The David Ortiz Appreciation Thread

[moonslav59]

Here's something amazing about Papi's 2016 season:

 

Most XBHs in a season

 

91 (2004)

88 (2005)

88 (2007)

86 (2016) Counting the HR and 2B tonight

85 (2006)

 

It's possible he breaks his personal best this year. Having his second best XBH season is likely.

 

 

How about the fact that Papi's .632 league-leading SLG% is just .004 from his career high in 2006?

 

This could be the only year he of his career where leads in SLG and OPS. It's also the first time he's led the league in 2Bs.

[moonslav59]

Up .049 in OPS on Trout.

Up .036 in SLG on Murphy.

3rd in RBIs (5 behind Arenado)

5th in OBP in MLB.

11th in HRs.

 

 

[illinoisredsox]

Chad Finn absolutely nails it:

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2016/10/02/farewell-to-david-ortiz-the-best-thing-ever-to-happen-to-the-red-sox

[mvp 78]

Chad Finn absolutely nails it:

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2016/10/02/farewell-to-david-ortiz-the-best-thing-ever-to-happen-to-the-red-sox

 

In a sea of mediocrity and worse, Finn is great.

[moonslav59]

That was a great article that covered just about everything that needed to me covered.

 

Papi will always be "the greatest" in my mind.

 

[sk7326]

Martinez and Ortiz fundamentally changed what the Red Sox were ... even as a lifelong Sox fan, it would be hard to deny the Red Sox problematic racial history and its image as a stuffy, lily white franchise for a very long time (with few exceptions). The franchise's greatest player famously never tipped his cap (this is not to denigrate Williams at all, just using the image).

 

But starting in the late 90s, with the Domincan Flags and the parties that Martinez starts were ... and how visible the arrogance and knowledge of how good he was while he was dealing ... and then Ortiz who came out of nowhere from a projected job-sharing arrangement in 2003 to be here for all that winning. He's not the greatest Sox player ever, but he's way up there - and has won more than anybody in the modern era. And of all the stars the Nation have sent our cheers and hugs, Ortiz was the one who hugged us back. The winning and the colour together - there definitely won't be another like him.

[Bellhorn04]

Martinez and Ortiz fundamentally changed what the Red Sox were ... even as a lifelong Sox fan, it would be hard to deny the Red Sox problematic racial history and its image as a stuffy, lily white franchise for a very long time (with few exceptions). The franchise's greatest player famously never tipped his cap (this is not to denigrate Williams at all, just using the image).

 

But starting in the late 90s, with the Domincan Flags and the parties that Martinez starts were ... and how visible the arrogance and knowledge of how good he was while he was dealing ... and then Ortiz who came out of nowhere from a projected job-sharing arrangement in 2003 to be here for all that winning. He's not the greatest Sox player ever, but he's way up there - and has won more than anybody in the modern era. And of all the stars the Nation have sent our cheers and hugs, Ortiz was the one who hugged us back. The winning and the colour together - there definitely won't be another like him.

 

Martinez, Manny and Ortiz?

[sk7326]

Martinez, Manny and Ortiz?

 

Manny of course - although often less enigmatic than the other two ... being out front was never his thing.

[moonslav59]

Manny of course - although often less enigmatic than the other two ... being out front was never his thing.

 

True, but his quiet calmness at the plate and rigorous workout regime did not go unnoticed by other players.

 

At times, having fun seemed to interfere with his game, but his childish love for the game was something that attracted me to his persona.

[S5Dewey]

True, but his quiet calmness at the plate and rigorous workout regime did not go unnoticed by other players.

 

At times, having fun seemed to interfere with his game, but his childish love for the game was something that attracted me to his persona.

 

That "childish love of the game plays really well when one plays like Manny does. However, I'd venture a guess that urinating inside the Monster and high-fiving fans after a catch wouldn't be as popular if, say, Melvin Upton did it.

[SoxnCycles]

That "childish love of the game plays really well when one plays like Manny does. However, I'd venture a guess that urinating inside the Monster and high-fiving fans after a catch wouldn't be as popular if, say, Melvin Upton did it.

 

Sure, high fiving a fan after a catch could be considered showboating.

But, what made that play special was that he turned a double play by gunning down a runner returning to first.

 

You'd have to be a real curmugeon of a fan not to love that, no matter what player pulls it off.

[Slasher9]

Manny for President!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Slasher9

[mvp 78]

Manny was the best. Anyone who complained about his defense needed to be thrown off a cliff.

[Bellhorn04]

Manny was the best. Anyone who complained about his defense needed to be thrown off a cliff.

 

A trifle extreme. Also, throwing someone off a cliff is quite dangerous for the thrower, too, in my experience.

[mvp 78]

A trifle extreme. Also, throwing someone off a cliff is quite dangerous for the thrower, too, in my experience.

 

I didn't say how high the cliff should be.

[Dojji]

Caught redhanded abusing PED's only 2 years after he left Boston. Sad end to a great career.

[mvp 78]

Caught redhanded abusing PED's only 2 years after he left Boston. Sad end to a great career.

 

Didn't he test for a masking agent and NOT for PED's?

[mvp 78]

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/why-would-a-male-athlete-like-manny-2009-05-08/

 

The hormone does, however, help male athletes right their chemical balance after the use of other performance enhancers. "Basically, HCG may be used in an attempt to prevent testicular atrophy (shrinkage) that otherwise may occur when using anabolic steroids for prolonged periods," Kicman says... "HCG may also be used," he says, "following cessation of prolonged anabolic steroid use, to try to hasten a return to normal testicular function," when the athlete would have very low levels of circulating male hormones.

[Spudboy]

Manny was outed when he sprouted a pair of tits as I recall.

 

In any case, he was one of the best RH hitters I have ever seen and when he wanted to play, he could play decent and even spectacular defense.

 

My biggest grip with him was throwing McCormick to the ground and being a disruption in the dugout at times.

[sk7326]

Caught redhanded abusing PED's only 2 years after he left Boston. Sad end to a great career.

 

For everyone's sake, let's hope the Hall of Fame voters get a clue and make peace with "the steroid era" before Ortiz' candidacy comes up.

[greenwell]

For everyone's sake, let's hope the Hall of Fame voters get a clue and make peace with "the steroid era" before Ortiz' candidacy comes up.

 

I don't think PEDs were going to keep Ortiz out anyway, but if they were, Manfred's speech should help.

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17706532/david-ortiz-says-did-wrong-03-failed-drug-test

[moonslav59]

For everyone's sake, let's hope the Hall of Fame voters get a clue and make peace with "the steroid era" before Ortiz' candidacy comes up.

 

That sounds too convenient.

 

I'd use the argument that nobody ever proved what he took.

[Spudboy]

That sounds too convenient.

 

I'd use the argument that nobody ever proved what he took.

 

No one needs to prove s***. Look at what happened to Tom Brady who is now the least liked pro athlete in our country.

 

And this election cycle has further reinforced the idea that if you say something that is not factual enough times that it will become generally accepted as fact.

[sk7326]

That sounds too convenient.

 

I'd use the argument that nobody ever proved what he took.

 

Jeff Bagwell has been passed over a couple of times over innuendo and circumstantial hooey - and you could make a stronger circumstantial argument against Ortiz. I don't believe the voters should be playing police here - if there was not a failed test, then there was not a failed test. But so far the voting has clearly reflected writers trying to moralize and moving goalposts on this issue.

[Bellhorn04]

Jeff Bagwell has been passed over a couple of times over innuendo and circumstantial hooey - and you could make a stronger circumstantial argument against Ortiz. I don't believe the voters should be playing police here - if there was not a failed test, then there was not a failed test. But so far the voting has clearly reflected writers trying to moralize and moving goalposts on this issue.

 

Well, it is a pretty messed-up issue.

[moonslav59]

I'm not arguing against Papi and PEDs.

 

He should be a first ballot HOF'er.

[vjcsmoke]

Thank you for everything Big Papi!! David Ortiz should win the MVP award in his final season. Highest OPS in baseball and most total bases. Really a huge impact player for us in his last season. Anti-DH bias needs to be put to rest this one time.

[moonslav59]

He's the greatest Sox player I have ever seen.

 

He's the most clutch baseball player I've ever seen.

 

Happy retirement Big Papi. You deserve a great life!

[mvp 78]

Greatest.

[Dojji]

he was one of the all timers. He's one of the guys we'll be talking about generations from now, right next to guys like Yaz and Williams who won us over with a combination of attitude, hard work an extreme production.

 

The Red Sox need to retire this man's number regardless of the size of the stick up the baseball writers' butts on the subject of the Hall of Fame.