Clubhouse Insider

" Alex what we all -- could happen has become a very real possibility. And it's true the names slowly much earlier trickling off of that list of positive test from 2003 and according. The New York Times two names that were on medalist David Ortiz. And Manny Ramirez. In light of Manny Ramirez's recent problems that does not Thomas surprised. I guess we're never surprised anymore when any name is on any list because of the cloud of baseball's under. And fortunately there was this supposition that spread across the game over the last couple of years that really we don't know for anyone in. Even a guy like David Ortiz who said repeatedly especially on has marched 54 home runs. Back in 2006. That he had done that everything that he had accomplished had been done the right way. The fact that he would end up on the list. You know isn't shocking I mean it is shocking. It at one level because. You know because you -- take command his word and perhaps we still do I mean -- performance enhancing substances. Perhaps it was something in a supplement you never know they always there's always some reason but. At the same time we get to this point in which you know you'd just aren't shocked when you hear any name at any point. And it makes it very difficult for baseball to do what they want to do which is to move forward to close the ball can kind of say okay this is a chapter in baseball history. That is now closed because every time another name comes up especially big name like David Ortiz. It reopens it. Every single past. Indeed I mean we spent the entire spring talking about this issue with A-Rod and having tested positive in 2003. And you know his. His admission of use back in the beginning part of this decade from which he was several years removed. Now we're looking back once again it 2003. With in this is of course the first time did any prominent members of the Red Sox have been associated. With positive tests during their time in Boston Manny having many positive test. With having come with the Dodgers this year for a opt for a female fertility drug that it was so. It's sometimes associated with being a masking agent for steroids but. Deficits it really does thrust back into that era it also underscores how important it is for Major League Baseball. To do everything in its power. To define tests to define penalties that are going to help. That are going to help it move beyond and reestablished legitimacy of the game and what's accomplished and what could be the course of action now for David Ortiz we've seen players react in different ways when news like this has come out from Manny Ramirez who essentially that nothing. About anything about his recent test Alex Rodriguez who went on national TV and owned up to at least what we can tell is everything that went on in the past where should David Ortiz go from here mean it is that it -- best interest to simply sit down. And fair at all I Expos so I mean again all of that is going to depend upon what what. Actually happened or what he knows of what happens if he you know he actually used performance enhancing substances. And he tested positive for them. Then I think that a person has to be accountable for that and otherwise otherwise it could be a real mess for his team at a time of year that's already been. Quite difficult what with what with this world trade rumors in the stuff that's been going on the Daisuke Matsuzaka this week. If he believes that he is innocent you know and we camp you know we we can jump to the conclusion I mean obviously the evidence is significant the times the very credible institution. But we can't jump to the can be you know we can't say with certainty what happens. If he believes he's innocent then he should be very articulate. About stating that. As Curt Schilling has said in the past if if that is the case if he does if he is sure that he's innocent then not then he should also probably you know file a lawsuit. Parliament claiming as much. You talk about timing not just for David Ortiz but for his teammates coming here we are middle the pennant race but maybe for the -- waiver trade deadline this has the potential to be a huge distraction for a lot of people. Well there's no question that this is going to be. You know this is going to be an absolute lightning rod in side of buy into the clubhouse -- You know people are going to be pouring into Fenway Park today in order to try to get you know one of the try to see Ortiz is reaction to ask everyone on the Sox about this so. Yeah this is this is a really challenging time I mean all of the stuff that they went through last year with Manny Ramirez this time of year pale in comparison to what's coming. They've got BA's this afternoon and then got an offensively -- members of their offense namely Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay. Both struggling right now to -- guys -- absolutely positively. They have to have -- going in the right direction yet they put up fourteen runs over the last couple of days but the fact of the matter is that both they and you could have been trending down month to month to month over the course of the year both of them pretty much across the board had. Worst averages on base percentage slugging percentage with each passing month of the season. With the exception of phase us with the exception of -- uptick. In on base percentage this month so -- certainly concerned they're both good hitters they're career track record suggests that they'll snap out of it. For the Red Sox at calling it happens and -- maker and we touched for second on the trade deadline tomorrow. We hear so many names so many rumors nobody knows what really to believe but. What good the Red Sox be looking to do between now -- tomorrow well clearly they're looking to be aggressive and to try to find anyway possible making -- as much impact as possible. While not mortgaging their future. The interesting thing about the names that we hear floated you know the Roy Halladay is the Adrian Gonzalez's. In the victor Martinez's is that they would be here beyond just the remainder of this season so wouldn't just be a rental situation but instead something that could help the franchise for years to come at what cost that's the big question that will determine whether or not the Red Sox make the move in all likelihood -- Alex thanks as always we'll talk is so -- so much on."