David Ortiz Fesses Up

On one hand, no player in baseball or any other sport for that matter (I'm looking at you NFL) should EVER use performance enhancing drugs. If a substance is questionable it should be off limits and off limits to everyone.

On the other hand, the supplements that many, if not all of these players were taking were NOT on the banned list of substances in 2003. If they were NOT illegal at the time they were taken, should the players be held accountable for taking these substances? I don't think so. I think accusing them of cheating is unfair to all of the players involved (unfortunately that includes A-Rod and Giambi.)

I think, we need to wipe the slate clean for all of these players and start anew.

If, what David Ortiz said is true, that he has been tested 15 times since 2003 and has never again tested positive, should he still be held accountable? In my mind, the only thing he is guilty of is carelessness in not being aware of what he was putting in his body...which is quite the sin for an athlete, but certainly not illegal.

Is Big Papi to be believed when he says that the only thing he has been doing over the last six years is eating better and working harder? I am inclined to believe him, but I cannot know for sure.

One thing I know for sure is that if I believe David Ortiz and give him the benefit of the doubt, as a baseball fan, it is incumbent upon me to also extend that benefit of the doubt to A-Rod, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and more.

Let's wipe the slate clean and start anew. Implement across the board testing. Let's test EVERY player on every roster once a month and if anyone tests positive they are banned for life, no questions asked. Let's act like adults and own up to this problem and solve it once and for all.

It can and should be done.