It is time for baseball fans to be real
I think it is time for baseball fans to be real and see what is directly in front of them. No team is immune from the steriod era. On my way home from teaching summer school, I heard, on ESPN radio, that David Ortiz was one of the names on the list of failed tests back in 2003.
First of all, I know the only way they got the players to take this test was to tell them all evidence would be destroyed and it was going to be used to gage the use of PED’s in baseball. If you want to blame anyone, blame the baseball union. They have had the results since 2003 and promised the ballplayers this list would be destroyed; it wasn’t. Now 104 names are slowly leaking out, very slowly.
I do think Big Papi’s name is the worst so far. With A-Rod, he is all about himself. He only cares about his own stats and everyone knows it. Manny is Manny and after the way he got himself out of Boston, no one really cares. It is Ortiz’ name that is really bothering Red Sox fans. In large numbers they come to his defense, forgetting they villified A-Rod just several months before. Sox fans are complaining the names were not supposed to be leaked but were happy to attack A-Roid, Sosa, and Manny when their names appeared on the list. I also do not want to hear the “everyone was doing it” speech. Once all the names come out, we can reassess. At this time, we only have 5 or so names and Ortiz is the biggest….why?
Unlike A-Rod or Bonds, Ortiz singlehandedly lead the Sox to their first title in over 80 years. Now Sox fans will say that it takes more than one player or that all WS teams did it, especially the Yanks. But that isn’t really the point. Sox fans are angry and hurt. I understand but an article by Rick Riley, back in 2004, sums up Ortiz’ part in the 2004 playoffs.
Please read the link
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/magazine/specials/sportsman/2004/11/15/sportsman.ortiz/index.html
If you don’t feel like reading the article, I will sum it up. During the first round of the playoffs, Ortiz hit a 12th inning HR to keep the Sox breathing and avoid the sweep by the hated Yanks. He then hit a 14th inning HR to help the Sox beat the Yanks again in the series, before hitting a 2 run HR in game 7. They would eventually beat the Yanks and make it to the AL Pennant by sweeping the Angels in four, with Ortiz hitting a 10th inning walk off HR to end the game. Riley also states that Ortiz not only won the playoffs MVP but he also hit a clutch HR in that year’s All-Star game, giving the Sox home field advantage.
One man cannot win a series alone but Ortiz came as close as any player has. Do I feel the WS is tainted, in a way yes. But in order to come down exclusively, I need to see all the names. Ricky Romero, who helped bolster the Philly bullpen and played an integral part in their path to the WS, tested positive for PEDs. Oakland seemed to be a haven for years.
So who pays for this latest leak? Boston fans, who waited so long for their WS, only to find it it is tainted. Ortiz, who has soiled his name of one of the greatest clutch hitters of our time. (remember he couldn’t hit a high fast ball to save his life before he arrived in Boston; hence why Minnesota let him go). But I think baseball fans, in general, pay for it as our heroes are becoming frauds.
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Date: July 31, 2009
Categories: Uncategorized
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