Looks Like Ortiz Will Duck His PED Use

Two days ago it was announced that David Ortiz would hold a press conference, along with the new president of the MLBPA, regarding his PED use. At the time I thought that was kind of weird. Why did the MLBPA need to be there? I started to suspect that the MLBPA would be there to give Ortiz cover when he dodged the issue and claimed ignorance as to what he took (hint: they were steroids). Now the MLBPA has released a statement indicating that they cannot share with outed players whether or not they are on the list or what they took. Bull$#!%.

The most telling part of the statement, which you can read in it's entirety over on Abe's blog, is the following:

First, the number of players on the so-called “government list” meaningfully exceeds the number of players agreed by the bargaining parties to have tested positive in 2003. Accordingly, the presence of a player’s name on any such list does not necessarily mean that the player used a prohibited substance or that the player tested positive under our collectively bargained program.

Second, substantial scientific questions exist as to the interpretation of some of the 2003 test results. The more definitive methods that are utilized by the lab that administers the current Drug Agreement were not utilized by the lab responsible for the anonymous testing program in 2003. The collective bargaining parties did not pursue definitive answers regarding these inconclusive results, since those answers were unnecessary to the administration of the 2003 program.

Is the MLBPA serious? Are they really still trying to convince us, themselves, MLB that the number of players who tested positive was under the 5% required to institute mandatory testing? These guys are completely out of touch. I realize they are a union and that their role is to advocate on behalf of players, but an advocate has to know when pressing a particular point actually does more harm than good. This is such an instance. The Boston Globe has been visibly pissed at Ortiz since the NY Times article was printed. If his explanation today is, "I can't say anything, they won't let me" [pointing at MLBPA Prez], they are going to rip him a new one. Not to mention, the story won't die.

The MLBPA also spends much of the statement criticizing the Times for trying to uncover information on a list sealed by court order. Ummmm, yeah, that's what journalists do so that the public can be informed. Congrats MLBPA, you are the world's greatest collection of douche bags. It's bad enough that you try to impugn journalists for doing journalism, but you're essentially blaming the Times for your f*#k up. Remember when you had a chance to destroy the list but didn't because you wanted to stop PED testing at all costs? Well, this is the cost @$$holes.