David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez have long been buddies, seen here at a charity golf event in 2009. Credit: Getty Images
Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has battled steroid accusations for years, coming to a climax in 2009 when the New York Times reported that Ortiz tested positive for banned substances in 2003.
Joe Tacopina, Alex Rodriguez’s lawyer, told ESPN radio talk show host Colin Cowherd on Tuesday that his client was the only one who came forward and was upfront about PED use when the poop hit the fan in 2009. You can listen to the full interview here.
“No one else was compelled to say anything, and no one else did say anything,” Tacopina said about the time period when a Selena Roberts book was released detailing Rodriguez’s alleged PED use and the Times story broke. “People were denying stuff. And I’m not gonna start naming all the other players, but some of them are Godlike in Boston right now, and people seem to forget that. … Alex came clean and admitted something when he didn’t have to.”
Cowherd himself has dished on Ortiz’s alleged use of PEDs in the past as well. During this year’s World Series, Cowherd said the following:
“David Ortiz, who was shot two years ago, is now Babe Ruth. … That’s a great story. And I don’t want to get in the way of that great story because it will make people really, really mad. But the last time I saw a guy like this it was Barry Bonds. But sports is about storytelling and hero worship and cool nicknames and fanaticism. Fans get mad when you derail that. … When it’s too good to be true, it is. … Here was a guy in May of 2009, batting .222 with a slugging percentage of .300, no injuries and he couldn’t hit. … He’s significantly better today than several years ago. Interesting story. The story of David Ortiz hitting .733 is about as believable as Big Foot.”
Follow Metro Boston sports editor and columnist Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkeMetroBOS
