Big Papi Breaks Silence After Yankees Break Sox in 15

ESPN.com- David Ortiz believes then-legal supplements and vitamins likely caused him to land on a 2003 list of alleged drug users seized by the federal government, and Major League Baseball and the players' association said some of the players on the list never tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.

MLB said in a statement Saturday that 96 urine samples, at most, tested positive in the 2003 survey -- and the players' association said 13 of those were in dispute.

The government seized the samples and records of 104 players from baseball's drug-testing companies in 2004 as part of the BALCO investigation into Barry Bonds and others. The list of players said to have tested positive, attached to a grand jury subpoena, is part of a five-year legal fight, with the union trying to force the government to return what federal agents took during raids.

"I definitely was a little bit careless back in those days when I was buying supplements and vitamins over the counter -- legal supplements, legal vitamins over the counter -- but I never buy steroids or use steroids," Ortiz said during a news conference that began about 3½ hours before his Boston Red Sox played the New York Yankees.

"I never thought that buying supplements and vitamins, it was going to hurt anybody's feelings."

I don't know about anyone else, but does something smell kinda fishy here? Where was the MLBPA's defense for Alex Rodriguez or Sammy Sosa? Because from what I saw today, Ortiz used the same "I've made some mistakes in my past" act as everyone prior to him. And at this point, I don't believe anything these athletes say. In this day and age we might be able to get every angle of access to an athlete, but we never know what they do behind closed doors. Everything Michael Weiner had prepared for the press conference was completely plausible.

So at the end of the day Ortiz apologized for making mistakes in his past but, denied using or ever buying steroids. He effectively turned himself into a walking contradiction. Amazing.

Going from bad to worse...Alex Rodriguez was hero in last night's epic 15-inning duel at the stadium. Nothing like October baseball in August to really get you jacked up. Despite the loss, the game totally lived up to the bill of a heavyweight bout. Two friends and former teammates, now leading their teams in the biggest rivalry in sports, face off under the bright lights and brutal scrutiny of New York City. That shit is right out of a movie! But Beckett and Burnett did not disappoint as they both masterfully carved through their opposing lineups.

But the outcome was hardly one of Hollywood story-book endings. The Evil Empire came out victorious behind the prodigal son of the Dark Side, Alex Rodriguez.

A depleted pitching staff, anemic offense, surging Yankees, lying heroes, repressed memories of the 2006 Boston Massacre returning. I think we all could use a little pick me up from Brazilian bombshell, Adriana Lima. You're welcome.