David Ortiz would undoubtedly like to put most of the 2009 season behind him. In addition to his unprecedented early-season slump and the Red Sox’ first-round playoff exit, Ortiz dealt with allegations from a leaked drug test report that claimed the slugger tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, thus tarnishing his name and records in Boston.
Unfortunately for Ortiz, the case isn't going away anytime soon.
The case concerning Ortiz's drug test results "involves the records and samples of 104 players the government alleges tested positive in baseball's anonymous 2003 survey," according to Sports Illustrated. In August, a court decided by a 9-2 vote that the records of the test results were obtained illegally by the government, and there are new rules in place for the seizure of digital records.
Now, it must be decided whether the case will be retried in front of the entire court. If this comes to pass, there will likely be no decision on the case until 2011 at the earliest.
These ongoing legal matters will keep Ortiz's name in the press for matters he'd surely like to forget. Along with Ortiz, the identities of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez, David Segui, Sammy Sosa and Jason Grimsley also have been leaked.
While Ortiz remains an offensive question mark for the 2010 season, he is under contract with the Red Sox through next year, and the club holds a $12.5 million option on the DH for 2011. There are arguments that Ortiz will still be an important offensive presence in the Boston lineup, but manager Terry Francona will have some decisions to make regarding the look of the 2010 Red Sox.
The longer this case drags on in court, the longer Ortiz won’t have closure.
