Ortiz Hurt Over PED Talk
BOSTON (CBS) - Wednesday was not a very good day for Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.
His team was rocked by the Minnesota Twins 15-8 for their second straight loss, he went 0-for-5 to snap his 27-game hit streak (dating back to last season), and earlier in the day he had to deal with a Boston Globe article questioning if the ridiculous numbers he's put up since his return from an Achilles injury are the product of Ortiz himself, or a little extra chemical help.
Ortiz told ESPNDeportes' Pedro Gomez he was "hurt" by Dan Shaughnessy's story in Wednesday's Globe, and there is no reason to link him to any performance enhancing drugs.
"I have bad Aprils [and] they bury me, or some reporter buries me because of that," Ortiz said. "I have a good April [and] it's bad, too."
"You're going to make me look like that just because I'm hitting good through 15 games?" Ortiz said. "I mean, it makes no sense."
PEDs and Ortiz have been linked in the past, with the New York Times reporting in 2009 that the slugger tested positive during the 2003 season. Ortiz says that positive test was the product of a combination of then-legal supplements and vitamins, and using anything to enhance what he does on the field has never crossed his mind.
Wednesday was the first game since his April 20th return that Ortiz did not record a hit this season. The 37-year-old is batting .381 and slugging at a .714 clip with four homers and 17 RBIs -- the third most on the team.
Ortiz told Shaughnessy he's been tested roughly five times this season, and the slugger is confident any future tests will come back with the same negative results.
Ortiz' day began with the frustration of seeing his his named associated with more PED talk, and ended with the hitting streak ending at 27 games.
Ortiz sent out the following Tweet after Wednesday's loss, taking a little shot at the Globe columnist.
At least he still has his sense of humor.
