guessing they were drunk the first time)

What should happen?
1. Papi doesn't need to do anything. Except keep improving his hitting.
2. The Curly Headed Boyfriend should keep is mouth shut.
3. MLB should release the entire list & out the sleazy lawyer who's releasing these names in onesies & twosies, probably making a bundle for himself in the process.

This has been a painful week for Red Sox fans. Between the news that Papi was on "the list" of 104 players who tested positive for PEDs in 2003, and the story in yesterday's Globe about Jerry Remy's son, Jared, being fired for supplying steroids to another employee, (Poor Rem Dog, like his isn't experiencing enough Hell with his battle with cancer, now this.), it has made a lot of us depressed. Hopefully, Papi will "come clean," release his info, and we can move on with the rest of the season.

Honestly I'm astounded at all the media over a failed drug test and NO ONE can tell us what drug he failed for. In the past the drug was named immediately which tells me this was probably a supplemnt not banned in 2003. Any reporter saying differently also needs to get real. If Papi failed for a supplement not banned by baseball att eh time and not illegal in the US he did nothing wrong. Find me a professional athelete that would say no to taking a supplement to make him better if it was not banned by his sport or the laws of the country he plays in. 'Nuff said. Actually if I was Ortiz I would sue the heck out fo the Times for irrepairable damage to his reuptation based on the fact they probably knew it was a supplemnt and supressed that side of the story as it would have not been as explsive.

To answer the question - I would like to hear something refreshing - THE TRUTH!

Hey Media -- no one cares!

Breaking News: every championship team (in fact every team) had users on it between 1990 and 2005. Was anyone thinking the Red Sox were really clean during those years. The '02 Angels -- Juiced!! Vlad, are you kidding me? The '05 White Sox -- Juiced!!! Paul Konerko, Jim Thome, whatever, of course they were juicing. Look at their power numbers! You think just because their name may or may not have been on a list I'm supposed to believe they weren't juicing? What a joke. Of course they were. Prove me wrong. You can't.

You should be clamoring for all the names from the '03 report so we can get this over with, not some lame explanation from David Ortiz. Just because he tested positive in '03, why does that automatically mean he was using for the '04 Championship? Which plays would have been different? Which home runs or walk-off hits would have been outs if David hadn't shot himself in the butt before the game (right)? If he found out he was on the list in '04 wouldn't a guy like Ortiz have stopped using? Will we ever know? You'll just give us here-say quotes and expect us to believe what you write. Those championships aren't tainted, baseball was tainted. There's so many asterisks at this point it's tough to keep up. Can't we just call the league tainted.... No we have to scape-goat, one player at a time, for good press and to save the face of the MLB and Selig. How can you say one team deserves an asterisk because their player was on a list when there's no way of investigating all players from all the championship teams during that era. I'm sure a true thorough investigation would land every team an asterisk. And what about the teams that didn't win championships? Why does no one care if those teams had users? Did they not win because the steroids didn't work or because they didn't have enough users to keep up??

The only legs on this story are the prosthetics that you've artificially placed on it, desperately trying to draw a connection between some Fenway security guard steak-heads and MLB players. Pathetic.

Here's your headline: "From 1990 (ish) to 2005: MLB**"
... your just too scared to write it. It's much easier to pick on Papi because some chicken-turd lawyer leaked his name.

...How am I supposed to root for the Red Sox when Shaughnessy, Ryan and Massarotti all turn on our most fabled player of this generation before he even explains himself. Makes me want to vomit. ...we're all so sleazy.

Can I root for the '09 Red Sox now, please???

Confession is good for the soul!

As a Sox fan, its' disturbing to listen to hypocrites defending Papi. All the A-Rod bashing in the Spring by the same people making excuses for Papi. He's guilty. I don't care what it was, he's guilty period! Now he looks like a Dope saying he didn't know. The Red Sox aren't tainted but Papi is.

America runs on PED's, from caffeine to nicotine, to mood altering drugs to probably much worse. Movie stars and newscasters get breast implants, hair replacement treatments, Botox, etc etc. Those people probaby beat out the less attractive stars, media etc. The whole nation breaks the speed limit on a consistent basis. Why? Because cops don't enforce the law until 10 - 15 miles over the speed limit. So everyone goes as fast as they can and get away with. Wall Street very recently has done many questionable things which have turned sour and which have hurt a lot of people along the way. But what they did wasn't illegal and all the parties involved were just doing their jobs, in fact probably would have lost their jobs for not doing what they're expected to do: make money for themselves their firms and their clients. Until enforcable regulations are put in place, and until they're actually enforced, people will do what they can to get ahead. It's the American way. I don't like it. But I'm not going to villify baseball players above everyone else because they're no different from the rest of America. And I'm certainly not going to let the media stand up on high and act like they're the judge and jury. How many in the media can say they haven't done questionable things to get a story, to get information etc. etc. Or that they themselves haven't broken laws along the way. A little pot here. A little underaged drinking there throught out their lives. And yet they're the ones who think they can act like Arbitors in chief. Like they're so above it all. Baseball players are no different. Until strong procedures were put in place, they were going to use whatever they could do be the best player they could be. This is a perfect example of why deregulation DOES NOT lead to a free market. In fact, we need enforcable regulations to create level playing fields. A nation without laws is not free. Steroids was nothing but unchecked capitalism. That's why Baseball needed to step in and regulate. It's no different from any other entitiy in Amercican society.

Maybe he should go on 60 Minutes and deny everything; then sue somebody for slander and testify before Congress....Oops, that seemed to backfire for someone else, can't recall his name, however.

its the union that is holding him up. he knows that he only tested positive for female hormones, just like Manny. They both just forgot anyone cared about such things. Bring on the 1918 chants later in the week at YS, 04 and 07 were juiced up fairy tales with sad endings...........

Since he's heading into the sunset of his career, he can redeem himself somewhat (assuming there is no "innocent" explanation for what triggered a positive test) by putting his money where his mouth is.
He can forego his $12.5M salary for 2010 and play for the mlb minimum. It frees up money for the team, or he could donate it to some nice cause. I would say that would go very far in stepping up, vis-a-vis his fellow dopers that have come before him.
At least, he'd be willing to make a big sacrifice and set a new precedent. It would somewhat redem him as a face of goodwill, not necessarily credibility.

Papi should claim racial profiling where none has been committed. Reverse this schinizzle situation. Turn it upside down and inside out. Turn this cool-moe-dee movers and shakers predicament on the media then we will see who laughs last -laughs last. Yeah boyyyyyy!...Booh-Yah!

Everyone keeps quoting Papi's statement that the suspension last one year. Not to nitpick (well, ok, that's really what I am doing, but it sounded like a good way to start the sentence) but I am pretty sure he meant that anyone who tested positive NOW, you know, when they're MLB BANNED substances, should be punished with a one year suspension.

Big Papi, now Big Mami, didn't raise his home total and increase his mediocre career baseball numbers by eating Wheaties.
Manny and Ortiz were directly responsible for the world series win. No one else can make that claim against another team. Boston's 2 world series are no longer considered legitimate wins. They will forever be marked by an asterisk indicating they were obtained unfairly.

Shaughnessy and Ryan - you guys get paid to talk smack. When was the last home run you hit for Boston. Must be nice to just sit back and criticize others without knowing all the facts. Then again, what elese should we expect. Go workout!

Nobody is excited except the scribes. If you were in baseball in 2003 and you weren't using legal PED's at the time you were an idiot. UP until that time drugs were prevalent in almost every sport. How do you think those East German women could qualify for the NFL draft?

The real winner here is Dan Shaughnessy. Finally he has something to write about. First place and a healthy rotation left him speechless and bland. Gosh I hope Brady, Mayo, or Welker gets a DUI soon, so he can remain busy for the rest of the summer. Maybe Paul Pierce and Zdeno Chara will get busted for HGH sometime in the coming months, just long enough to keep DS occupied until the sox lose a playoff game and he can express his opinion on why they failed.

Keep the hits coming Dan.

The Blubber was a masking agent afterall. You sneak you, Papi.

Ortiz should just get the "facts" of the '03 test. Then, come 100% clean on whatever the substance is.....as small as a prednisone (which is a corticosteroid) used for asthmatics and as an anti-inflamatory Rx....or as serious as a Winistrol, Deca-Durablon or other.
Then, just play ball.

The topic is old, beat-to-feath....and most fans are sick of hearing about it.
The truth-teller's all end up with fan-forgiveness. (Giambi, Petitte, Brian Roberts, Paul Byrd, Bronson Arroyo (recently admitted using Andro), Manny (tested positive this year, got suspended 50 games, and had a standing ovation when he returned -- he admitted his guilt without even trying an appeal....)

Just play ball....Nobody cares anymore -
The "ERA" was what is was....

Move on.... It's all good, Papi (Thanks for Everything You Gave Us....and Still Do !!)

yo no toco beisbol en steroidas

Yes, please, this needs to go away. Just another story that the media is pounding to death. Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

I find it hard to believe if Ortiz knew he was on that list AND had used steroids in the past, he would have have gone out and made those statements he did when Arod got outed. Why would he take the chance, knowing that the same thing could happen to him down the road. I really think he's one of the players who was using a supplement.

And Michele, if you're going to put an asterisk next to our WS wins, then put one one on every other won in the last 145 years, sweetie.

I'd call out the Times and say: show me the proof and cough up your source and let them show us where on the list I am. Put up or shut up or I'll sue for defamation of character.

Papi should continue to work on his swing. The petulance of these Globe hacks is a mere nuisance to fans, and has zero bearing on what the man needs to do at the plate.

The storied list from 2003 represents anyone who had any banned substance in their system, for any reason. That includes a vast number of completely legal off the shelf products (e.g., ephedra, which was tested for mere months after it was banned by MLB and the FDA), and that insidious performance enhancing plant marijuana. And at the time, no one had any reason to be careful about what they bought, except perhaps a collective interest in preventing the "trigger clause" of the bargaining agreement from allowing drug testing, so unless Messrs. Shaugnessy, Massarotti, and Ryan have some actual evidence of malfeasance on Ortiz' part, they really should stick a sock in it.

Ok Roid sox nation.... Papi will say he got something from GNC, he won't beable to recall what it was and that will be it. It will always be in the back of you minds everytime you chant Aroid. Welcome Roid sox nation to the unclean. Just remember, Love the game first, Your team second, and the players last.

....And to all the schleps saying everything is "tainted"??
In '03 The Red Sox "lost" on a walk-off from Aaron Boone.
If PED's makes us unstoppable., shouldn't we have just walked all over everyone?
(We were "apparently all using, right"?)

It goes to show that the game...is the game.
....And "anything" can still happen.

Play Ball !!

He goes from hitting 58 home runs over 6 years (1997 to 2002) in Minnesota to 231 homers in his next 6 years (2003 to 2008) with Boston. What magic potion did he take to do that, or did he just mature as a hitter? If people would just use some good old common sense the answer would be clear. The steriod test was taken in 2003. Unfortunately for the other 1700 players who did not test positive, Jeter, Varitek, Schilling, Wells (He did test positive for Jack Danials) ect....these guys chose to stay clean but have to be linked to this era. Ortiz won't respond until his agent runs it by some lawyer who will be trying to provide a reasonable explanation so Big Papa doesn't end up a Big Poopy with the fans. As you know Papi always comes clean, except when it comes to hurting his bank account. Lets give some credit to the enemy (A-Rod) who at least when caught came somewhat clean and faced the music. Don't expect much from Big Poopy as the number production of his career tells it all.

I'd also tell Shaugnasty to shut up unless he has proof Ortiz is on the list of 104 players. Put up or shut up or I'll sue.

Donnie-boy Fehr says the 104 guys on "THE LIST" were notified that they were on THE LIST but not explicitly told that they tested positive or negative. Nomar says that he knows of a bunch of guys who refused to be tested and opted "Put me down as positive" on "THE LIST" so as to gain the ten % quota for mandatory future testing. Where's Senator Joe McCarthy when you need him?

Ortiz and Manny lied. Because they played such a pivotal role in the wins, the World Series Championships are tainted and their legacy of being cheaters will follow them for the rest of their lives. When you sell your soul to the devil he usually comes collecting. Humility, embarrassment, mockery, and the DREADED “*” beside your name. Destined to be a first round selection to the Steroids Hall of Shame. Was it worth it? Ortiz should retire immediately, apologize to the Red Sox fans and ownership, and buy a home next to Mark McGuire.

Donnie-boy Fehr says the 104 guys on "THE LIST" were notified that they were on THE LIST but not explicitly told that they tested positive or negative. Nomar says that he knows of a bunch of guys who refused to be tested and opted "Put me down as positive" on "THE LIST" so as to gain the ten % quota for mandatory future testing. Where's Senator Joe McCarthy when you need him?

Only a casual observer of the game, I do remember sending "Book 'em Danno" an email about FIVE YEARS AGO suggesting that some of the Team Christers should perhaps instead be thanking St. Eroids.

***I don't believe ANYTHING that's stated by the "NY TIMES" and neither should anyone else. MLB is handling this very badly.
CR in Western Mass."

I would like to know who is behind these leaks and what the agenda is. My intuition says it's all about $

Hmmmmm, it's pretty clear what Papi SHOULD DO, especially considering that he told us exactly what should happen to "user" steriod punks like him when he previously commented on this subject specifically..............

.............admit it BIG PAPI, admit it...BE A MAN and stand up about what you did. Don't be a weak little cheater who ca$$$$$$hed out and that's all that matters. SO SOME CLASS, have some B*LLS. Here's your chance to be a real leader and role model that you've put yourself out to be. Do it for the kids of Red Nation and around the World who look up to you, it you can't do it for yourself. A true role makes mistakes too - BUT acknowledges them and moves on. It's your time to SHINE. I hope you do. Let's go, step up Big Papi !!!!

Ortiz and Manny lied. Because they played such a pivotal role in the wins, the World Series Championships are tainted and their legacy of being cheaters will follow them for the rest of their lives. When you sell your soul to the devil he usually comes collecting. Humility, embarrassment, mockery, and the DREADED “*” beside your name. Destined to be a first round selection to the Steroids Hall of Shame. Was it worth it? Ortiz should retire immediately, apologize to the Red Sox fans and ownership, and buy a home next to Mark McGuire.

We have all these comments. most of them villify the press - no one of the press took this crap..... many of these posts give Papi a pass- why?...... we love you David, so it's OK - that's total BS...... my kids have Ortiz shirts, booble heads, etc that he profited from and it's all by cheating...why is this OK? I don't care how NY treats A-rod or any other player...can we be better than they are? - putting them all in the same immoral boat doesn't make it suddenly moral... Ortiz earned 10s of million of dollars that he may have not earned had he been clean..some other "clean" player may have been given a chance, but there was no room for that guy because of the talented cheaters..... I for one, want my money back, for all the souvenirs, the game tickets, parking fees, etc. that I paid to watch this cheater and his dredlock buddy and who knows what others.
I love baseball - I hate the steroid boys - I just widh I had a HOF vote- they'd NEVEr get mine......................

Ortiz doesn't owe anyone anything. These were substances not yet banned by the MLB (whether or not they *should* have been, well that's a problem for the MLB...) and the tests were taken in confidence that the results would not be released. What sense does it make to crucify a few players that don't even make up a fraction of the total 'offenders'? If the Red Sox' 2004 WS ring is "tainted" because a couple players may have been using ped's, then as far as I'm concerned every ring for the last couple decades might as well be tainted...

(And as for Shaughnessy, he should stop speaking for all of "Red Sox Nation" in assuming we're all disappointed in Ortiz..It didn't look that way from the sound of the crowd at his next plate appearance after the news came out. If the only way you can get people to read your articles is by contriving outrage then maybe you should go work for the National Enquirer or the likes...)

2004*
2007*

Thanks Papi... or should I say Big Slopi. What a disgrace to the game!! Take down the banners immediately and get rid of Ortiz.

Papi is clueless to think that Red Sox fans are going to be buying " MLB union did NOT tell me that I tested positive AND did not tell me what it was for?" This is the type of STUPID move that gets you lumped in with Mcguire, Bonds and Arod.

Who cares!!! Get over it already.

yes I am a yankee fan and i realize that more players than most people realize did steroids, and i for one think it stinks. A-rod is a cheater just like the rest of them.The thiong i don't understand is that red sox fans took joy in chanting to a-rod, pettite,giambi, shefield and who know how many others, how come now it is no big deal?

Seriously. We need to know WHAT he tested positive for before we run him out of town. If it wasn't illegal at the time, how can we blame him for it? He was just keeping up with the Joneses in the MLB.
Hell, I even went out to GNC and scored some Creatine and topical Andro after McGuire and Sosa started ripping buckets of balls out of every park in the MLB. And I wasn't playing competitive sports at all.
However if he kept using after it was banned by the league, then I have a problem with the sit-too-ation, as Papi says.
For now, unitl we know exactly what he took and the full list is revealed along official channels, he should walk scott-free. This whole mess is reminiscient of the McCarthy witch hunt looking for communists.

I wouldn't be so quick to agree that Papi KNEW the results before he was "blindsided" last week. First of all, the results may have been disclosed to an agent who found them to be insignificant and not worth mentioning. Secondly, the league got the tests done under the pretense that the results would not be leaked. If they'd like about that, then they could obviously be lying about full disclosure. Thirdly, there was no policy in 2003 so you cannot punish a guy who didn't violate anything. Finally, Papi has tested negative since the policy was instituted in 2004. Seems to me that should be the focus. Nothing's tainted and Papi sitll rules. His overall average might be low for this time of year but his average for the last month spells power hitter.

When is Dud Selig going to get fired? I guess we'll hear one or two more names on that list every couple of months until 2012. Dud, who is leaking the names and why the specific names at certain times? Those are fair questions. Papi seemed so adamant that he NEVER used steroids and that those found guilty should be banned for at least a year. He looks like the village idiot now. The truth does set you free and I hope to hell he doesn't beat around the issue saying he just took a suplement or some other BS excuse. Come clean, Papi and do it soon. It is a distraction. Papi, you know damn well what you took. For starters, you can ask Manny what he took and I can almost guarantee you took the same thing.

Who cares!

Would the "move on" and "deal with it" crowd kindly find less annoying linguistic crutches to compensate for their intellectual laziness and dishonesty?

Ortiz does not know what substance he failed on. MLB and the Player's Union do not know. Nobody will tell Ortiz either because it is supposed to be anonymous. Only Feds and leaking lawyers have seen the list.

Papi could be like JC Romero and got screwed over by GNC supplements or he could be like Manny and have doctors abusing medicine to give them banned substances. The Player's Union was stupid and dishonest so now player's get burned like this.

MLB baseball banned steroids in 1991. There was no testing but they were as much against the rules as the cocaine Steve Howe kept getting suspended for.

It is not sources that say players were notified they were on the list. It was in the Mitchell report, further testing of the players on the list was contigent on them being notified, and Don Fehr told Congress that they were notified.

This happened six years ago when almost all baseball players were on some PED. The list should come out of all 100. Half or more would be out of baseball and some would be dead. At the time it wasn't illegal so what is the big problem? One thing it does is give egomanical baseball writers something to write about while they are slugging down a few alcoholic drinks who probably then drive home with a BAC over .08.

David: Just talk to us (red sox nation - Boston) . Tell the truth and that will end it. Please don't lie and be like the rest of them. I know it's hard, but it's the best way to go. Otherwise it will eat you alive . Don't be a fake any longer. Do it before you get to New York. It's in your best interest.

He should explain how he was just blindsided by information he received in 2004.

Failing that, he should just be as ashamed of himself as we are.

I've been cheated.

I agree with this guy
"Papi should just lay it out succinctly.
1. It wasn't illegal at the time of the testing.
2. He didn't need to pay attention to the supplements he was taking because it wasn't illegal.
3. The minute it was banned he stopped.
4. He will never knowingly take a banned substance.
Posted by Gordo August 3, 09 01:09

"Ortiz has stuck to his statement despite a new revelations in a Globe story Saturday indicating that Ortiz, as well as more than 100 others who tested positive back in 2003, were notified of their positive tests in early September 2004."
_____________

WRONG. The Globe story IMPLIED he knew he tested positive. The article actually said the union notified players ---i.e. Ortiz they were on "A LIST CONFISCATED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN RE: BALCO."

And this is how false info, rumors, and innuendo get perpetuated. You media people are really starting to make me sick.

You guys who are blaming the media and calling a steroid-taking baseball player a hero are the reason the sport is going down the tubes. Wake the f**ck up.

They're going to absolutely BBQ him in Yankee Stadium and ESPN/Fox/MLB Network will show the fan signs over and over again....doesn't matter that A-Rod did what he did.

So tired of all this steroid business

toots: Donald Fehr said the players weren't informed they tested positive, only that they were on the list. The rest of the article proves Fehr wrong. That's just Fehr trying to protect his players and cover up the issue. But keep on blaming the media for mistakes made by your favorite players, their union, and the league.

READ ME! HOT!

The Times is reporting that Papi was chewing the wrapper of trident gum which 4 out of 5 dentists recommend to their patients that chew wrapper.

The enzimes from the red dye set off the positive test.

I've thought a good deal about this and at this point, I feel we don't have enough information about what he tested positive for to condemn Big Papi yet. It very well could have been a tainted supplement (remember, this test was done before MLB drafted its giant list of supplements to avoid or had any system in place for punishment) and, as such, not an intentional usage of PEDs on Big Papi's part. For now, I'm going by the man's word--he never intentionally used steroids or PEDs. What I do know is that, despite being tested every year since the program was implemented, David Ortiz has never tested positive for any PEDs. So, yes, while I think it is a shame that he should even be associated with them, it was a positive test 6 years ago, before baseball really made the decision to clean up its act. I feel this has no bearing on the two world championships, as no Red Sox players were suspended for being caught during those seasons (or in any season, for that matter). At the worst, the Red Sox were competing on a level playing field during their championship runs, at the best, they were all clean.
Frankly, what I'm more concerned about is how these names are being leaked like this. That list of players who tested positive was supposed to remain anonymous and confidential and whoever is putting these names out there is breaking the law. I think part of the story should be how these immoral, unethical lawyers are getting away with revealing this information. Why are there no stories speculating on or looking into the identities of these people? The names on that list are one-half of the story--the other half is how they are coming to light and why.

Jeeze, next thing you know the infield turf is going to cme back tesing positive for Scotts fertilizer.

off the team

Where's the accountability from the President of MLB for the handling of the "so called list of 104 names" of players known to have tested positive for PED's??? I've never seen someone handle so poorly something so toxic to it's brand as Bud Selig has handled (mishandled) this list. Other CEO's would have been fired, but MLB would prefer to see this sorry excuse of a President continue to poorly manage the game. FIRE BUD SELIG!!!!

He's upset and will go on a tear at bat...good for him AND us! Bad for the American League east...

How can any Sox fan who chortled over the A-Fraud fiasco actually hold their heads up and say "Not my Papi!" or "Now, now, it was probably just a milkshake from the DR, you know those Caribbean milkshake dealers huhhrrrr." I feel I've been cheated by this porcine fraud who threw ethics out the window in search of some serious coin, but my fellow fans are making this truly disturbing. My favorite Red Sox boards are unreadable now because the density of apologists is reaching theoretical maximum limits. Go away, Big Phony...your excuse will be too little, too late, anyway. A silent majority knows you are a joke now, and a cheater.

Boy, 2003 was 6 years ago. I don't really care about the people who tested positive 6 years ago. Everyone knew it was going on 6years ago and MLB really did not know what to do 6 years ago.
The drug testing story from 2003 is a dead headline about events that happened 6 years ago - baseball has changed and it is time to move on to the stories of 2009.

Who cares?

Media jerks like the clowns at the Globe love to perpetuate this cr@p with their "in depth" articles and fan questionnaires.

If everybody wants so badly for this issue to go away why do they keep bringing it up and dragging it all out over and over and over and over again. Here's an idea - ignore it. And ignore the idiot writers who keep making thier living off it.

Ortiz has some questions to answer, because leaving them hanging are not in his best interests. However, on the question whether it played a role in the 2003 title, first, I don't care, as many have stated, that is 9 years ago. second, one person does not get us a title. Let's look back at it, we had more than Ortiz back then, aka the guy who ran to NY, and the guy who got traded.

"CR" doesn't believe anything that's in the New York Times. Oh ... OK. Hey, CR, you're a kook! Get a grip! Take your meds (not the roids, of course ... wouldn't want you suffering from roid rage)! Papi is poopie and we shouldn't give him a free pass just because of the homers. He should stand up and explain these baseball crimes, and then I'll think about the pass. Anything less is scandalous and if you're willing to forgive, you're soft in the head ... as demonstrated by your loony tunes comment about the New York Times ... the most famous newspaper in the world, you kook!

I will give Ortiz the in his own time to let people know one way or another
Why should anyone care what a NEW YORK jerk writes They have all lied there Just look at all there dope heads in that state YANKEES.
Don't trust anyone that speaks out of NEW York they have never liked Boston teams they will do or say anything cause there jealous Cause our teams always beat them New Yourkis known for there attitudes

Stand by your own words and be banned for baseball for ONE YEAR!!

Prediction: Papi goes on the DL before Sox play NY this weekend.

Why would he say anything? The hypocritical press is going to jump all over him no matter what. It's almost like a scene from Life of Brian. If he says nothing, it's bad. If he denies it, it's bad. If he admits it, it's bad. Just go ahead and vilify him and get it over with.

Baseball as an institution (ownership and the union) didn't have the will to do anything about steroids for years, so now they must simply live with the result. If you get caught cheating--say, throwing a doctored ball--at the time you do it, you get penalized. If you don't get caught, the result stands. You can't go back and change it.

The list of 104 was part of baseball's move, finally and to its credit, to clean up the game. It was supposed to be confidential. I don't want to know who's on it--it's not relevant. You don't believe for a second that there aren't 104 more who just didn't happen to get caught, do you? Let it go, and concentrate on catching the cheaters now. Anyone who gets caught after all this deserves vilification (not naming any names, MR).

Dan Shaunessy is an undercover yankee's fan and that is the only reason he is beating Ortiz up about this whole thing. For god's sake, leave the man alone and give him more than 4 days to explain. Even if he did steroids, it doesn't take away from either of our world championships 1) the yankee team that he helped to railroad in 2004 was full of juicers, 2) every other team we played was full of juicers 3) the last two seasons, even though he has been hurt and his BA is down, he has been on pace for 35+ HR and 120 RBI! Shaughnessy needs to just shut his mouth and get a job as a yankee beat writer!

i hope Red Sox fans don't get upset in New York this week as I can remember how brutal they were as far back as Giambi and as recent as Alex. So Papi deserves no less.

The apologists of RSN are truly pathetic. You had no problem branding A-Rod, Giambi, Pettitte as "frauds" and "cheaters". In fact, you absolutely reveled in it. Now, it turns out that at least two (and possibly more, since we don't know who else may turn up on that list) of your precious Red Sox were nailed as being dirty and, suddenly, it's no big deal. We should all "get over it" and "move on" because "everyone was using it". Talk about a bunch of freakin' crybaby hypocrites! Sorry RSN: Your team was dirty and no matter what you try to tell yourselves, they were cheaters and frauds too. So next time you chant "A-Roid", make sure to throw one in for "Big Phoni" too..

WHY AREN'T PAIN-REDUCING DRUGS ILLEGAL?

Hey...guys take pain meds to enable them to play. It's a "foreign" substance and that's OK. If they didn't take it, their PERFORMANCE would be diminished. Therefore, any pain-reducing substance is a performance-enhancing substance. I'm sick of the self-righteousness a la Hank Aaron with the asterisk comment.

I'm weary of it. We hear of reports of SIX years ago. Ridiculous.

First, release all the names on the report and let's get this over with. Secondly, I thought even before his name came out on that report that Theo should trade him in the offseason while he has some shred of tradeability remaining. He's an embarrassment at the plate and now his name is linked with all the other cheaters so he's an embarrassment to the uniform. He's always going to be a distraction because of his association to taking PEDS.

He is cheater like the rest and he is also a liar. Lost my my faith in Big Papi.
Get set to release him!!!

VERY FISHY! if he had only used
supplements, saying so within
the first 24 hrs would be easy.
Delay suggests other drugs were used
(for instance inject only and therefore
clearly illegal).
.

Yawn.

I think Papi's cooked as far as national media and the fans- more McGwire, Sosa, A-Rod, Manny, Pettite, etc. BUT, I'd like to find out who's leaking the names. Very interesting timing on all these names and it was to have been confidential. How credible is this guy - how many of the 100+ incl. Papi and the others are fact or fiction???? I'll wait on the whole truth, if we get it and if 2-5 Sox did it in 03 how many on AL/NL playofff and WS teams used it. There might be a level playing field here juiced as it might be.

Soooo......just what team did Boston beat in either world series that didn't have any so called "cheaters" of their own ?? If their world series titles are tainted, then so are the Marlins, Phillies, NYY, oh and what about the others? Because ALL teams had someone using something. These lawyers releasing this stuff have no ethics and should be fired or someone should just release the whole list and be done with it. This one by one crap is awful. And seems funny it is mostly if not all dominican players. Must of been something in the water when they went home to visit family :( I don't believe all used something on purpose. Some may have taken something or drank something that had a banned chemical. Who knows? None of us will ever know for sure on any of them. Even if they used once or twice on purpose, could of still taken a vitamin or vitamin drink that contained something.
This is so sad for baseball and kids who don't know what to think.

why would anyone think the world series victories are tainted? you can't tell me there wasn't a team the sox faced in '04 or '07 that didn't have a player or two or three that were using peds. the playing field was perfectly level if all teams had their share of users and abusers. if the sox were the only team with enhanced players then i would agree, the series victories are tainted but i don't think so.

I honestly don't care about these positive tests anymore. No one who comes out in them surprises me anymore, do people really care? My generation is going to be the steroid generation and it's something that I've accepted. Big Papi has been one of the most important players (if not the most important) in the Red Sox recent success. How many big hits has the man had when we needed one? Big Papi, do yourself a favor, admit what you did was wrong, be apologetic, and go out and play ball (a couple of big hits now and then wouldn't hurt either). We all make mistakes, lets honestly get over this already. We have a big week with the Rays and Yanks lurking.

WE ALL NO HE IS NOT DOING ANYMORE... HE CANT HIT ANYTHING THIS YEAR... HE IS SO STUPIDDDD OF COURSE WE KNOW HE IS NOT DOING ANYMORE...

Before he moved to Boston he was waning, he took drugs to boost his performance, as did Manny... BoSox won the WS by cheating, just like the Yankees et al. Put an asterisk next to their names in the books and move on. I love the Sox but they cheated to win.

OUT the leaky lawyers also. Somehow I think their state's Bar Association might be interested. And shouldn't the court that sealed that list be doing some of their own investigating? Memo to the Spotlight Team: get on it. I also think Papi should have his say.

I find it curious that so many dismiss this for any of a number of reasons, yet when it was A Rod, your responses were quite different.

Why do you suppose that is ?

Doesn't matter what he does. Sox fans will excuse and justify it anyway. Some of my favorites:

"He didn't do it during the WS years" (Right. And Manny started right after he left Boston)
"Everyone does it, so it's not like he got an unfair advantage. They're ALL tainted!" (So that makes it ok for him)
"The media is making a big deal out of nothing." (But it was fine for the media and RS fans to make a big deal when it was A-Rod?)
and the best of all: "Who cares??" (Millions of baseball fans, that's who. If you're bored with news, go read a comic book or doodle with crayons)

I don't care if he did or he didn't; bottom line is everyone is doing it; Hank Aaron is right- put a wing in the HOF with an asterick!
Unless MLB is willing to "out" everyone, then who cares what is going on! As a purist, I don't like it, but I'm not niave; it's happening-no one can deny that; I don't care what team is involved!

New York Reporter put it in their paper. Look how many Yankees or former Yankees got caught. It's obvious that the whole team took them. I bet Steinbrenner bought them for the team. Anything to buy a championship in his eyes

Time to take down the 2004 and 2007 WS Flags as they are not just tainted; they are stained with steroids. You wouldn't hire an attorney who only passed the Bar Exam by cheating or a doctor who passed his medical boards by doing the same. Let's not tarnish what little reputation the Sox have left by keeping the WS Flags that they didn't earn. Take them down and declare the titles for those years vacant.

Shaunessy and Ryan,
Where was all the fine media coverage, from both of you?

Why is today any different than the past in sports, 1976 olympics swimmer's and other track athletes, football players, baseball players this is not anything new!
Teams since the 80's have had the players doing PED's. What % of players would fail if they were tested back then ? 35-50%
Accept it and move on, you are not judge and jury for "sports industry" It was banned in baseball in 1991, without testing! So we will never know who did,and how many are in the HOF. You guys are part to blame for this circus!

October, 1988 — Washington Post baseball writer Thomas Boswell claims Jose Canseco is “the most conspicuous example of a player who has made himself great with steroids.” Canseco, coming off the first 40 home run-40 steal season in baseball history, denies using steroids before Game 1 of the ALCS at Fenway Park. The Athletics slugger wins the MVP award.

gee, another cheater, claiming they were wronged. him and manny...hope you chowds are proud! :)

No one is also going to believe that two of the smartest, most cynical sports writers in the country didnt see something going on back in 2003 when these guys #s suddenly were going through the roof and some of these same players started to look like the incredible hulk.

The longer he takes, the less believable he is. As of now, in my mind, he is barely credible. He was informed like everyone on that list. A Roid confirmed that...the "positives" were told.

Just a shame the trading deadline is passed. I am not giving up on HIM....HE gave up and deceived US. Wave good-bye, cheater

How about cutting Big Popi some slack until we know exactly what he took. Just for the record, none of it was illegal in 2003. How many ball players in the 60's, 70's and 80's took amphetimines??? COme on, everyone makes a big deal about "steroids" when most people are ignorant of its benefits. Do you think the most clutch hitter in baseball for 6 years , was clutch because of PEDS??? Give me a break. Do PEDS help you hit a 95mph fastball???? Yes, it will make you stronger but the missing point that most people miss is the fact that PEDS , especially steroids helps you recover much faster....especially pitchers....

'07 and '04 series no more tainted than any other since the '90s. David will deal with this in his own time and in his own way. We as fans need to focus on what matters, team results, and quit crying about six year-old news.

My thoughts on the 2003 business are they should have released the info or not, but at least have kept thier word once it was given. why are we crucifying each player whose name is "leaked" for taking a voluntary test which held no further implications, some six years after the fact?

RSN...wake up! Ortiz and Manny used steroids to cheat and to make more money. They won 2 world series because of it. Yes, the series wins will always be tainted thanks to these "idiots". No one outside of beantown will ever think otherwise. Just accept it and move on.

Exuces...excuses...excuses. It's sad to see that most people are condoning Ortiz action....blaming the NY Times & everyone else except Ortiz. If I remember correctly the NY Times are part owner of the Redsox...so we can throw that one away. Many have blasted bonds, A-rod, canseco, sosa, etc. Schilling on 38 pitches seems kind when talking about big papi compared to some of the things he had to say about bonds & A-rod. Now that papi & ramirez have beened named...it's different??? No it's not. Lou Merloni mentioned on a 5/11/09-"Did redsox teach palyers how to juice"-how Doctors for the sox mentioned that they know that it's being used...so we want to make sure they are taking it the right way. Enough of steroids. Suspend them for 2 years after the first offense...forever after the 2nd...include 3-4 test a month. That would help solve the problem a bit.

The hypocrisy of a society that spends billions on surgical enhancements, plastic surgery, hair transplants, pushup bras, etc. yet demands it's baseball players be "pure of heart" is simply too much. It is impossible to view a game without being subjected to ads for the PEDS (Viagra, Cialis, etc) taken by the average fan who is screaming for the head of his fallen hero. Just for men haircoloring, tooth whitening, porcelain veneers, makeup, Viagra- yet our talking head sports commentators(pathetic old farts) criticize a guy for likewise trying to put a little something extra in his bat.. Let's all wake up.

the steroids witch hunt needs to be over. if i were paid more than a few hundred thousand dollars to do my job and there were a drug that made me better at it, i'd do it. i admire the courage of those who did these steroids, who probably took years off their lives. and so do all of you. but there's this hypocrisy that says now that the veil of deniability has been lifted we're supposed to turn on our heroes.
here's another news flash; babe ruth drank during prohibition. that wasn't just against the league policy or against the law. that was unconstitutional. and he's considered the greatest of all time. and ty cobb killed two men.

I got sick reading some of the comments posted here and the poll question. If the new name out would have been a yankee like when the news A-Rod broke, seem everyone was out for his head. There is not anything that Ortiz can say at this point. What needed to be said should have been said already. The way that his hitting as been the last two years, it sure looks like he is not using anything illegal, NOW. Lowell can DH a lot more and let Ortiz sit more. in 2010 the Sox can live without Ortiz.
Before some of you start in on me, I am a long time Red Sox and baseball fan. Before the DH rule, which is still a bad change. During the time when Yaz was roaming left field, sitting in the right field seats watching number 24, as in Dwight Evans and the only space case was on the mound with Bill Lee. I grew up in Springfield Ma., rooting for Boomer Scott, Tiant, Rooster, than the likes of Lynn, Rice and Fisk. Sox fans will still back the Sox, win or lose and will move on when Ortiz is just a footnote in the team history.

I'm looking forward to the reception Ortiz get in NY this week. God will that be funny!

Payback is a @#$@#

Until the ENTIRE LIST is made public - who cares if Papi tested positive. Besides, Papi doesn't owe us an explanation - anymore than we owe him ... when things go bad in our lives. Leave the man alone ............

If Shaunessy ever shows up at Fenway Park again ... he should be run out of town on a rail; he's the most 2-faced reporter in the world.

The only story in sports worse than this ... is the continuing saga of Brett Favre.

His homerun output was proof enough of his "new found" energy after coming to Boston. He has been given enough praise and adultation. Trade him...

WHY THE HELL DONT THE PRESS FIND OUT WHAT HE DID OR DIDNT TAKE BEFOR THE WRITE HIS OBIT>> BTW HOW MANY OF THESE NEWS CLOWNS TRIED A BIT OF GRASS or something else?? take a urine test and get on a "secure list"

Screw the Union, Get the list out there and get it over with.

He's part of a group of clean players who were protecting baseball.
After the strike in '94 popularity for the sport waned. Teams, management and the player's association turned a blind eye to PEDs to increase homers and excitement for the game. We then had the late 90s homerun explosion.
But now players who didn’t want to take steroids due to their side effects and health concerns were not only at a disadvantage to the players who were using, but they were now set up to make substantially less money, or worse, get cut in favor of the players who were juicing. It became a case of taking drugs or lose your job as a baseball player.
If 5% of players failed the test in 2003, a test that was announced to them 4 months in advance, then random testing and penalties would be instituted. If my job were in danger because other people were getting ahead by cheating, and there was a clear avenue to stop it and it was in my power to do so, I’d pump my body full of uppers and hormones right before the test that when they looked at my pee sample they’d think it was from an over-caffeinated sasquatch.
Since this time Ortiz hasn't failed a test and has had his best seasons after that time. .. make your own judgement, but I want to know what he tested positive for. Amphetamine? SOmething minor just to get the results skewed enough to reach that 5%? It's a theory, and it fits pretty well.

Andro was not banned by MLB until 2004. So all of you who say "get over it, it was just andro" need a wake up call...

I say it is time to release "The List". Along side the player's name it should also state the "banned substance" for which the player tested positive. That way we know exactly what PED the player used instead of having to guess (i.e. HGH, steroids, supplements now known to contain steroids, etc...). I think there is a line or difference for players whom knowingly "juiced" vs. those whom were unaware the supplement they had used contained steroidal compounds.

Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, A-Rod, Manny, Clemens were obviously abusing the stuff for personal gain. Others I believe innocently took supplments now banned.

We are the fans. We own the game. It is time for someone to get loud about this. We stop going to games, and stop buying merchandise, someone will listen to us. Wake up everybody. We want to take the game back? Stop buying tickets for awhile, and start demanding a level playing field. (pun intended).

He should stop thanking God and start cleaning up his own act

Now Papi and Manny bits and dribbles. A NEW YORK paper has the names. Where did they get the names? Freedom of speech-bull. The records were to be destroyed. How come there still is a list. If there is and it is being used this is a violation of those players rights. The names were not to be released. The NY paper should be required to give the source. They and the paper should be prosecuted. As for Dan O-fire his a--. Just for his comments. Nothing is tainted for the Red Sox because there is no proof of any wrong doing. God are we really being that STUPID. Where is the Red Sox Nation when it is needed????

I say it is time to release "The List". Along side the player's name it should also state the "banned substance" for which the player tested positive. That way we know exactly what PED the player used instead of having to guess (i.e. HGH, steroids, supplements now known to contain steroids, etc...). I think there is a line or difference for players whom knowingly "juiced" vs. those whom were unaware the supplement they had used contained steroidal compounds.

Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, A-Rod, Manny, Clemens were obviously abusing the stuff for personal gain. Others I believe innocently took supplments now banned.

Hey, Papi did it man, he's guilty!

Shaughnessy showed up to work?? I don't put much stock into what he writes. Only comes out of the woodwork when he needs the dough. Papi will tell everybody as soon as he finds out and of course, talks to his agent/lawyer. THE real story is who are these lawyers that are leaking these names out when this stuff is being looked at by some grand jury somewhere. Until the guy from the NY Times tells who these "lawyers" are, Its a none story, just like Arod Sosa and the rest. Fess up or shut up.

It's not like was using technology to cheat like the Patriots. If he had some sort of electrical impulse system that signaled him what pitches were coming, the cheating would have been worse. The Yankees were full of steroid users, too. It's not like the Sox had an unfair advantage like the Patriots did.

It's time to step up the plate Papi. I love you, but it's time.

I for one don't even need an explanation from David Ortiz right now. I am willing to sit back and wait to hear what he has to say whenever that is. What I am more interested in hearing is how the hell anybody's name was ever leaked from this list in the first place and who the people are that leaked the names. There should be legal proceedings against those people for possibly destroying players careers with this insanity. I would also be interested to hear what these guys tested positive for. This is 2009 folks, not 2003. It really is a non story right now and Dan Shaunessy is an idiot..

This is all a bad joke and the reporters jumping on this story as a chance to crucify another athlete is just downright wrong. Then again we have to remember that reporters live their lives through the athletes they cover.
1. PED's were not even banned when this test was taken.
2. The list was supposed to be destroyed; the players were told it would be confidential.
3. The times is using this opportunity to make a dime off a story they don't want to ever die.
4. It matters what tests David passes or fails now, not 2003.

You know what sucks about this is no matter whos name comes out everyone assumes it's roids or HGH well some us know it's not HGH cause there is no test for that. If you remeber right creatine and androne or whatever it's called used to be sold at GNC and was taken off the counter cause it had steroid traces in it. Same thing with those star caps that NFL players used to use. I had a friend in high school weighed 150 at best started taking creatine poder from GNC and in 1 year was up to 190 and all muscle. He tried it again last year and the results were not even close to the ones 7 yeard ago. Those companies were putting is what was basicly steroids. Then they took them out a few years ago. I think 2003 and before we will never know what poeple really took. All I know is that test in 2003 was for a wide rang of stuff noit just roids. And you know what I blame MLB and the ownwers if there wasn't so much pressure to preform they wouldn't have had to turn to that stuff. You can't tell me there was that kind of pressure back in the Golden age with all the media and the internet in todays market they are under pressure to preform. It's a sign thing are changeing .We shouldn't be so quick to judge any of these guys. Ask your self would you do it if it meant your kids and wife were comftable for the rest of there lives. 10 more home runs might be 8 million more dollars. I'd try it why the heck not. Not to mention the team mates could care less.

Hey morons, the list leaking isn't Selig's fault, it is the player's union's fault it wasn't destroyed before the Feds swooped in. It is Bond's and Giambi's fault the Feds were after it.

A-Rod and Manny have nothing to do with Papi YET. We know A-Rod took testosterone and Primobolan. We know Manny took testosterone and hCg. We DO NOT KNOW what substance got Papi on the list.

JC Romero got suspended for a substance bought at GNC that is not supposed to have an anabolic nature.

now i have a l;ot of respect for red sox fans but hey if your gonna crucify a rod and yes he deserved it but he was a great hitter before then give me a break with your PAPI JUST CHECK OUT THE STATS AVERAGE BEFORE 2003 after great yes two world series a bit tainted see you in the playoffs a yankee fan

I commend the Globe for keeping this issue alive. Both ESPN and most newspapers were all over A-Rod for his involvement. Maybe ESPN had and ulterior motive because it was there reporter looking to get rich. It was never fair that he took the brunt of the negative publicity and now it is just HO Hum! Now that a few names have been leaked all the names on that list should be exposed. It was lousy A-Rod was left to the wolves.

He should be thrown out of baseball !! He cheated like so many other Red Sox ! Every title they've won should be stripped ! As well as the Yankees . Seems they can only cheat to win !!! Big Fatty , I mean Papi , should quit today !! Red Sox were also caught cheating a few years ago in the playoffs by using a camera in the bullpen to pick up catchers signs to pitchers !! They are an embaressment to baseball! And that rickety antique of a stadium has also got to go. It's easy to sell out every game when your stadium only holds 300 fans!!!!

@Aggromerchant (post #134): Okay, how's this: "Eat the proverbial "s" and die, you pseudo-intellectual, light-bending, dehydrated-rock-hard-stupid schmuck. Try to edit your responses of unnecessary material before attempting to impress us with your insight. as the evidence that you are a nincompoop will still be available to readers, but they will be able to access it more rapidly." 'Zat do it for ya?

Oh yeah ... and ..., Have a nice day!

Wake up people, this fabricated "issue" was only made momentous at this moment to try to 'roid' up interest in baseball at this precise moment when interest in the sport has been waning. The Powers That Be know that there's NOTHING like a good ol' fashion car crash to bring all the rubberneckers out of the woodwork. This whole piecemeal leakage of "The Issue" is total BS, imo.

To many of you posters: yaw wickid hillairreeiss! 2003 was SIX long years ago- who cares? There's no history (or crying) in baseball! No one even remembers, let alone ever mentions, BB in 1986, BFD in 1978, JP in 1946, or HHF in 1918!

And by all means, shoot the messenger! Kill the List Leakers! They're the real problem here!

As for the local scribes, if they're to be tarred & feathered, it should be for their reluctance to dig for the truth (and/or failure to report what they already know). They're riding the brake, not the gas pedal, on this mess. Maybe if only to avoid getting cah-balmed by one of the loony "faithful" in the outlaw nation.

big papi= BUM
ROID SOX
TAINTED NATION
2004*
2007*

He should handle this the same way he does on the field---All offense, no defense. Get a lawyer, and sue the union, the League, the NY Times, and anyone else they can think of. I don't understand while A-rod and everyone else doesn't do the same thing. Regardless of whether he did them or not, these are the circumstances that got him here:
--He took a drug test he told would be confidential
--Some unnamed source claims he was on the list
--He can't even verify himself what he tested for because the government has the test results and won't release them.
How and why should he be forced to defend himself?

How

Ortiz disclose what he tested positive for asap. If it is something serious like a hardcore steroid or hgh, then he should voluntarily sit out a year (the punishment he claimed would be appropriate). If he tested positive because of something like creatine or an off the shelf product nobody will care including me and this thing will pass.

If david ortiz took illegal drugs, he should admit it. I think Jim's advice (above) is good. If he didn't know what exactly he was taking, and didn't know it was illegal, he should stick to this story.

Then, he should make it his business to find out what so called lawyers "leaked" the info to the NY Times, and fight for their debarrment. What they did was illegal, and the Times has lowered its standards to "yellow journalism." According to the law, this info was not supposed to be released. Ortiz should sue (along with others if they want to).

Finally, The NY Times probably did this to derail the success of the Red Sox. The timing is perfect, since they are playing their two biggest rivals this week , Tampa and the Yankees. Why else would they release such a story the way they did?

To many of you posters: yaw wickid hillairreeiss! 2003 was SIX long years ago- who cares? There's no history (or crying) in baseball! No one even remembers, let alone ever mentions, BB in 1986, BFD in 1978, JP in 1946, or HHF in 1918!

And by all means, shoot the messenger! Kill the List Leakers! They're the real problem here!

As for the local scribes, if they're to be tarred & feathered, it should be for their reluctance to dig for the truth (and/or failure to report what they already know). They're riding the brake, not the gas pedal, on this mess. Maybe if only to avoid getting cah-balmed by one of the loony "faithful" in the outlaw nation.

its funny how short-term memories are...the talk of A-ROID was incessant in these forums just a matter of months ago...hmm. Lets be honest, testing didnt start up until 2005, so we can safely say that those who tested positive in 2003, including A-Rod, Papi and Manny, all were doping it up in that oh so glorious year of 2004. The sox title is tainted, and had the yankees won, their title that year would be tainted as well... thats just how it is. If you want a non-tainted boxox title, you do have to go back the 86 plus years....

Hello Boston.
You had your fun with A-Rod. Now its out turn with Papi.
Do you want proof that he was on the juice? Look at Sir David's ability to stay healthy in the most recent couple of years and you can clearly see a body breaking down.
He is not the first player to take the high self righteous road only to get caught with his fingers in the cookie jar and hopefully he won't be the last.
Papi and his side kick, Manny Defiance were juicing in '03 and '07--always staying one step ahead of the radar screen.
His performance slide reminds me of Mo Vaughn.

Who are these anonymous lawyers that released Manny and Ortiz's names? Why aren't they in trouble for releasing confidential information?

The Red Sux Nation is fooling themselves when they say their World Series titles aren't tainted. Just take one good look at your whole team. Most of them have clearly cheated! Its funny how once Manny leaves Boston (where the Red Sux Nation support staff evidently administers the drug tests) that he test positive for a new team. The testing program in baseball is a joke - no test for HGH, questionable specimen collection practices, no blood testing, testing once at Spring training and only once during the year virtually invites a player to roid up after the second test knowing he won't be tested again until next year. I used to admire the 'great' Boston teams, now all I am is disgusted.

On Saturday August 8th when Papi holds his Press Conference @ the new Yankee Stadium it will be the second time he is buried there.
Go Devil Rays
Nice signs in St Pete -1918 done in insulin syringes and "Say it ain't so, Papi."
End of this season for Fewway Faithful as they claim this is what broke their hearts and spirit this year. Familiar refrain, back to biz as usual. 1918, 1918 . . .
Take a lesson from Smoltz.
Buried.