I'm a Williams guy all the way but what Ortiz has brought to the Red Sox in addition to his great play, Ted really wasn't interested in bringing until much later on. Mantle was for sure that good but for watching Mays play was other worldly as a kid.
Williams would get my vote as the greatest hitter in the history of the game and #1 Red Sox.
Ortiz has move ahead of Yaz for me I say with a heavy heart. In my summer of '67 eyes though, no one had a one year performance like Yaz.