Ramirez, Ortiz tested positive for doping in 2003 - report

David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, who powered the Boston Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007, tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, the New York Times reported Thursday.

The newspaper website report, citing unnamed attorneys with knowledge of the test results, said Boston star Ortiz and Ramirez, who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, were among 104 Major League Baseball players to test positive in 2003.

Exactly which drugs the players tested positive for using was not revealed in the report.

"Based on the way I lived my life I'm surprised to learn I tested positive," Ortiz said in a statement. "I'll find out what I tested positive for. Whatever I learn, I will share with the club and the public.

"I will not hide and I will not make excuses."

Tests were meant to remain anonymous, serving only as an indicator of the need for a name-linked program that began the next season. But results and names linked to samples were seized by federal agents investigating the BALCO steroid scandal event and names have leaked through anonymous sources in 2009.

Doping by Ramirez and Ortiz would cast a stain upon the historic 2004 World Series triumph by the Red Sox, which ended the team's 86-year title drought.

In the meantime, Ortiz and Ramirez become the latest names that have been linked in reports to positive tests even though a court order has sealed the test information.

Ramirez hit .325 with 37 home runs and 104 runs batted in during the 2003 season while Ortiz batted .288 with 31 homers and 101 runs driven in during the 2003 campaign.

Ortiz had not been previously linked to doping and the Dominican star known as "Big Papi" has been one of the most popular players with Red Sox fans. Boston fans cheered Ortiz as usual during Thursday's game.

Ortiz smacked a three-run homer Thursday to put the Red Sox ahead to stay Thursday in an Boston 8-5 victory over Oakland but added little to his statement when speaking to reporters after the game.

"I found out an hour before the game about the situation," Ortiz said. "Right now I don't have any information. I'm going to get more info about the situation.

"I will honestly tell you guys what's up. Right now I've got no answer. I'm going to go get deeper than this and find out in the next couple of days. My whole life, my whole career around here, I have been what I am."

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he thinks Ortiz can handle whatever comes following the report and was happy to see the slugger's homer rally Boston to victory.

"I believe David will be OK," Francona said. "I didn't have time in the seventh inning to think about someone's mental capabilities. I was just glad the ball left the ballpark."

Others who have been reported as linked to positive tests from the 2003 testing include all-time US home run king Barry Bonds, New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, Dominican slugger Sammy Sosa, Jason Grimsley and David Segui.

Ramirez completed a 50-game major league suspension earlier this month for violating the major league drug policy.

Ramirez was named the 2004 World Series Most Valuable Player while Ortiz was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 American League Championship Series, in which the Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the best-of-seven playoff series over the arch-rival New York Yankees.

At 59-42 this season, the Red Sox trail the Yankees by three games in the American League East division but are the team to beat for a wild-card playoff berth.

Ortiz and Ramirez also played key roles for the Red Sox in a 2007 World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

Rodriguez has admitted doping during the 2003 season. "A-Rod" hit 47 home runs that year.

Bonds was nagged by doping links during his chase of the all-time major league homer record before finally passing Hank Aaron in 2007. Bonds set a one-season record of 73 homers in 2001.

Sosa and Mark McGwire chased the old one-season mark of 61 during the 1998 season, with McGwire setting the mark of 70 that Bonds eclipsed three years later.

McGwire's reputation was badly damaged when he refused to repeat oft-made denials of doping during a 2005 congressional hearing.