Red Sox DH David Ortiz Thursday became the "latest superstar dragged down the performance-enhancing well" as he and Dodgers LF Manny Ramirez were cited in a N.Y. Times report as testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in '03, according to John Tomase of the BOSTON HERALD. Ortiz, an "icon in New England for his larger-than-life personality and clutch heroics," Thursday laid out an "aggressive plan to tackle the charges and pledged not to hide from them." Oritz said after the Red Sox' win Thursday afternoon against the A's, "Based on the way I have lived my life, I am surprised to learn I tested positive. Two, I will find out what I tested positive for. And, three, based on whatever I learn, I will share this information with my club and the public. You know me -- I will not hide and I will not make excuses." Tomase notes the Times report did not reveal what substance Ortiz "tested positive for, only that his name was included" on the list of 104 players to test positive for PEDs during MLB survey testing. There has been "clamoring for Major League Baseball to release all 104 names on the list," but MLB VP/PR Pat Courtney Thursday said, "We can't comment because we do not know the names on the list." Tomase writes with Ramirez also tied to the '03 list, in addition to his 50-game suspension earlier this season for violating MLB's drug policy, "some of the shine comes off the Red Sox' World Series titles in 2004 and '07, which were spearheaded by the two" ( BOSTON HERALD, 7/31 ). DOUBLE TROUBLE : In Boston, Bob Hohler notes Ortiz will face "no disciplinary action because there were no penalties in place at the time for steroid use in the major leagues." The news about Ortiz' positive test "rocked the baseball world far more than the revelation about Ramirez" ( BOSTON GLOBE, 7/31 ). In DC, Dave Sheinin writes while Ramirez had already been linked with performance-enhancing drugs, the "revelation regarding Ortiz is particularly damaging and disconcerting for baseball, given his larger-than-life persona and previous outspokenness about steroid use." The sport "continues to find itself held hostage by a list of names that was never intended to be made public" ( WASHINGTON POST, 7/31 ). ESPN's Brian Kenny: "The list that was supposed to be destroyed is now destroying reputations one-by-one" ( "SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/30 ). UNION RAILROAD : In N.Y., Thompson & O'Keeffee repots MLBPA officials have "asked federal officials to investigate who is leaking the names" from the list, as the union grows "frustrated by the slow but steady drip." A source claims that the MLBPA has "asked all the courts involved in [a] five-year old case -- which could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court -- to determine how the information is being obtained and if it is coming from any person covered by a court order sealing information about the case." A union spokesperson declined comment when asked if it had "requested court intervention," though MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr "made it clear in a statement that the union would take action" ( N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/31 ). Fehr said, "The New York Times, once again, reports what it asserts to be information contained in documents under court seal. And precisely for that reason, the Players Association will not, indeed cannot, comment on whether the information is accurate. But there should be no mistake. The leaking of information under a court seal is a crime. The active pursuit of information that may not lawfully be disclosed because it is under court seal is a crime" ( MLBPA ). In N.Y., Roger Rubin notes Ortiz' claim that he "confirmed the positive with the union raises questions." MLBPA COO Gene Orza reportedly had "made the rounds to inform players who had tested positive that their results might be in the hands of the government." If Ortiz was not informed, he "could fall into the group that drew a positive test for a supplement ... which was in several over-the-counter products" in '03. MLB claims that there were 96 positive tests in '03 and 104 names on the list ( N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/31 ). RELEASE THE NAMES : In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck writes, "I know there is no way that MLB and the players union can justify outing the remaining 100 or so players who tested positive during the 2003 survey, but I think everybody has figured out by now that would be much better than having a couple of names leak out every six months, keeping the sport mired indefinitely in the six-year fallout from this tawdry scandal" ( Baltimore SUN, 7/31 ). In Miami, Greg Cote writes if the list "were a vessel, it would now have sprung enough leaks to begin sinking as the names -- despite being under seal by court order -- continue to be outed in dribs and drabs." Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez' name also has been leaked, and revealing the names on the list would "serve a greater good and have an overriding cleansing effect, and give some closure to baseball's 'Steroids Era'" ( MIAMI HERALD, 7/31 ). In L.A., Ted Green wrote, "Why just the big fish? Why was it A-Rod first, a story broken by Selena Roberts? And now Manny and Big Papi, info apparently slipped surreptitiously to [N.Y. Times reporter Michael] Schmidt? Why just the superstars? Is it because their names make the biggest splash? Is there some other agenda involved, something personal? Why is the release of the names so random and so arbitrary?" ( LATIMES.com, 7/30 ). MLB.com's John Schlegel offers an extensive timeline detailing the history of the list ( MLB.com, 7/30 ). LOOKING FOR SOME CLOSURE : In Boston, Bob Ryan writes, "Simply in the interest of fairness, we need all the names. Why should the others be protected?" An even "more important reason for us to have all the names is that we need to have as complete an understanding as possible as to what went on in order that we can make whatever amends are necessary before we all move on" ( BOSTON GLOBE, 7/31 ). SPORTINGNEWS.com's Chris Littmann wrote, "Release The List." It is "not just a giant ticking time bomb, it's like a Cold War-style stockpile of weapons just waiting to divert attention away from anything baseball-related back to steroids" ( SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/30 ). Washington Post reporter Michael Lee: "The only way they can move beyond it is if they release the names, just put it out there and say this was 2003 and baseball has improved from 2003" ( "Washington Post Live," CSN Mid-Atlantic, 7/30 ). MLB.com's Hal Bodley wrote under the header, "Saga Won't End Until '03 List Is Public." Making all names on the list public is the "only way this lingering, distasteful, six-year-old saga will ever be put to rest" ( MLB.com, 7/30 ). MLB Net's Harold Reynolds: "We need to get all of the ... names out there because you still have roughly 900 players at that time who are fighting for their innocence" ( MLB Network, 7/30 ). Denver Post columnist Woody Paige said, "I hope that the names stop being dribbled out. Just release them like a flood so we can get past this." FanHouse.com columnist Kevin Blackistone added, "It would be great if you could just release all those names. That would truly be in the best interest of baseball" ( "Around The Horn," ESPN, 7/30 ). In N.Y., William Rhoden writes under the header, "Baseball Players' Silence Led To Loud Drip Of Names" ( N.Y. TIMES, 7/31 ). YOUR SECRET IS SAFE : SPORTINGNEWS.com's Dan Levy wrote MLB would be "committing a crime" if it released the list. Levy: "They agreed to never release the names in accordance with the testing agreement. Not to mention they could potentially be impeding a Federal Investigation." Should the league release the list, the MLBPA likely "would strike that day" ( SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/30 ). On Long Island, Ken Davidoff writes, "How exactly do 104 (or so) wrongs make a right? Are you contending that the remaining unnamed players on the list should have their liberties violated just so the rest of us don't have to deal with the drip, drip, drip of occasional news stories on the subject?" ( NEWSDAY, 7/31 ). ESPN's Tim Kurkjian: "They're not supposed to leak out and there's no way anyone is going to release these names" ( "Baseball Tonight," ESPN2, 7/30 ). Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers: "If you sign up for something and you are promised confidentiality, do you want somebody else to take that promise back? ... These guys agreed to the testing with confidentiality. I think they still deserve the confidentiality" ( "Chicago Tribune Live," CSN Chicago, 7/30 ). YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Passan writes it is not MLB's "fault that some rogue lawyer breaks the law by leaking names." The league's "drug policy is stronger, though the idea of near eradication by commissioner Bud Selig is downright laughable" ( SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/31 ). TAINTED LOVE : Angels CF Torii Hunter, who played with Ortiz with the Twins from '97-'02, said of the list, "You have someone who's a little rat, who keeps poking his head out of the hole. Why not just come out? Why throw a name out there every three months, every six months? Why keep playing these games?" ( L.A. TIMES, 7/31 ). Hunter added, "It's like someone is trying to taint everything we do. These are supposed to be anonymous and some snitch is leaking names. Either put it all out there, or keep your mouth shut" ( USA TODAY, 7/31 ). White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said, "Can somebody in baseball, please, we're all begging people, get that stupid list out and move on? This is ridiculous, this is embarrassing. It's a joke." Guillen also suggested "someone is making money" by leaking the names ( CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/31 ).
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