The David Ortiz Appreciation Thread

[Gringo]

On pace for his best ever season. Amazing stuff.

[moonslav59]

I still say we make him a golden offer to come back for another season.

[devildavid]

Fenway went crazy today when Papi stole second! I was watching from the Monster seats. Along with Mookie's homer it was the highlight of the game. Papi's got wheels!

[moonslav59]

You can tell your grandchildren that you saw Papi's last SB!

Wow, what a feeling!

 

Seriously, it's amazing this guy is on pace for about...

 

45 HRs

75 2B + 3B

150 RBIs

and his highest OPS ever!

 

[Kimmi]

I still say we make him a golden offer to come back for another season.

 

This should put the Papi "unretiring" ideas to rest.

 

"Big Papi" arrives at the stadium before any other player to start the long process of preparing for a game, particularly when it comes to his feet. He says he feels so much pain in his feet every day, they are the main reason he guarantees he will never change his mind and come back for another season.

 

"Everything hurts," he said. "It even hurts to think. Last time I reached second after a double, I almost called for a timeout so they would get me out of the game. I can barely run because my feet hurt so much. I am in severe pain.

 

 

Apparently he is in far more pain than most of us realized.

[mvp 78]

What a wuss! My meighbohood florist has a harder job!!!

[sk7326]

In RC+, 2nd place is closer to 29th than to 1st ... 1st is Ortiz

[moonslav59]

In RC+, 2nd place is closer to 29th than to 1st ... 1st is Ortiz

 

The guy is a legend.

[moonslav59]

This should put the Papi "unretiring" ideas to rest.

 

"Big Papi" arrives at the stadium before any other player to start the long process of preparing for a game, particularly when it comes to his feet. He says he feels so much pain in his feet every day, they are the main reason he guarantees he will never change his mind and come back for another season.

 

"Everything hurts," he said. "It even hurts to think. Last time I reached second after a double, I almost called for a timeout so they would get me out of the game. I can barely run because my feet hurt so much. I am in severe pain.

 

 

Apparently he is in far more pain than most of us realized.

 

It amazes me how he can be having his career best year with feet like that!

 

WOW!

[Slasher9]

I still say we make him a golden offer to come back for another season.

 

meh. he clogs the basepaths.

[a700hitter]

meh. he clogs the basepaths.

Highest stolen base % on the team.

[Slasher9]

Highest stolen base % on the team.

 

he may set a personal record at 40 for most SB's in a season. he had 4 in '13.

my post was tongue in cheek / an inside joke to Moon about a Papi hater that used to post with us.

[a700hitter]

he may set a personal record at 40 for most SB's in a season. he had 4 in '13.

my post was tongue in cheek / an inside joke to Moon about a Papi hater that used to post with us.

He is on pace for 5 SBs

[oldtimer]

David's problems with his feet are already limiting the number of games he can play and could well put him on the bench for long periods as the season grinds on. The team needs to be prepared to have a designated hitter to fill in for him when he is hurting too much to play. As far as projecting his season's totals is concerned, I would temper that with the reality of his physical problems and the likelihood of him being out for extended periods. He continues to be a great clutch hitter for the Sox and a positive presence in the dugout. I think he is making the right decision to know when his time to hang them up has come.

[Spudboy]

This is wicked cool.

 

I hope that the link works. I snagged this from ESPN.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/page/allstar2016_96hrderby/how-david-ortiz-stole-show-ken-griffey-alex-rodriguez-home-run-derby

[cp176]

David Arias!!! Very, very cool. They new even then that he might be special. Thanks for that link.

[Spudboy]

David Arias!!! Very, very cool. They new even then that he might be special. Thanks for that link.

 

Glad the link worked.

 

It's a wonderful story. What is really cool too is that everyone thought "Davey"was such a fun guy to be around. I guess he has always been that way.

[Emp9]

This is wicked cool.

 

I hope that the link works. I snagged this from ESPN.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/page/allstar2016_96hrderby/how-david-ortiz-stole-show-ken-griffey-alex-rodriguez-home-run-derby

 

Thank you for this😎

[devildavid]

Need to bring this thread back to page one.

 

In what threatens to become a very disappointing season, Papi's performance has been absolutely incredible. Here is a 40 year old, on obviously bad wheels, who is hitting better than players half his age. He is one of the smartest hitters I have ever watched. He obviously studies the game and knows what he is doing every time he steps into the batters box. The amazing focus he has brought to this season is reflected in his performance. It is rare for an athlete to turn his final season into a signature season as Ortiz is doing. Not only am I going to miss him, but MLB will miss him.

[Slasher9]

David Ortiz = God

[SoxnCycles]

Need to bring this thread back to page one.

 

In what threatens to become a very disappointing season, Papi's performance has been absolutely incredible. Here is a 40 year old, on obviously bad wheels, who is hitting better than players half his age. He is one of the smartest hitters I have ever watched. He obviously studies the game and knows what he is doing every time he steps into the batters box. The amazing focus he has brought to this season is reflected in his performance. It is rare for an athlete to turn his final season into a signature season as Ortiz is doing. Not only am I going to miss him, but MLB will miss him.

 

Yup, next year is going to be strange without him.

And I'm not looking forward to it.

[Bellhorn04]

The Angels tribute to Papi was great. Mike Trout in the shades and gold chain, Ortiz and Pujols bear-hugging each other. Alfredo Griffin probably thinking 'WTF am I doing here with 3 of the all-time greats?'

[Slasher9]

Nearly 19,000 men have played baseball in the major leagues. I've decided that their careers all had one thing in common: Not one of them had a final season as spectacular as the grand finale currently being crafted by a man named David Americo (Arias) Ortiz.

 

Willie Mays hit .211 the year he said goodbye. Hank Aaron batted .229. Harmon Killebrew hit .199. Goose Gossage had a 4.18 ERA. Robin Roberts went 5-8, 4.82. John Smoltz and Phil Niekro both had ERAs north of 6.00. And that's normal.

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17536730/is-boston-red-sox-dh-david-ortiz-having-greatest-farewell-season-all

 

good read.

[mvp 78]

Koufax was a 10 WAR player. Ted Williams had a 190 OPS+. The case could be made for any of the guys mentioned in the article and it comes down to personal preference.

[S5Dewey]

Nearly 19,000 men have played baseball in the major leagues. I've decided that their careers all had one thing in common: Not one of them had a final season as spectacular as the grand finale currently being crafted by a man named David Americo (Arias) Ortiz.

 

Willie Mays hit .211 the year he said goodbye. Hank Aaron batted .229. Harmon Killebrew hit .199. Goose Gossage had a 4.18 ERA. Robin Roberts went 5-8, 4.82. John Smoltz and Phil Niekro both had ERAs north of 6.00. And that's normal.

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17536730/is-boston-red-sox-dh-david-ortiz-having-greatest-farewell-season-all

 

good read.

 

Yes. Especially for a player with Papi's accomplishments and potential legacy, it's better to get out a year too early than a year too late.

[moonslav59]

A few weeks ago, I heard Papi in an interview saying his feet felt great. Certainly Papi knows his health better than we do, but if he's "game", I'm all for Papi returning, even if in a diminished role or at 80% production levels.

 

[a700hitter]

Yes. Especially for a player with Papi's accomplishments and potential legacy, it's better to get out a year too early than a year too late.

That is not true for everyone. Outside of baseball, he is a young man. Some players would regret walking away from the game if they still have a lot in the tank.

[oldtimer]

Ortiz had a great night for us. A single, double and homerun plus a sac fly in a very meaningful game. He passed Mantle on the home run list, is leading the league in doubles (a guy who doesn't run that well) and is high on all three triple crown categories. All to that what he adds to the team enthusiasm and you have a truly great player.

[Bellhorn04]

An Atlantic great white shark first spotted off the coast of Cape Cod has been named Big Papi by the marine biology guys.

 

I'm not even kidding.

[moonslav59]

I know I'm being selfish, but I'm still hoping Papi has so much fun this year, his feet feel good at season's end, and he decides to come back for one more year.

 

It really would work well with giving Beni and Moncada one more year without pressure to make up for much (some) of his loss.