Shattered

I got an e-mail today with the subject: "I knew the Red Sox were too good to be true."

Once I opened it, instantly the best baseball year of my life was ruined. What I long suspected, but hoped would not be true, was confirmed: The 2004 Boston Red Sox were tainted by drugs. David Ortiz, like his cohort Manny Ramirez, tested positive in 2003. I'm a hypocrite, and the Red Sox first championship in 86 years is no more pure than any that the Yankees have won.

Fun day.

I didn't even care when I heard Papi hit a big home run to win today's game, 8-5 over the A's. The myth of Big Papi has been shattered. Ortiz, who had previously advocated a full-year suspension for roiders, claimed ignorance until after the game:

He said he was "blindsided" when a Times reporter asked him about the allegation before the game, and said he responded at the time with a "no comment" because he "wanted to get to the bottom of this." He added:

Based on the way I have lived my life, I am surprised to learn I tested positive. ... I will find out what I tested positive for [and] based on whatever I learn, I will share this information with my club and the public. You know me -- I will not hide and I will not make excuses.

Speaking to reporters in the clubhouse after the game, Ortiz elaborated on his statement. "I found out like an hour before the game about the situation. You guys know I'm a guy that never turns my back on you guys, always been true with you guys. And, honestly, right now I don't have information about it. I'm going to get more input about the situation and I'm going to honestly tell you guys what's up. But right now, I don't have answers. I've got no information."

At least Curt Schilling, the real hero of 2004, remains taint-free. I know, I shouldn't make such statements about any player of the last quarter decade.

Before this stunner, I had prewritten the following post. It encapsulates what I felt about Papi before this afternoon. I will post it as a final reminder to myself of the hypocrisy. I apologize to Jimmy Rollins for the roider ruining it for him:

It was nice to see Jimmy Rollins listed as one of Bubba Burgers "Who's Hot?" players on Sunday.

It got me thinking of all the crap J-Roll and David Ortiz took at the beginning of the year. These are two clutch players who willed their teams to overcome desperate odds to win improbable championships - Phillies over the Mets in 2007 and Red Sox over the Yankees in 2004.

Yet when they scuffled a bit this year, the fans who benefited greatly from their past performances wanted to run them out of town.

I admit I got impatient and frustrated with both of them, but it was more a feeling of "I don't want to see such a proud and capable player who has meant so much to my team struggle."

It wasn't the usual sports-talk drivel of, "He's done. Ship his ass out of here."

Since J-Roll bottomed out on July 1, he has increased his line from .205/.250/.319 to .236/.288/.381. Papi has improved from .186/.282/.284 on June 2 to .224/.311/.409 today.

I'm sure neither player is happy with his line, but I'm just glad they're back to playing at superior levels - not for what it means to their teams, but for what it means to their pride.

Maybe they'll carry their hot streaks through the World Series and battle not only for the big trophy but for World Series MVP as well.

Phillies: They lost 4-0 to the Diamondbacks last night. Hmm, maybe they should have traded losing pitcher J.A. Happ for Roy Halladay. They play even later tonight, opening a series against the Giants.