David Ortiz’s last hurrah

Wyatt Albers '18, Co-Editor|October 4, 2016

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” – Babe Ruth

David Ortiz wasn’t the most talented recruit coming straight from high school to the MLB.

He was only signed as an amateur free agent to the Seattle Mariners in 1992 and played in the minor league for five years.

Ortiz would continue to work on his game and was able to get traded and get a contract with the Minnesota Twins where he made his major league debut in 1997, but due to injury problems he did not produce much which led to the Twins releasing him in 2002.

He was then signed by the Boston Red Sox in 2003, a day that would change the direction of the franchise for 14 years.

David Ortiz had made an indelible mark in baseball history with some of the most clutch moments and amazing accolades he has gained over the years.

Ortiz is retiring following this year’s postseason and after a historic year from an athlete in his last season.

I interviewed baseball guru, Drew Klaserner and Ortiz fanatic, John Keehan about their favorite memories of Ortiz and their overall thoughts.

Drew Klaserner said, “My favorite moment would have to be in 2013; bases loaded, two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning during game two of the ALCS. David Ortiz gets a hold of a fastball and hits a grand slam to tie up the game and that would lead to an eventual walk-off for the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth.”

That hit has defined what Ortiz’s career has been like, Clutch.

Countless times the game has been on the line and Ortiz has stepped up to the plate and delivered.

In 2004 during the ALCS, the Red Sox were down three games to none. A deficit that no baseball team has ever overcome.

It looked like the Yankees were going to easily win the series.

Starting from game four, Ortiz hit .316 with three home runs, including a walk off home run in game four.

He would eventually become the M.V.P. of the series after completing the comeback of the century.

Another clutch moment of his was during the 2013 World series, Ortiz had an unbelievable batting average of .688 and had two home runs to carry his team to a World Series win and earn himself the M.V.P. of the series.

This brings up the question, is David Ortiz the most clutch hitter in history?

“I think he was the most clutch hitter in history,” said Klaserner.

In Ortiz’s 14-year career with the Red Sox, he has a total of 17 walk off hits with 11 of the 17 being home runs.

Three of those 17 walk offs were in the 2004 postseason during the Divisional and Championship Series.

When asking Keehan about his favorite player, Big Papi, he had a different response to the question, is he the most clutch hitter in history?

“In history, I can’t say because I wasn’t alive to watch the greats like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ted Williams and I feel like one of those great players could take a case for most clutch hitter,” said Keehan.