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Deep thoughts from Ortiz
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- David Ortiz has something to say -- and perhaps even something to prove -- to the naysayers who thought his career was on the downside after an injury-filled 2008 campaign.
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"People are used to seeing the David Ortiz who was producing and I don't blame nobody, but sometimes if you sit and analyze the game, this is not a game that you just play and go home and that's about it. You have to be prepared to play and we try. I try my best every time I go out there. Like I say, I try to help the ball club. These negative comments people make about you just because for one year you've been off because of injuries and things like that, don't make no sense."
Ortiz, looking slimmer than last season, said his left wrist has healed 100 percent after heeding Dr. Thomas Gill's advice to take two months off and then resuming his hitting program. Ortiz said once he returned to hitting he was fine, and the "popping" noise he heard and felt in his wrist was gone.
"I'm feeling fine right now," he said. "I have no problem swinging."
Concerning his power shortage -- he hit 23 home runs last season, his fewest since joining the Red Sox before the 2003 season -- he said, "I never tried to turn my back on this ball club. I got back [after missing almost eight weeks with a wrist injury] and I wasn't 100 percent but I knew that being in the lineup I was gonna help one way or the other. And I tried man, I took my chances. Things didn't work out the way I expected, but sometimes there are people that don't see the positive side of all that, they just see the negative. I just put that in the past. I know I can hit."
Ortiz reiterated his belief that the Red Sox need another power bat. He said both Terry Francona and Theo Epstein asked his opinion and he answered them honestly.
"We missed Manny last year," said Ortiz. "Who's your cleanup hitter? When your cleanup hitter walks away from your lineup, that's tough."
Ortiz reasoned that the AL East will have a lot of good pitching and it's imperative to have a deep and strong lineup. He said he would hate to see a situation where "you have a pitcher who goes out and pitches seven or eight good innings and you don't produce for him . . . and end up losing a game 2-1, 2-0 , or 1-0. The more hitters you have, the better chance you're gonna win games."
Yet he said he believes the Red Sox have a good lineup with "a lot of good hitters." And he said spring training will tell you what you need for the season. There are still some guys out there who can do some damage. We'll see how everything goes."
When asked whether he'd like see Manny Ramirez back, he said, "Why not?"
He added, "I'm gonna take everything day to day. If I don't see pitches to hit I won't swing . . . If I can help my team walking . . . I've been walking my whole life. I just want to be healthy like I am right now. If I'm healthy, I know I can do some damage."
Ortiz also offered some strong opinions on his friend Alex Rodriguez and steroids.
"I think that the A-Rod situation, it was a little bit tough for the game," Ortiz said. "Talking about the best player all the way around. At the same time, people have to give the guy credit because he came out with what he said at the point of his career where he had done it all. On top of that, that was what? Six years ago? The guy has put up numbers his whole career. It was one thing that he said that caught my attention was that he was young and at the time. . . . sometimes you make the wrong decision like he did. He's been playing clean and he's still producing. He's still been the best player in the game. If I'm a fan and I had to judge the guy, I would put that in the past and move forward. The guy, he works hard, man. He's still doing his thing. He's still got nine more years on his contract where he's definitely gonna do some damage still."
Ortiz was asked whether it bothered him that the 2003 confidential test was made public in the case of A-Rod.
"Like I said, this game has been hurt, a lot," said Ortiz. "This is not a players' game, this is not a team game, it's a family game. We have a lot of families that live for this game. We have a lot of families that enjoy these games and people who bring their kids to watch these games. And I don't think this game can take any more. More than 80 or 90 percent of the players [are] playing clean [now]. We're going through a tough situation all the way around, our soldiers fighting in Iraq, and this game is a distraction for people and the American family. I would like to see some changes and let us just play the game. Guys like myself, I will do what ever it takes to make this game get better. But not everybody's on the same page, you know what I mean? The game has changed a lot. Just play the game. The game is tough enough. These things we heard from Alex, that was the last thing you want to hear about the baseball game. The guy came out -- and he didn't wait until they took him to the Congress and all that. He was honest."
Ortiz said that he believes players are clean because testing is quite invasive, and if they test positive now, they should be thrown out of the game for the rest of the year. He said that players and whole teams should be tested "three or four times a year, that's it" which he thinks would give a good reading on who is or who isn't on steroids.
"I think you clean up the game by the testing. I test you, you test positive, you're going to be out. Period," Ortiz said. "If I test positive using any kind of banned substance I'm going to disrespect the game, my family, my fans and everybody. And I don't want to face the situation so I won't use it. I'm sure everybody is on the same page."
While Ortiz thinks "80 or 90" percent of players are now clean, he said "from what I've seen right now from the testimony that Alex gave, I would say it was very low the percentage that wasn't using it. Like he said, that's what was going around the league at the time. What else do you want? But in 2004 when they came out with the testing, I guarantee the percentage has been going down."
Ortiz said he was bothered that players are being paraded around courthouses as if they are criminals.
"There are a lot of players who have been to federal court being judged like they just killed somebody," Ortiz said. "I don't think that is supposed to be happening. If you admitted you were using the stuff, don't use it any more. You know it's not good for you. You know it's not good for the game and lets move on, you know what I mean? All the drama of bringing guys to court and acting like they're serious criminals, it doesn't look good for the game. What is happening right now is something that happened in the past. It's not something that is happening right now."
You're the man David. Keep being you, bud.
It was a good interview and I hope he rebounds this year. He's been a fantastic player for the Sox and a "BIG" part of two World Series wins. But my gut feeling tells me Big Papi is on the decline and it is going to be painful to watch him fade. I hope I'm wrong !
Ortiz has gone over the top of his career, especially since he doesn't have Manny batting behind him. The guy is always out of shape, overweight, and hampered by recurring injuries. If I were running the Red Sox I'd bat Ortiz 5th and put Bay in front of Youkilis, the clean-up hitter. Youk is entering the best years of his career and has proven he can hit when it counts. The Sox are headed for a difficult year with weak sisters sprinkled throughout the lineup; Lowrie, Lowell, Varitek, Drew, Ellsbury, etc. Epstein needs to find a BIG bat, someone like Texeira, to takwe the heat off Pedroia and Youk. Ortiz will be lucky to bat 2.50 this year with 20 homers and 75 RBIs.
Like Rick Pitino would say: Manny is not going to walk through those doors. Time to move on. How about this for a clean-up hitter: David Ortiz.
David Ortiz is this year's Mike Lowell; too many dings to count on for more than 100 games. With Drew also crowding the trainer's room the Sox clubhouse is getting to look like an old folks home.
We wouldn't think you were over the hill if it wasn't for the fact that you are clearly well over weight, cannot run, and didn't do squat the latter part of the year.
So yeah, I hope that makes you stronger and I'd love to eat my words. But somehow I really tend to doubt it and can't understand the brass' thinking that you are going to do otherwise.
Enjoyed you while you were on top of your game. Sadly, that was in the past...
...wow, what a comment!...David knows he can hit, he better, in '09., or C U later,
looooooooose some lbs....
Not a Red Sox fan, but I love this guy. One of the good ones, and a great role model for kids.
Agreed, all of it. They're not evil people. They're talking steroids for a few years, their whole extended family is taken care of for five generations. Tough call...also, I, too, cannot believe all this 'Papi on the decline' crap. The dude mashes, he's mashed for years, and his wrist needed time off. Could happen to everyone. These guys have had, in their lives, like 10,000 at bats. It's not like you just hit the wall and that's it. You adjust, you change your routine, you watch video, you work out differently...how many times have you heard 'Boston fans are the smartest'? Over and over. But I guarantee you, they are not obsessed with baseball the way the Red Sox staff is, not professionally, and if they were so 'smart', they'd look at the big picture. The staff is deep, the bullpen looks insane (Saito is a monster and you should know it, Smarty), and the lineup looks a hell of a lot better than people give credit for.
He looks like he is in better shape than in years past. Ortiz didn't like that people were questioning whether he was nearing the end of his career with the Sox. Look, anyone who has a large frame and is coming into his mid thirties has to be careful of eating himself out of the league. (Example, Mo Vaughn) This is natural to question his in or out of shape status. Manny won't be coming back. Hopefully, if the Sox see in spring training the need for another bat they might pull the plug. As far as steroids are concerned the players should be brought to court because our young people look up to these athletes and should be accountable for their cheating activities. The question is, is David saying these things because is is one of the 103 names yet to be revealed? Just a question.
Did anyone put Papi on the spot and straight out ask him if he's ever used PED's?
the sox have plenty of pop
Ortiz is looking prime for an MVP-caliber season. .315, 35HR, 120RBI [which would be much better with Manny]. Let's drop him to 4th, let Youk hit 3rd behind Pedroia & Elsbury. Platoon @ 5th with Lowell or Bay until one proves they deserve it. Drew 7th before a major drop-off @ 8th and 9th.
papi is very intellectuall and a good speaker. its good to have you around
:-)
I love David Ortiz, but the guys "being paraded around courthouses as if they are criminals" are charged with criminal offenses. If there are guilty, they are, in fact, criminals. If Joe Blow got caught doing the drugs they were, and/or lied to Congress or a Federal Grand Jury, he would be told, "Go to jail, go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200." That these are famous athletes should not mitigate their crimes. (I know, I know: fame in our country lets you get away with murder, sometimes even literally...)
David Ortiz the "Dominican Destroyer". I feel sorry for the AL pitchers this year who face him.
Papi's April in 2008 was concerning, but article after article keeps saying "his power was way down to 23 homeruns". he missed a ton of time. He was still on a pace to hit 35 homers. I'm not saying there's no concerns, but its too soon to tell.
The sound quality of this video is absolutely sub par, I can barely hear it. You should pull down the gain or borrow someone else's feed.
David, I sense a great season for you. I'm glad you are a part of the Red Sox, and I hope all those doubters will be silenced this year and in the years to come.
The only thing I disagree with is that when ANYbody commits perjury, they should be treated as a criminal. However, since steroids weren't banned until after 2003, just by having taken them a player shouldn't be treated as a criminal, but since they have let the fans down, they shouldn't be easily forgiven either. Most people are mad about being lied to. I say get it all out in the open and move on.
And if anyone is caught after 2004, they should be out for 1 year.
you're the man Big Pappy ... and, your all done ...
I don't like it...Papi sounds upset with Theo & Co. for not getting a big bat...
I was asked earlier today who my favorite Sox player is, and I said Ortiz (well, I said Big Papi!), and this reaffirms it. Complete CLASS ACT.
Hello??? If you are using(or used) an illegal substance, you are a criminal. Court is where criminals go. When you are paid money to hit the baseball, that is your job. When you don't do your job, you will hear complaints. Pretty simple.
BIG WASTE OF TIME! HE WAS ON ROIDS! LOSER!
Big papi is back. The wrist injury was really holding him back on his stats. He is going to be good this year. Not having Manny backing him up is going to effect him but not so much. He just another ball player
Steroids are actually legal (with a prescription), but they are banned by the rules of baseball (and most or all other sports.)
If it's just a matter of cheating, then the player should be suspended. I think Papi's suggestion of a year would be about right.
Steroids have many legitimate medical uses, and a doctor can prescribe them, but if you had one of those conditions, you probaly couldn't play baseball anyway, due to being too ill.
If the steroids are prescribed by a doctor and not actually illegal, then I think trying to trap players into a perjury charge so some prosecutor can make a name for himself by sending a high-profile player to jail is just plain wrong. After all, no one posting here is likely to be put in the position of having to lie about legal drug use or lose their job. On the other hand, any doctor who prescribes them without medical need should have the book thrown at him.
If the steroids actually are illegal (no prescription), then this all changes, obviously.
Back to the important stuff, have a great year, Papi!
I love David Ortiz and anyone that thinks he isn't a Great Hitter or Old needs there own head examined Ortiz is a great Hitter and in the prime of his career and I Only Hope Red Sox have enough sense in them to Resign him I think his contract is up after this season SO RESIGN DAVID ORTIZ Don't be a Jack A++ WE WANT ORTIZ for the LONG HALL DON'T SCREW UP. KEEP DAVID ORTIZ
Although the Sox lineup will be far from a murder's row - Pedroia, Ortiz, Youk, Bay, Drew, Lowell is pretty strong. If we get 25 HRs out of Youk and 28-35 out of Bay and 95 RBI/20 HR's out of Lowell (God knows what we can expect out of Drew although excited that Rocco may get more playing time) we are fine. Key could be Ellsbury at the top of the order and if we get anything respectable out of 8-9 (Lugo/Lowrie and Tek). Sox starting pitching, bullpen and pitching depth is a strong key. They are built for the long haul and are well positioned to pick up a bat as needed.
What has manny got to do with ortiz,only that ortiz can't hit and hide behind ramirez's bat?
ortiz is correct,the Sox need a power hitter and then say good riddance to over the hill Ortiz and troublesome manny forever !
yeah, he's a great interview. my god, dumb = big $ not big papi. some role model!
I hope Big Papi makes all you bashers eat your words......He came back too soon from his wrist injury and wasn't the same last year, but his stats were down because of all the games he missed.....We are lucky to have a role model and a leader like him.......Some of you posers give REAL Sox fans a bad name......Sox have a very good team and we are lucky to be living in a Red Sox Era where we are competing for a championship every year......SOX #1!!!!!!!
the only thing David Ortiz can hit while not on steroids is a beach ball. In his prime, he was totally juiced! I'm a Sox fan too . . . how else do explain his stint as the most feared/clutch hitter in baseball? C'mon people! Wake up! It all makes sense . . his heart palpitations, his wrist and knee injuries . . all classic steroid symptoms.
David has my allegiance for life. He may be a little protective of some of the player who juiced in the past, but it IS because he loves the game and DOES consider it a "family" past-time. One reason I will never doubt David is because of what he said, what he felt, after the sox were down 3-0 to the Yankees before rallying to win their 1st Series in 86 years. RIGHT AFTER that game, he commented that he had seen fans severely upset, crying and all. That got to him.. And he said, I told my team-mates we have to do something about that..... It wasn't machismo, it was genuine caring (love?) for the fans... I think you would have to have heard the interview, which I am probably struggling to represent properly here, but the heart of that man was so obvious. I hope David can return to form, I think he will, and regardless, he deserves a lot of love in return for caring in a way which is more and more rare these days in professional sport....
Oh, c'mon people. These baseball players are not criminals. Stop the non-sense stuff. Back then all of them used steroids just because it was seen as a normal thing to do, kind of like when they lifted weights at the gym and stuff. They did not think they were cheating because it was a different way to stay in shape. Once they started to know the facts and effects of steroids they stopped.
Players should not be taken to court for that stuff, Papi is right. If somebody is caught using them now, then he should be punished, but not the ones who used them when it was a common thing to do.
Players still need the ability to hit a 90+ mph fastball that none of us can hit.
Just ask kids. They will tell you Ortiz is the genuine article.--George
Nothing would make us happier than a stellar year by David Ortiz. Show us, man!
Big Papi says he is ready. The docs say he is ready. The FO says he is ready. Magadan says he is ready. You so called fans who are saying he is not ready, is over the hill at age 33 (hahahaha!), and needs bigger bats than Youk, JB or JD behind him are Yankee fans. There is no other explanation that is credible. No way Sox fans don't understand and respect Papi.
I agree with commenter #13 .. Why not have Ortiz bat clean up? If he's back to his old self, let him be the focus and let the other hitters compliment him!!
It's incredible that people continue to take A-Rod's half-assed confession at face value. "He's been clean since 2003." Yeah right. Everybody simply switched over to HGH and who knows what else. It's a different juice, but it's juice nonetheless. At the very least, we should remain suspicious of A-Rod and other juicers throughout the rest of their careers.
As for Papi, let's hope he's healthy and let's hope he's always been clean.
How can people turn on a player for playing less than 100%. I, like many, missed his late game heroics last year, and with a healthy Ortiz we win the title. But you can't forget HOW GOOD HE IS, just because he was injured. He's in camp, he's in tremendous shape, and he is going to have a MONSTER YEAR. I'll bet my ruptured achilles tendon on it.
I've loved Ortiz as much as anyone, but, wow, he came off really arrogant and self-righteous here. He complains because these guys are getting "paraded around like criminals"?? Guess what, they ARE criminals. Illegally obtaining and using prescription drugs (steroids) without a prescription is a crime. Lying to congress - is a MAJOR crime. Like Burke said, if it was Joe Average committing these crimes, he'd go right to jail. Papi just showed how detached he is from average people. So disappointing. And then when he was asked about the 2003 tests being made public, he just rambled on in multiple directions and never answered the question. And on top of it all (but a separate matter), he wants a guy like Manny, who screwed his whole team, and pushed down an old man, back on the team. Makes me really question what type of guy he really is.
New Englanders, Red Sox Fans, are very fickle and demanding people. Dave Ortiz will hit this year! Mr. Bay, Mr. Lowell, Mr. Lowery and Mr. Ellsbury will have solid seasons. The hitting lineup will be exceptionally tough for any opposing pitching staff. Defensively, this squad will be the best in the past several years. Extremely solid in the outfield even with the fifth outfielder. The infield will be extremely tough. All have the potential to win a Gold Glove! Pitching!! Red Sox Pitching!!! Wow!!! The team is set for the long run and the playoffs. New Englanders need to remember that a baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint!! Boy, this season will be fun!!!!
Papi is a great player and he enjoys the game. He has lost weight he looks lighter and he will be hitting the hits that are needed to win. Is sad to see all that negativity from some fans. He plays to win and the game is his love. So stop thinking what is going to happen, we have enough in this nation to worry about. Let this team be our entertainment and fun and live your lives .
Sadly, a guy who is tall, overweight, out of shape and has chronic knee problems is not a franchise player. His window was a small one and he made the best of it. After this year, time to move on.
Ortiz misses it like most of the rest. He says ARoid came clean? Only because he was caught did he "confess". Since he states 80-90 percent of the players are clean, those still using are clearly secure in not being caught or the numbers wouldn't be that high. If he truly wants to clean things up make blood testing mandatory, hold the samples into perpetuity and if ever in the future a postive is found from the sample, disgrace the player, even if he's 85.
The fact that Ortiz worked so hard in the offseason so theat he shows up at camp in terrific shape (like Yaz did every year of his career....imagine that!) is a testimony that he is ready to lead this team to the top again. Papi is a gamer and deserves the support of all Sox fans. But lets consider this also: why not drop him to the clean-up spot? How about Youk as 3rd hitter? I think they could get a lot of mileage out of that.
I think the Sox made some good moves during the off season. I'll tell you this: they will compete all down the wire with the Yankees and Rays, and will be one of the playoff teams again. Theo knows what he's doing. Let the Yanks spend millions on their free agents. They will all be A-Rods and Kevin Browns, mark my words.
I personnaly find it hard that only the players are getting dragged around and abused by the media. Why does baseball only go after the players? Why not burn the comissioner at the time for turning a blind eye to all that went on. You have got to be kidding me that they did not know or at least condoned what was happening! Don't get me wrong steroids are bad for any sport. But when the front office of any company just lets it happen, whose really to blame? It could have all been handled right if the people in charge just dealt with it with some balls and not their profit margin. Was it really Good for the game at the time? All that went on at the time I thought was great! But now, to look back at the acheivements it all leaves me feeling cheeted of a sport that I love to watch. David Ortiz, Great article and as a fan I am rooting for you to have the best year yet! GoSox!
If you dont include April (Where Ortiz's wrist was at its worst) he OPS'd .953 and hit for a .297 average over the rest of the season.
I'd stack my lineup with 9 "over the hill" guys like that any day.
How's that shoe taste?
Cheater. I'm done with the MLB.
Yeah, his real name is "David Ortiz"; he's 33; and he against players taking steroids. This is like an episode from one of those video games where one creates a new personality and plays it out...only this one is amongst the living in Fenway Park. "Ortiz" is no HOFer- that's for sure!
HAHAHAHA. Shut your mouth Big Roidy!
Incredible. Suspend yourself for 100 games you idiot.
Big Papi Roidy!!!
David Ortiz is still the man. This does not take away anything from the 2004 and 2007 World Series Victories.
boston ROID sox
tainted titles in 2004* 2007*
talk smack now, roid sox nation
@Bat Insider
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