The David Ortiz Retirement Discussion Thread

[moonslav59]

Papi is living legend. Nobody has come closer to almost single-handedly carrying the Sox to championships.

 

Many years ago, I started a thread on the old BDC site titled "Rumors of Papi's Demise Have Benn Greatly Exaggerated" and it took on a life of its own.

 

Big Papi will always hold a big spot in my heart. I wish him the best, and yes, I'll hold out some hope that he may return in 2017.

[billge]

Think about the kids David, you can't leave.

[Kimmi]

I think we all hate to see Papi leave, but he needs to go out on his terms. It would be awful if he decided to play another year, then really fell of the cliff. It's sad to see baseball greats try to hang on too long. Think of the difficult position that also puts the manager in.

[Dojji]

We're in a good position to accept a Big Papi limp year. We have some good offensive players with options that we can use to cushion any setback in Ortiz's performance if he decides not to hang it up, starting with Blake Swihart, possibly Sam Travis if he can get back on form in AAA this year, and the possibility of Moncada and benintendi has to be considered as well. We have good insurance against a bad 2017 if the big man feels he has another year in his tank and proves to be wrong.

[Kimmi]

We're in a good position to accept a Big Papi limp year. We have some good offensive players with options that we can use to cushion any setback in Ortiz's performance if he decides not to hang it up, starting with Blake Swihart, possibly Sam Travis if he can get back on form in AAA this year, and the possibility of Moncada and benintendi has to be considered as well. We have good insurance against a bad 2017 if the big man feels he has another year in his tank and proves to be wrong.

 

I am not concerned with whether the team has cushion or not. I am concerned with Papi possibly having to go through the humiliation, if you will, of being moved down in the order at best, or being benched or sent on a phantom DL stint at worst.

 

He will still be a baseball legend no matter what, but I would rather see him go out on a high note, on his terms, rather than trying to hold on too long and putting himself and the team in a less than ideal spot.

[cp176]

Maybe it is a man crush maybe it is just who I am but I love this guy. I really wish that there was some way I could get him to meet any or all of my grandchildren. thanks to Ted, i've got a little 4 year old who will be at the game on The 20th. A little young but first time. he gets the chance to at least see a living red sox legend in action.

[Thunder]

After just seeing what ESPN said during the pregame, I have realized that the end of Big Papi's career, whenever it may come, and I'm not concerned with when that is, but whenever his career ends, my childhood will end.

[iortiz]

Maybe it is a man crush maybe it is just who I am but I love this guy. I really wish that there was some way I could get him to meet any or all of my grandchildren. thanks to Ted, i've got a little 4 year old who will be at the game on The 20th. A little young but first time. he gets the chance to at least see a living red sox legend in action.

That's awesome cp.

 

Hopefully I have the chance to make my trip this year in August and see Papi playing one more time.

[SinceYaz]

On the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast (May 1), Hanley was being interviewed ... and I have to admit his personality was quite winning, happy and such.

 

I mention this because he was asked if they (his teammates) were trying to talk Papi into not retiring. He said every day they were all trying to talk him into staying.

 

The clubhouse seems like a happy, hungry place. David seems to be given a lot of credit for that. Winning surely helps.

[SoxnCycles]

My two sons have not had any kids ... and I'm 60. They both want to wait til they grow up.

 

Ha! If they're smart enough to know they shouldn't have them yet, they're ready.

It's the idiots that really never DO grown up and have kids that are the issue.

 

Oh and ignore the "I don't like your thread title" folks.

Some folks have to make up stuff to whine about, when the Sox are doing well.

Edited May 2, 2016 by SoxnCycles

[SoxnCycles]

 

That's awesome Cycles.

 

Thanks, Kimmi!

It is a lot of fun.

[Slasher9]

Greatest Red Sox player of all time.

it would be great to see him have a back of baseball card year in his final season.

[mvp 78]

Ha! If they're smart enough to know they shouldn't have them yet, they're ready.

It's the idiots that really never DO grown up and have kids that are the issue.

 

Oh and ignore the "I don't like your thread title" folks.

Some folks have to make up stuff to whine about, when the Sox are doing well.

 

Yes, please ignore the moderator who changed the title. He just needed something to complain about.

[SoxnCycles]

Greatest Red Sox player of all time.

it would be great to see him have a back of baseball card year in his final season.

 

He's a bum! No HR last night!

[SoxnCycles]

Yes, please ignore the moderator who changed the title. He just needed something to complain about.

 

I chalk it up to boredom, in YOTN's case.

[mvp 78]

Just chaulk it up to me being right.

 

You'll be on my side eventually.

[SoxnCycles]

Just chaulk it up to me being right.

 

You'll be on my side eventually.

 

If I ever get to the point where a thread title bothers me, I'm riding my bike into a bridge abutment at 90.

It's stupid nitpicking.

[Dojji]

Greatest Red Sox player of all time.

it would be great to see him have a back of baseball card year in his final season.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willite01.shtml

 

I love David too, but let's not forget our own history.

[Slasher9]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willite01.shtml

 

I love David too, but let's not forget our own history.

 

IMO Mr. Williams is the greatest baseball player that ever played for the Red Sox. David Ortiz is the greatest Red Sox player of alltime.

[Dojji]

No, just no. A player that was one of the maybe 5 greatest hitters of all time who the only uniform he wore other than the Red Sox was a military one, is the greatest Red Sox player of all time. Papi's up there, but Ted is Ted and it would take one HELL of a player to unseat him

 

Now if you ask who the greatest Red Sox player since Ted Williams is, I'll put Papi in the mix, alongside Yaz and maybe a couple others. but Ted is the #1 all time, and it's very likely to stay that way for a long long time.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Dojji

[Slasher9]

No, just no. A player that was one of the maybe 5 greatest hitters of all time who the only uniform he wore other than the Red Sox was a military one, is the greatest Red Sox player of all time. Papi's up there, but Ted is Ted and it would take one HELL of a player to unseat him

 

Now if you ask who the greatest Red Sox player since Ted Williams is, I'll put Papi in the mix, alongside Yaz and maybe a couple others. but Ted is the #1 all time, and it's very likely to stay that way for a long long time.

 

I hear you Doji. and i have debated this many times before. without a doubt most Sox fans definitely agree with you.

my deciding factor between the 2 is this:

Game 7, bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, 2 outs, down by 3. who do you think gives you the better chance to enjoy a parade?

 

Ted can have all his individual accomplishments. he was a great hitter. maybe the greatest hitter that ever walked this earth. but IMO David Ortiz is the greatest Red Sox player to have ever walked this earth. no individual stats that the splinter can present will change my mind. now if that seat was painted red because that is where the World Series winning HR landed i might reconsider......

[SinceYaz]

No, just no. A player that was one of the maybe 5 greatest hitters of all time who the only uniform he wore other than the Red Sox was a military one, is the greatest Red Sox player of all time. Papi's up there, but Ted is Ted and it would take one HELL of a player to unseat him

 

Now if you ask who the greatest Red Sox player since Ted Williams is, I'll put Papi in the mix, alongside Yaz and maybe a couple others. but Ted is the #1 all time, and it's very likely to stay that way for a long long time.

 

 

 

Let's just hope that Big Papi's kids don't decapitate his breathless head, stick it in a freezer and argue over his estate in the embarrassing children of the Splendid Splinter did ....

 

Teddy cannot really be placed second. But Teddy would have given his left n+t to have even just one of Papi's 3 WS rings. I can't properly qualify the distinction ... I am just glad to have witnessed Big Papi. I missed out on Teddy.

[SinceYaz]

Ha! If they're smart enough to know they shouldn't have them yet, they're ready.

It's the idiots that really never DO grown up and have kids that are the issue.

 

Oh and ignore the "I don't like your thread title" folks.

Some folks have to make up stuff to whine about, when the Sox are doing well.

 

 

Thanks for all fields covered, S&C.

 

We, the good wife and I, concur about both of the "boys"... I was a dad by 24, then at 28. But we aren't pushing them.

 

I yield to the good intentions of the mod. The old BDC forum had countless repetitive, and worse, trolling threads....

 

I will attempt to reconstruct my creativity in other ways.

[mvp 78]

If I ever get to the point where a thread title bothers me, I'm riding my bike into a bridge abutment at 90.

It's stupid nitpicking.

 

If I get the feeling I need to white knight for another poster, I'd do the same.

[SoxnCycles]

If I get the feeling I need to white knight for another poster, I'd do the same.

 

No danger of that happening.

[Kingface]

Ortiz>Ted....... I know it's a horrible thing to say in terms of baseball history and nostalgia..... But I agree with Slash. Ted was quite possible the best hitter to ever live. Ortiz did things in the biggest stage of all time....in front of the biggest audience of all time (Live, On TV AND on Social Media) that may never be matched. I judge players based on not only regular season......but AB's int he big moment. Sure I know it was different back then in terms of making playoffs and such....I get that. I think of it like Marino and Brady. Marino did things in terms of throwing a football that pretty much NOBODY could match. Sure his stats are being broken but he played in VERY different defensive times. Brady has the stats.....but he won 4 SB rings....... Pretty sure nobody will ever say Marino was a better QB than Brady (Unless they are a hater....and they're just stupid).

 

The problem baseball is that it has so much history, mystique and nostalgia behind it.......WAY more so than the NFL will ever have. We love Ted.....he was a great hitter, a legend and an American hero......it's hard to argue against that. Take all of those things away though........would we be still be having this conversation?

[sk7326]

Ortiz>Ted....... I know it's a horrible thing to say in terms of baseball history and nostalgia..... But I agree with Slash. Ted was quite possible the best hitter to ever live. Ortiz did things in the biggest stage of all time....in front of the biggest audience of all time (Live, On TV AND on Social Media) that may never be matched. I judge players based on not only regular season......but AB's int he big moment. Sure I know it was different back then in terms of making playoffs and such....I get that. I think of it like Marino and Brady. Marino did things in terms of throwing a football that pretty much NOBODY could match. Sure his stats are being broken but he played in VERY different defensive times. Brady has the stats.....but he won 4 SB rings....... Pretty sure nobody will ever say Marino was a better QB than Brady (Unless they are a hater....and they're just stupid).

 

The problem baseball is that it has so much history, mystique and nostalgia behind it.......WAY more so than the NFL will ever have. We love Ted.....he was a great hitter, a legend and an American hero......it's hard to argue against that. Take all of those things away though........would we be still be having this conversation?

 

Ortiz was never the best hitter of his era. He will end up as one of my two favorite all time Red Sox, and for me that is enough. Ortiz' great moments (which I will never forget) are at least as much a symptom of the Red Sox largely being really good for most of his time here.

[User Name]

Ortiz was never the best hitter of his era. He will end up as one of my two favorite all time Red Sox, and for me that is enough. Ortiz' great moments (which I will never forget) are at least as much a symptom of the Red Sox largely being really good for most of his time here.

 

You can't penalize Ted Williams because the Red Sox of seasons past didn't do a good enough job breaking the color barrier or, more importantly, amassing starting pitching. Ortiz did not win those WS by himself, and the Splinter was never given as many chances to shine in the big stage either.

[Kingface]

Ortiz was never the best hitter of his era. He will end up as one of my two favorite all time Red Sox, and for me that is enough. Ortiz' great moments (which I will never forget) are at least as much a symptom of the Red Sox largely being really good for most of his time here.

 

I understand and do not disagree.........but take Ortiz off the 04, 07 and 13 teams......do they win the WS? Do they make the playoffs? Tough call.......

 

In 46' Ted had probably his 3rd best season ever and won the MVP award........ He then batted .200 with one RBI in the WS against what was thought of as an inferior St.Louis team.......

 

These conversations are tough.....it's SOOOOO difficult to compare players from VERY different era's. If we were to take, say an average present day player.....like JBJ and piut him on the 46 Sox.......he'd probably be one of the best players because of his advanced training, nutrition, playing, scouting, coaching etc.....players now have WAY more at their fingertips then players of yesteryear. Take Ted Williams or Dommagio and pit him against one of our pitchers today...and you'll see a dip.

 

With that said......and I hate the Yankees as much as anybody else..... Mantle could play in ANY era and be amazing. To me.......he was the best of his time and if he stayed away from the bottle, he'd be the best ever.

[mvp 78]

You can't penalize Ted Williams because the Red Sox of seasons past didn't do a good enough job breaking the color barrier or, more importantly, amassing starting pitching. Ortiz did not win those WS by himself, and the Splinter was never given as many chances to shine in the big stage either.

 

Pesky f'd up Ted's chance. Don't hold the damn ball.