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Ortiz says supplements may be cause for test 08.08.09 at 12:56 pm ET
By Rob Bradford

Ortiz Drug TestSpeaking alongside the Major League Baseball Players Association general counsel Michael Weiner, Red Sox DH David Ortiz said he was ‘a little bit careless back in those days when I was buying supplements and vitamins over the counter’ but insists he never bought or used steroids. Ortiz said he did meet with Weiner in 2004 for a short meeting but was never told he tested positive for steroids.

(For complete audio of Ortiz’ press conference click here)

- Ortiz said that once he found out that one of the supplements he was taking was banned he stopped taking it.

“I consider myself one of the guys that I definitely was a little bit careless back in those days when I was buying supplments and vitamins over hte counter, legal supplments or legal vitaments over the conter,” he said. “But I never used steroids.”

- Asked why he didn’t say he never bought or took steroids when initially confronted with the news, Ortiz said he wanted to get all the facts soon. Weiner said, “If it was simply up to David he would have been up there a lot sooner than he was today”, pointing out that the union encouraged the Sox slugger to wait.

- Ortiz said he was tested 15 or more times since the 2003 test, plus two more times for the World Baseball Classic, and never came up positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

- He said he obtained the supplements and vitamins in both the United States and Dominican Republic.

- Weiner clarified that a maximum of 96 players could have tested positive for the 2003 test for performance-enhancing drugs, not the 104 as was previously reported. Weiner went on to say that as few as 83 could be the number of positive tests, with as many as 13 of the tests being classified as inconclusive by the union, but because the 83 would be enough to trigger the new testing policy the exact number wasn’t further pursued.

- Weiner pointed out that Ortiz is not aware of anything regarding the 2003 test results.

- Ortiz wouldn’t like to see any of the other names on the list come out, pointing out his frustration of the lack of information he could get from the union and not wishing that frustration on anybody else.

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  • Eric

    It just seems to me, that sinse the begining of this whole ‘Steriods “Scandal” ‘, there has been information that was access-able to everyone- including every Media outlet ( including the NY Times ), that was either not exciting enough to read, print, fully digest or otherwise. We all like information that can be sensationalized. Can’t really sell a story AND include facts that also dismiss the whole point of your story. So yeah, I might be among the few… but I’ll take David Ortiz’s explaination as the truth. Yes! I trust David Ortiz ( who doesn’t have to sell newspapers ) over the Ny Times or a unknown lawyer who won’t show his face. Call me crazy.

  • http://WEEI RICHARD

    i think the media dropped the ball in this press conference. they did not ask the right questions. for instance. these supplements and vitamins you speak of were any of these if the form of a needle. did you ever take a needle or are you saying they were all taken orally.did you take androsteien. were you buying them yourself or was a trainer saying take this and you never really asked what you were taking. can you compile a list of everything you were taking so it can be tested and confirmed it would not pass the test.but yet is not a steroid. to many questions remain unanswered!

  • Susan

    The guilt (if any) belongs with the Players Union and MLB for such a confusing and poorly administered testing process back in 2003. It was a survey test. David Ortiz did nothing wrong. He came forward and has been very sincere about what he did (and did NOT do). The blame (if any) belongs to whom ever is leaking the names of people when they really don’t even know why they are on the list. Someone needs to find the people leaking the names and prosecute them.

    Steroids are bad and should not be part of baseball, but this 2003 list means nothing. If someone tests positive now then they should be punished, but this 2003 list was at the very beginning to get a baseline test. Let’s all move on…

  • w. g. ww.

    Just like Nomar said. “THE LIST IS A JOKE!” this is a non issue

  • Pee diddy

    I can smell the taint on the 2004 & 2007 WS “wins” when this list does come out every member of those teams will be on it.

    The broom comes out on Sunday night……”Yankees win, The Yankees win”!

    How does the Yankees A$$ look from soon to be 5.5 games back?

  • Pee diddy

    BTW I just LOVE Big Sloppy’s Pimp suit………slob

  • Pee diddy

    “Just like Nomar said. “THE LIST IS A JOKE!” this is a non issue”

    Funny, when A-rod was on it in spring training that list was the end all to get all.

    They don’t call you MASS-HOLES for nothing loser.

  • Nick

    Really pee diddy? Wow that’s a clever name. I know the 2004 and 2007 must be tainted considering we beat a clean Yankees team in 04. Oh no wait they weren’t clean either, with Aroid leading the way. Nice try though.

  • http://worldvitaminsonline.com World Vitamins Online

    His explanation sound a little fishy to me coming a week or so after the FDA warned of steroids in some supplements. Maybe this was lawyers taking and not Ortiz.

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