David Ortiz, 1B

[SCM33]

Right now, there is no question that the best offensive and defensive lineup the Sox can put together is with Hanley at DH and Ortiz at 1B.

 

The Ortiz at 1B discussion is interesting. Imagine him, showing the ability to play 1B at his age.....it would do wonders for his HOF candidacy. The proposition is two fold:

 

1A. There is a team need for Hanley to put the glove away, he has killed them.

1B. Napoli has been terrible, Ortiz has been at least serviceable offensively, maybe putting on the glove for the first time in 15 years will help him.

 

2. Selfishly, if David can show he has any ability at all at 1B.....and I understand it is late in his career, but it may help his HOF potential. He has NEVER been a fulltime 1B'man. He was buried behind Doug Mientewicz (sp) in MIN and when he came to Boston, he was originally viewed as a spare part behind Kevin Millar and Jeremy Giambi. He found his niche replacing Giambi at DH as Millar started off hot at 1B, and the rest is history....a career DH. What if he can actually play the position?

 

I know this may be a pipe dream, but it is at least intriguing as the season moves along.........

 

What if.....David Ortiz can actually play 1B?

[Thunder]

Thought you were a Cubs fan now. What happened? You saw the Sox on a roll and decided to crawl back?

[SCM33]

Seriously?

[Spudboy]

Thought you were a Cubs fan now. What happened? You saw the Sox on a roll and decided to crawl back?

 

This comment is unnecessary.

[SCM33]

Thanks Spud, how are you doing? Been a long time......

 

How do you feel about my original comment?

 

Its hard to come back and contribute to the board with members like him....

[SoxHop]

I've been mulling this over quite a bit the last couple of days.

 

The dude is only 38, not 65, and a professional athlete. He should be able to handle standing at 1st for half a season. And like you I'm thinking.......come on Papi...... show em you can play first and walk into the HOF.

 

But will standing at first make him not hit HRs??????

[Thunder]

I regret my prior comment and apologize to those who found offense, especially you, SCM, although I don't agree with what you said in the PM you sent. Spud, you're right, that was out of line.

[SCM33]

He is 38, and he has NEVER really played 1B at the big league level. He has that going against him.

 

My question isnt whether or not he should, but whether or not he can.....he appears to be athletic enough to do it.

 

I dont see how fielding 1 or 2 grounders and making 10 or so putouts will affect him. It really comes down to his comfort level, which sorry to say....means nothing when we have Hanley out in LF who looks like a deer in headlights.

 

At least Ortiz appears to be comfortbale at !B, and I dont give a s*** what he says about willing to play 1B or not.....if it helps the team, and they win....suck it up, it may help him more than hurt him in the end.

[SCM33]

Well thank you Thunder....I truly appreciate the apology.

 

Lets continue the convo...

[SoxHop]

He is 38, and he has NEVER really played 1B at the big league level. He has that going against him.

 

My question isnt whether or not he should, but whether or not he can.....he appears to be athletic enough to do it.

 

I dont see how fielding 1 or 2 grounders and making 10 or so putouts will affect him. It really comes down to his comfort level, which sorry to say....means nothing when we have Hanley out in LF who looks like a deer in headlights.

 

At least Ortiz appears to be comfortbale at !B, and I dont give a s*** what he says about willing to play 1B or not.....if it helps the team, and they win....suck it up, it may help him more than hurt him in the end.

 

Please tell me he isn't bitching about playing first?????

[Jasonbay44]

I'm all for anything that gets Hanley out of LF, that awful experiment needs to end.

[BigPapi]

Please tell me he isn't bitching about playing first?????

 

In his press conference he said hell no in response to someone asking him if he wanrs to play 1st. While some of that is to protect nap, you can tell he definitely doesn't want to play 1st.

[SoxHop]

In his press conference he said hell no in response to someone asking him if he wanrs to play 1st. While some of that is to protect nap, you can tell he definitely doesn't want to play 1st.

 

Gotta love the guy, but he does stuff that really pisses me off.

 

If I was the coach and heard he said that.........I'd yell to him and tell him he is taking grounders during practice at 1st base all day this week.

 

Personally I think putting him there once in a while, Brock can cover first sometimes. It doesn't have to be every night. There are options....

 

I guess not said in all this is "Bye Bye Napoli".

[Spudboy]

Thanks Spud, how are you doing? Been a long time......

 

How do you feel about my original comment?

 

Its hard to come back and contribute to the board with members like him....

 

I think for now and as long as his legs and feet can tolerate it this is the best lineup.

 

I have always said that Ortiz can play a decent 1st base. Although I have not seen him throw much.

 

I am unhappy about one of my favorite players ( Napoli ) having such a bad year at the plate. Although his power numbers are better that the fat one at 3rd.

 

Long term this will not work.

 

I don't really think Ortiz playing occasional 1st base will help his HOF status at all. He needs to play next year and eclipse 500 HR t have his best shot.

 

I have a feeling that outside of New England he will have a tough time getting enough support for HOF induction. People still see him as a PED cheater.

 

I say he belongs.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Even if this season's a lost cause, it would help the team in 2016 if Ortiz could be the regular 1B. Having a full-time DH hurts your team flexibility in terms of being able to give off days and/or partial rest to players.

 

This is probably just a quick fad, though.

[sk7326]

Gotta love the guy, but he does stuff that really pisses me off.

 

If I was the coach and heard he said that.........I'd yell to him and tell him he is taking grounders during practice at 1st base all day this week.

 

Personally I think putting him there once in a while, Brock can cover first sometimes. It doesn't have to be every night. There are options....

 

I guess not said in all this is "Bye Bye Napoli".

 

oh relax - not like he is half assing it.

 

I don't think it impacts his HoF credentials - how many 1B make it on D anyway.

 

The PED thing will hurt him, but he has so many made for TV moments. Pure DHs have their issues getting in, and Ortiz is not the best of the lot. (that's Edgar Martinez) But he will have a good chance to get in. He will go down as possibly the best non-tender signing in baseball history though.

[mvp 78]

This comment is unnecessary.

 

No, it was completely necessary. SCM is just another troll and needs to go away.

[mvp 78]

Please tell me he isn't bitching about playing first?????

 

At his age and size, he can only do it a few times a week.

[Bellhorn04]

Even if this season's a lost cause, it would help the team in 2016 if Ortiz could be the regular 1B. Having a full-time DH hurts your team flexibility in terms of being able to give off days and/or partial rest to players.

 

I think this is a fallacy.

 

The Sox have won 3 World Series with Ortiz as fulltime DH.

 

The Yankees have tried that rotating DH thing and gotten s*** production out of it. In 2013 they got a .583 OPS from DH. In 2014 they got a .662.

[SoxnCycles]

From an WEEI article:

 

"The 39-year-old doesn’t look as comfortable in the field as he once did. For his career, Ortiz has racked up a more than respectable .990 career fielding percentage. But now, Ortiz looks increasingly uncomfortable in this role, resorting to icing his ankles while awaiting his turn to bat in Wednesday’s win over the Marlins."

 

If Ortiz is "bitching", it appears that he has a legitimate reason to.

Anyone think playing him at first full time and perhaps losing him to a leg injury, during the second half is a good thing?

[Kimmi]

He is 38, and he has NEVER really played 1B at the big league level. He has that going against him.

 

My question isnt whether or not he should, but whether or not he can.....he appears to be athletic enough to do it.

 

I dont see how fielding 1 or 2 grounders and making 10 or so putouts will affect him. It really comes down to his comfort level, which sorry to say....means nothing when we have Hanley out in LF who looks like a deer in headlights.

 

At least Ortiz appears to be comfortbale at !B, and I dont give a s*** what he says about willing to play 1B or not.....if it helps the team, and they win....suck it up, it may help him more than hurt him in the end.

 

Defensively, Ortiz can hold his own at 1B. He doesn't have great range, but he does a good job of handling the balls that he can get to and he also does a pretty good job of picking the throws in the dirt.

 

That said, while first base is the easiest defensive position to play, it still requires physical agility, especially in those stretches. I don't think it would be a good idea to play Ortiz there regularly, given his age and his leg problems.

 

I agree that it gives us a better line up with the way Napoli has been struggling and it gives us a better defensive alignment in the outfield, but if Papi is overused at 1B, I think it would end up doing more harm than good.

[Kimmi]

Thanks Spud, how are you doing? Been a long time......

 

How do you feel about my original comment?

 

Its hard to come back and contribute to the board with members like him....

 

Sincere question, since I'm fairly new here. Are you a Cubs fan?

 

The Allure of the Cubs has been overwhelming.

[SoxnCycles]

Sincere question, since I'm fairly new here. Are you a Cubs fan?

 

The Allure of the Cubs has been overwhelming.

 

Admit it.

You're reason Theo moved to Illinois!

[Kimmi]

I'm all for anything that gets Hanley out of LF, that awful experiment needs to end.

 

He has looked better out there recently. He'll never be a Gold Glover, but he should be able to play at a level where his poor defense does not outweigh his offensive production. Until Ortiz retires, I think we're going to have to deal with Hanley in LF for the majority of the games.

[Kimmi]

Admit it.

You're reason Theo moved to Illinois!

 

LOL!

 

I can't deny I'm a huge Theo fan and always have been. I would love to buy the guy a beer and pick his brain.

[VA Sox Fan]

This comment is unnecessary.

 

Lighten up Spud!

[sk7326]

I think this is a fallacy.

 

The Sox have won 3 World Series with Ortiz as fulltime DH.

 

The Yankees have tried that rotating DH thing and gotten s*** production out of it. In 2013 they got a .583 OPS from DH. In 2014 they got a .662.

 

if you are rotating the DH it means you don't have somebody good enough. Moreover I am not sure how much the partial rest idea matters.

[Palodios]

if you are rotating the DH it means you don't have somebody good enough. Moreover I am not sure how much the partial rest idea matters.

 

The idea is you're rotating a position player to give them a break, not that you're rotating multiple poor defensive players in and out of the spot. The Yankees haven't quite figured that out yet.

[Palodios]

This comment is unnecessary.

 

If I recall, SCM has made multiple topics about disliking the organization, and multiple topics about him leaving Talksox.

 

SCM is generally well liked, and has the right to do that, but people here have the right to rag on him when he does it.

[Bellhorn04]

The idea is you're rotating a position player to give them a break, not that you're rotating multiple poor defensive players in and out of the spot. The Yankees haven't quite figured that out yet.

 

The Yankees, like us, have done better when they had a fulltime DH raking, like Matsui in 2009.

 

I want a DH who's hitting, not one who's resting.