Courtesy of NESN.com

Ortiz: 'I Never Bought or Used Steroids'

by Jessica Isner on Aug 8, 2009 2:20:16 PM

David Ortiz addressed the media on Saturday regarding allegations that he used performance-enhancing drugs, and both he and MLB Players Association general counsel Michael Weiner insisted that Ortiz never was told he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

"Nobody can tell me why I'm on the list," Ortiz said. "[I bought] legal supplements and legal vitamins over the counter, but I never bought steroids or used steroids.

"I was one of the guys who got educated more about the situation when the [report] came out and I started paying more attention to it, but I never thought that buying supplements and vitamins would hurt [anybody]."

Ortiz and Weiner maintained that Ortiz could not respond to the allegations until he had the information necessary to defend himself, but because of the anonymous nature of the testing procedures, Ortiz still does not have sufficient information to determine what substance triggered his positive test.

"I met with Michael back in 2004, but I was never told that I tested positive for steroids," Ortiz said. "We had a five-minute meeting, and it was a little confusing, but I was never told that I tested positive for steroids."

Weiner reiterated comments he made in his statement prior to the news conference, insisting that it is impossible that all 104 players on the alleged 2003 list tested positive. He insisted that their names were never released to the commissioner's office or the union, and that players such as Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were never told which substances triggered a positive test. That information was never released because the court ordered that the players involved in the testing procedures remain anonymous.

"We specifically told the players we don't know how the government compiled that list," Weiner said. "We don't know why their names are on that list, and we don't know whether they tested positive for steroids in 2003.

"We do know, based on the numbers, that it's impossible that every person on that list of 104 could have been positive. The numbers just didn't work. There are 104 names on the list. What we know...is that there were 83 confirmed positive results for 2003, because that was the number that crossed the five percent threshold and triggered additional testing.

"One hundred and four is the number of positive test results. It's not necessarily the number of individual players."

Weiner told the media that he plans to uphold the agreement between the court and the union, which stated that the players invovled in testing would remain anonymous.

Weiner also said that the MLBPA did not address the matter until now because he felt that the matter only required a response once names were repeatedly leaked from the list. Weiner added that he did not act when Alex Rodriguez's name was released in February because Weiner did not feel that the matter required an urgent response. He said that the issue warrented a response now because it threatened the integrity of the MLBPA and the league itself.

You can view Part I of Ortiz's press conference below. To view all three parts, click here. After the news conference, the Boston Red Sox released this statement concerning Ortiz: The Players Association made clear in its public statement today that there are substantial uncertainties and ambiguity surrounding the list of 104 names from the 2003 survey test.

Indeed, there is even uncertainty about the number of players on this 2003 government list, whether it is 104, 96, 83, or less. Many of those uncertainties apparently relate to the use of then-legal nutritional supplements that were not banned by Baseball.

David vigorously denied ever buying or using steroids. As important, Major League Baseball has informed us that David has been tested every year since the implementation of the MLB/MLBPA program in 2004 and, under the program, he has been tested 15 or more different times. We have been informed that, during this entire 6-year period (2004-2009), David has never tested positive for a steroid. Also during this period, David voluntarily submitted himself to the Olympic standard of drug tests administered in connection with the World Baseball Classics in 2006 and in 2009. We are informed he did not test positive for steroids under those tests either, and he participated actively in both international tournaments.

Last week, David said he would keep people informed after he personally looked into reports of his inclusion on the 2003 survey test. He has done so. David Ortiz is a team leader, and his contributions on the field and in the community have earned him respect and a special place in the hearts of Red Sox Nation.

We appreciate the attention given to this specific matter by the Players Association and the Office of the Commissioner. The Boston Red Sox continue to support all efforts to rid the game of steroids. We again salute Commissioner Selig for his staunch and continuing leadership in eradicating the use of steroids in Major League Baseball.

4 1/2 back

15 innings
14 pitchers
494 pitches

Alex Rodriguez walk off homerun off of Boston Triple A call up pitcher Junichi Tazawa disheartened Red Sox Nation.

Clay vs. Sabathia
Lester vs. Petite

1-8

Is there any consolation that NY is 1-8 vs. Boston?

Is Boston hungry? NY issued 12 walks and Boston left how many on base?

NECBL Western Division Title

Congratulations to the Vermont Mountaineers as they sweep their second consecutive series and claim the NECBL Western Division Title.

"The Mountaineers return to action on Saturday when they will travel to play the winner of today's Eastern Division title game between the Newport Gulls and the Sanford Mainers. Vermont's final home game will take place on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Recreation Field in Montpelier." (courtesy Times Argus)

Vermont Mountaineers

Tonight at Holyoke for Game 2 of this Best of 3 NECBL Western Division Championship Series; following last night's 7-1 Game 1 victory.

(The Vermont Mountaineers are a summer collegiate baseball team based in Montpelier, Vermont. The team, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, plays their home games at Montpelier Recreation Field.

The team's name was chosen from more than 300 entries after the franchise was awarded to Vermont by the NECBL in 2003. The team has seen substantial success since their inaugural season, winning three division championships and two league championships. John Russo has been with the team throughout its existence and has served as manager since 2004. Brian Gallagher has been the team's general manager since the formation of the franchise.

As of June 2009, there are 19 former Mountaineers in professional baseball, led by Robert Delaney (Rochester Red Wings) now playing AAA-level baseball. In total 47 ex-Mountaineers have gone on to play baseball professionally. [1]

The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is a 12-team amateur wooden bat summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August. Like the Cape Cod Baseball League and other amateur leagues, the NECBL is a showcase for top college-level players, giving professional baseball scouts a chance to see prospective pros playing against each other. It is considered one of the top summer leagues in the country.

Founded in 1993, the NECBL began its direction under George Foster, former Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets All-Star and Major League Baseball home run leader, and Emmy Award-winning television producer/director Joseph Consentino. Play started in 1994 and today the NECBL has become a strong twelve-team league that plays in all six New England states. It recruits players attending U.S. colleges from New England, the other 44 states, and foreign countries, provided that they come from NCAA-sanctioned colleges or universities, are in good academic standing, have completed at least one year of athletic eligibility, and have at least one year of eligibility remaining.[1] )*

courtesy of Wikipedia*

BoSox need proverbial 'Mr. Clutch'

So many missed opportunities vs Tampa ... HUGE 4 games in NY.

Joe Castiglione

Castiglione joined the Red Sox broadcast team in 1983, teamed with Ken Coleman. He admitted not being in the booth when the ball rolled through Bill Buckner's legs in the 1986 World Series, as he was in the clubhouse covering Red Sox' seemingly-impending victory celebration. After Coleman's retirement in 1989, Bob Starr became the lead announcer for the Red Sox. After Starr's departure at the end of the 1991 season, Castiglione became the team's lead radio announcer along with Jerry Trupiano. Castiglione became nationally known when the team won the 2004 World Series, with his broadcast of the end of the game. During the 2007 season he shared announcing duties with a rotating duo of Dave O'Brien and Glenn Geffner. With Glenn Geffner leaving for the Florida Marlins broadcast booth, Castiglione shared the booth with Dave O'Brien, Dale Arnold or Jon Rish in 2008. Dave O'Brien and Jon Rish are his partners for 2009.

Castiglione claims to have been a New York Yankees fan as a kid. He said in his autobiography that he then closely followed the Pittsburgh Pirates because they were the closest to Youngstown, and likewise became an Indians fan after moving to Cleveland.

Castiglione is currently a Lecturer in the department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University, where he teaches a course on Sports Broadcasting. Current Red Sox play-by-play announcers Don Orsillo and Uri Berenguer were among his students and broadcast booth interns. He has also taught at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire.

In 2004, Castiglione published a book called Broadcast Rites and Sites: I Saw It on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox. The book is a collection of stories from his days covering the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. It was updated in 2006 to include material on the 2004 World Series.

(courtesy of Wikipedia)

Another terrific program.

Thanks again to Kevin Hartman and Buster Olney for appearing on my sports rant and talk show. Special thanks to the stations of Radio Vermont who exclusively air my program, live every Sunday night, 9-midnight.

Next week, Boston vs. New York on WDeV FM & AM!