David Ortiz, better known by his stage name “Big Papi,” is a Dominican-American former first baseman and designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball. His successful career was ruined when he tested positive for a prohibited drug in 2003. As a result, the Red Sox star faced much criticism, and he responded angrily to those who accused him of abusing performance-enhancing drugs.
According to Ortiz, he was never made aware of the chemical for which he tested positive. “If you think I’m full of it, go to your kitchen cabinet right now and read the back of a supplement bottle and honestly tell me you know what all of that stuff is. I’m not driving across the border to Mexico buying some shady pills from a drug dealer. I’m in a strip mall across from the Dunkin’ Donuts, bro,” he said.
“Nobody in MLB history has been tested for PEDs more than me. You know how many times I’ve been tested since 2004? More than 80. They say these tests are random. If it’s really random, I should start playing the damn lottery,” he added.
When David Ortiz was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, fans were perplexed.
Big Papi received support from some and was viewed favourably as a candidate for the Hall of Fame, while others had the opposite opinion.
With 541 career home runs, Ortiz was a clutch player and fan favourite who contributed to the Boston Red Sox winning three championships. Despite having lower career statistics than Bonds and failing a drug test in 2003, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
David Ortiz tested positive for PEDs and Barry Bonds didn’t. Guess which one made the Hall of Fame,” sports writer David Lombardi tweeted.
Alex Rodriguez, a current member of the New York Yankees and a former teammate of David Ortiz, however, offered his congratulations and attended his Cooperstown induction ceremony.
After being chosen for his first All-Star Game in 2004, Ortiz went on to receive his first Silver Slugger Award. At the end of the season, he had a .301 batting average, 139 RBIs, and 41 home runs. After leading the major leagues with 148 RBI in 2005 and placing second in the AL MVP voting for the first time in his career, he set a new team record with 54 home runs in 2006.