Time to Talk the Talk

(AP and Reuters)

The Longer He Takes to Get His Story Straight
The Harder He's Going to Be to Believe

Still, We Wait for Ortiz to Get Answers
Will This Continue To Be a Distraction Through Tampa and Into New York?
Since Papi Actually Got His Answers from the Players Association in 2004,
The Nation Has Plenty of Questions to Ask
How Many Days Does It Take to Get Your 'Stuff Together'?
Meanwhile, Sox GM Theo Epstein Continues to Admire Ortiz's Courage
Is Papi Out Helping O.J. Find the Real Killers?
What Should Ortiz Do? Survey, Comment

"He needs some time to get some answers and then he�s going to stand up and answer every question. I admire that courage." -- Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein, July 30 (... tick, tick, tick Theo)

NY Daily News: Could Ortiz Blame Test on Supplement?

"Because neither Major League Baseball nor the Players Association is believed to know the substances for which the players tested positive during that survey testing year - only the government has those results - if a player thinks he tested positive for a supplement, he might have a reasonable case. The supplement 19-norandrostenedione was legal in 2003 and contained the steroid nandrolone, a hard-core performance-enhancing drug used to build muscle." -- 8.3.09, Daily News

(BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons)

"Gimme something baby. On Monday we don't have answers from David Ortiz. Give me something..." -- 8.3.09, WEEI's Michael Holley

Cheat Skate

(BDD Photo Illustration)

So Why Does Manny Ramirez Get to Skate Clean
on His 2003 Positive Drug Test?

Plaschke's Not a Manny Lemming: Manny Was Bigger Cheater Than We Thought

Los Angeles Times: "Sorry, all you righteous Red Sox fans, but your heroes are no better than our heroes.

That historic comeback from the three-games-to-none deficit against the New York Yankees in the 2004 playoffs?

It was indeed too good to be true.

That first world championship in 86 years? Truly a dream.

The second World Series title three years later? As magical as it seemed.

Turns out, the heavy lifters in those lineups had some help, Ramirez and Ortiz doing it with syringes and pills. They were just Barry Bonds with bigger smiles, Mark McGwire with fewer freckles.

The Curse of the Bambino lives.

At least Ramirez had the good sense to stay in the shadows. How about that beauty of an interview given by Ortiz this spring, when he climbed into a pulpit and announced that steroid users should be suspended for a year?

"Ban them for the whole year," he said, later adding, "I know that if I test positive for using any kind of substance, I know that I'm going to disrespect my family, the game, the fans, and everybody . . . so what will I do, I won't use."

OK, Ortiz far surpasses Ramirez on the fraud meter, so at least our Manny has that going for him." -- Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times

(BDD / Frank Galasso Illustration)

Pedro Martinez: "There's no crying in baseball. We won in 2004. That's it. Are you going to tell me that the other guys, who used it on other teams are now whining? They used it, too. One thing that's really caught my attention is -- why is it all Dominicans? What's going on? Why is it all Dominicans that all of a sudden come out positive? The last one standing might be me.

"That's a big question to ask. What's going on here? Why is it I'm the only one who might be left standing? All of a sudden, they're going to come up and say: 'Pedro [did it], too.' That's when I'm going to start stripping my clothes off and showing everybody I've never had acne on my back. If I did use it, it didn't help me. They need to give my money back. It didn't work." -- Pedro Martinez checking in on MLB.com

Sunday: Bats Attack, Sox Explode for 18 Runs, 23 Hits, Naturally, in 18-10 Win
Saturday: Beckett in Control in Baltimore, Sox 4, Birds 0
Friday: Papi Booed But Strikes Again, Sox Win at Camden, 6-5