A Miami-area doctor under investigation by the DEA for possibly supplying Manny
Ramirez with drug prescriptions issued a statement Friday saying he "never
prescribed drugs of any kind whatsoever" to the Dodgers' outfielder.

The statement from Pedro Publio Bosch, 71, comes 15 days after an ESPN report
that said investigators were looking into Bosch and his son, Anthony Bosch, 45,
for their connection to Ramirez. Sources said Bosch allegedly provided Ramirez
with a prescription for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is banned by
baseball as a performance-enhancing drug.

Ramirez returned July 3 after a 50-game suspension.

"I consider the allegations of ESPN outrageous and slanderous, and issue this
statement to correct the misrepresentations made by ESPN," said the statement,
released by a Miami-area public relations firm. "First, Mr. Manny Ramirez is
not, nor has he ever been my patient. I have never prescribed drugs of any kind
whatsoever to Mr. Ramirez.

"Second, in my thirty-three years of practicing medicine in Coral Gables,
Florida, I have never prescribed HCG, not to Mr. Manny Ramirez nor to anyone
else."

Bosch's statement also said, "to the best of my knowledge there is no DEA
investigation involving me in any matter whatsoever."

The existence of the investigation was confirmed, however, by both Major League
Baseball and a federal law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of
anonymity.

After being contacted by ESPN for the original story, MLB President Bob DuPuy
issued a statement saying officials were "aware of the investigation, and our
department of investigations is cooperating with the DEA."

ESPN issued a statement Friday, saying it "stands by the original story which
reported Dr. Bosch is being investigated by the DEA."

Bosch's statement makes no reference to his son Anthony, who sources said is
believed to have been a conduit between his father and Ramirez. Investigators
would like to know whether the Boschs may have been connected to other athletes.

ESPN made several attempts to contact Pedro Bosch before publishing the story
June 25, and although Bosch did not respond, a man who said he was Bosch's
attorney contacted an ESPN reporter. After initially saying that he was not
aware of the DEA's inquiry, the attorney, Don Jones, said he would consult with
Bosch. Jones has not returned calls since that time. Anthony Bosch could not be
reached for comment.

Ramirez's use of hCG was discovered almost accidentally, after he tested
positive for elevated levels of testosterone during spring training. After the
positive test, MLB requested medical records from Ramirez, which were turned
over by MLB Players Association officials. Those records contained the hCG
prescription that led to Ramirez' suspension. As ESPN first reported, Ramirez
was also given a test that determined the excess testosterone in his body came
from an outside source, but rather than suspend Ramirez for using a steroid, an
action Ramirez was expected to fight, MLB decided that the proof Ramirez had hCG
was sufficient to suspend him for 50 games, and Ramirez accepted his punishment.

HCG, commonly used as a fertility drug, is not an anabolic steroid, but boosts
the body's natural testosterone production. It is commonly used by athletes and
others coming off a steroid cycle.

Ramirez has not offered an explanation as to how he tested positive for elevated
testosterone, and sources said they did not know whether the Boschs were
connected to whatever drug Ramirez would have taken to cause the positive test.

Source: T.J. Quinn / ESPN.com