Ortiz reportedly positive for performance drugs in 2003

Ortiz reportedly positive for performance drugs in 2003

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola) NEW YORK (AP) -- David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were among the more than 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to a report in The New York Times. The article posted on the newspaper's Web site Thursday cited lawyers involved in pending litigation over the testing results who spoke anonymously because the information is under seal by a court order. Ortiz declined comment to the paper. In 2004, he and Ramirez led the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series championship since 1918. The results from the 2003 tests were supposed to remain anonymous, but they later were seized by federal agents. Alex Rodriguez admitted using performance-enhancing drugs after he was linked to the 2003 list. Ramirez, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, recently served a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy. Ortiz had not been previously linked to positive tests. Ramirez was a long-established star in 2003. Ortiz, in contrast, had been a part-time player before that season. In 2003, he became one of baseball's top sluggers. _Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed._