Email a copy of 'Red Sox Notes: Shields, Rodriguez, Ortiz' to a friend
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Email a copy of 'Red Sox Notes: Shields, Rodriguez, Ortiz' to a friend
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DarthMurph
The Sox won’t live or die by Ortiz’ numbers. He’s earned a bit of leeway.
birdfan21
As long as Ortiz continues to keep one step ahead of MLB’s steroid testing, he should be good for another 4-5 years.
DarthMurph
He’s never tested positive for steroids.
LazerTown
The 2003 steroid survey test he did.
Who knows if he still uses anything though.
carrigansghost
Please do show that test result.
LazerTown
People will go on and on about other players that failed the 2003 test, but for some reason Ortiz is often able to avoid the controversy.
redsox4434
All we know is that he tested positive for something 10 years ago, and hasn’t since. He was not suspended. He has never been linked with Anthony Bosch or BALCO or Brian McNamee.
So all we have is this one positive test from a decade ago, with no suspension attached. Nobody knows what he tested positive for. It could’ve been roids. It could also have been weed. Or an allergy medication.
carrigansghost
Ever think that might be because it was not valid?
DarthMurph
The 2003 test was not about steroids. He tested positive for a banned substance. We don’t know anything more than that.
Frederick Darwin Quixote
I think I saw an article about Ortiz on Fangraphs a few weeks ago. Te idea was that slugger types who are productive from 36-38 tend to keep hold steady for a few more years. They tend to be strong until they hit that one tough injury, and then it’s a pretty sudden drop.
John Cate 2
I read a study of the most similar players to Ortiz (sluggers who continued to hit into their late 30s) about a year ago, and the best comp to Papi was Pops, Willie Stargell. Stargell played well at 38 and 39, stealing an MVP award in the latter year, but then went off a cliff after he got hurt in his age-40 season (when he was still mashing).