Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has become one of the franchise's most beloved players since joining the team in 2003.
A recent article in the Boston Globe suggested that Ortiz -- who is off to a tremendous start in 2013 -- may be helping his abilities on the baseball field by using illegal performance enhancing drugs.
Following an injury-plagued 2012 season, Ortiz is happy to be performing at a high level this season, but denies any link between himself and the usage of prohibited substances.
"This is a stage in my career that it's never crossed my mind, to get involved with anything related to PEDs," Ortiz said to ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez.
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The 37-year-old also shared his displeasure with being questioned regarding steroid use.
"You're going to make me look like that just because I'm hitting good through 15 games?" Ortiz said. "I mean, it makes no sense."
Batting a monstrous .381 with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs this season, Ortiz has been a huge factor in Boston's climb to the top of the American League East. While he is extremely happy with his 2013 campaign to this point, the Santo Domino native tells the Boston Globe that there should be no doubt when it comes to being clean since Major League Baseball tests on a regular basis.
"They test me all the time," Ortiz said. "They make you pee and they test your blood, too. This year I would say I've probably been tested five times, peeing. Blood, just once. That was in spring training. They don't warn you. They just show up."
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With Ortiz understandably annoyed with the belief that his hot start may be due to use of PEDs, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington voiced his opinion regarding his star player's situation.
"It's disappointing to me because of the hot start he's got to face that question," Cherington said in an interview with WEEI radio. "It's a disappointing thing. But, as David said, he's part of a program as every player on our team is, every player in baseball is. It ought to take a little bit more than a hot streak to raise that question, in my opinion."
The topic on whether or not David Ortiz is using performance-enhancing drugs will certainly be a continued discussion as the season progresses, but as far as baseball is concerned, Ortiz and his Boston teammates are playing solid baseball in 2013, a year removed from missing the postseason altogether.
Through 34 games Boston is 21-13 and tied for 1st place in the American League East with the Baltimore Orioles. The rival New York Yankees are only one game back in the standings at 19-13 overall.
If Ortiz is able to stay healthy and become the dominant force in the batter's box Red Sox nation has seen for 11 seasons, expect the pride of Beantown to be in the mix for a divisional title and perhaps even a World Series Championship.
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