by BY DERRICK GOOLD dgoold@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8285 , St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Manny Ramirez, less than a month back from serving a 50-game suspension for a positive test this year, and David Ortiz were two of the 100 or so players who tested positive in the blind tests taken six years ago, according to a report on The New York Times website Thursday morning. Ortiz, Boston's designated hitter, issued a statement Thursday afternoon that said he was "blindsided" by the news, but that the report was true.

Ramirez, now an outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers, did not directly acknowledge the validity of the report before Thursday's game against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

"Me and David, we're two mountains," Ramirez said. "We're still going to keep doing good no matter what. That's how it's going to be. You guys want more information? You have the phone number. You can call the union."

Ortiz is a new name to surface in the sludge of the steroid era. Already various reports and admissions have identified Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, David Segui and Jason Grimsley as players who tested positive in the 2003 sweep of the league to determine if a broader drug-testing policy was necessary. There are reportedly 104 names on the list. Earlier this season, Major League Baseball suspended Ramirez for 50 games for violating the drug policy that evolved from the policy triggered by the 2003 test results.

Before the Times' story, Ramirez had never been linked to the 2003 list and Ortiz had not been linked to a positive test. It was the next season that Ramirez and Ortiz formed the muscle in the Red Sox lineup that swept the Cardinals in the World Series and delivered Boston's first title in 86 years. Ramirez was the World Series MVP, hitting .417 with four RBIs.

The duo also propelled Boston to a trophy in 2007.

"I'm just sorry that the story isn't going to go away because evidently there are more names that somebody is going to systematically leak out and continue to question the game that we play," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "One of these days it's going to be behind us."

Several of Ramirez's teammates declined comment. Catcher Brad Ausmus said that it's "barely come up at all" and that the topic has become "mundane." Ramirez spoke briefly, but offered no specifics about the Times' report or his second steroid bruise. He talked for 3 minutes, 28 seconds.

Torre spoke for 14 minutes, 38 seconds about it.

"The explanation comes in the fact that he didn't deny that he did something wrong," Torre said. "I don't know what else you want from him. Do you want to go in somebody's living room and undress somebody? Is that what you want to do? He didn't deny what he did was wrong and he took his medicine."

While not advocating for the release of the rest of the remaining names not yet public on the list of 2003 positive tests, Torre added: "It would keep you from holding your breath every time somebody says we have a news flash."

Baseball began testing in 2003, promising that the results would be blind and the tests conducted confidentially. The purpose of the first round of tests was to determine if steroids were a problem that had to be addressed with a stricter testing policy and punishment. The percentage was enough to initiate expanded testing and penalties that began in 2004.

The results, however, were not immediately destroyed by the union and have since been seized by the federal government as part of an investigation. The union has pursued legal action against the federal government over the results, and the union issued a statement Thursday chastising the sources of the Times' information because "leaking of information under a court seal is a crime."

The union called it "shocking and sad."

"I understand why this stuff wasn't destroyed, with BALCO, the subpoenas, I understand that," Cardinals third baseman Mark DeRosa said. "The thing that bothers me is we took those tests in confidence. Now the names are coming out. ... I feel like we're in a good place right now. I feel like the game is clean. Every so often a name comes out. It's kind of old to me."

It was new to Ortiz.

The Red Sox slugger, who had a breakout season in Boston in 2003, has talked about comforting Rodriguez during his steroid admission this spring and told reporters that positive tests should result in a year ban. He released a statement Thursday that promised transparency. It said: "I have just been told that the report is true. Based on the way I have lived my life, I am surprised to learn I tested positive. ... I will find out what I tested positive for. (And) based on whatever I learn, I will share this information with my club and the public. You know me - I will not hide and I will not make excuses."

Ramirez repeated his mountain analogy to reporters several times, saying: "Only God is going to be able to move those two mountains."

Torre, who managed the New York Yankees against the Boston lineups that Ramirez and Ortiz made frightening, discussed the unfortunate "scrutiny" that falls on every contemporary hitter in the game. He described Ramirez as "embarrassed" and "uncomfortable" after his 50-game punishment. Left field, Torre said, is a place he can hide from the topic.

Save, that is, for the boos. Hearty boos have greeted his every move during the four-game series at Busch.

"Do you think I'm going to get booed again today?" Ramirez asked in LA's clubhouse Thursday shortly after talking to reporters. "More?"

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