It was made official on Monday that David Ortiz will wear a Red Sox jersey come next season, but what might still be up in the air is if he continues to have the undying support of Fenway Park faithful.
Ortiz signed a two-year deal with $26 million, mostly based on the success of his first 10 seasons in Boston rather than the way he ended his last. After putting up a .290 average with 343 home runs and 1,088 RBI over his Red Sox tenure – including winning two World Series and the franchise’s first since 1918 — Ortiz played just one game after July 16, citing an Achilles injury.
After being fired, first-year manager Bobby Valentine told Bob Costas on NBC Sports Network that it was Ortiz’s choice to shut it down, knowing the team wasn’t going to make the playoffs.
“Stopping me [from playing] was the decision of the doctors, management, the manager and me,” Ortiz told ESPNDeportes.com Monday. “The team doctor recommended that I stop playing to not make the situation worse for the tendon.”
Ortiz made his brief return to the lineup on Aug. 24 against the Royals, when he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. The next day, the team traded Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to the Dodgers for little in return. By Aug. 27, Ortiz was back on the disabled list and shut down for the season.
“He realized that this trade meant that we’re not going to run this race and we’re not even going to finish the race properly and he decided not to play anymore,” Valentine told Costas on Oct. 23. “I think at that time it was all downhill from there.”
Ortiz responded, “No. 1, never bite the hand that feeds you, because in the end that will come back to bite you. I was one of those players that always showed support for [Valentine]. In fact, I held a couple of player meetings.
“No. 2, the day that I returned from the DL, I told him that I was not sure what percentage health-wise I was in, but that I could not be out there without trying to help. When I told him that, I put my career on the side to help him and the team. Being in an incredible amount of pain, I went out there to support them.
“No. 3, after he went on national TV to say what he said, he sent me a text message trying to tell me that it was the media trying to change things. I did not respond to the message and I said to myself, this guy must have some mental issues or needs medicine or something? I said, I am dealing with someone crazy and I am not going to drive myself crazy, so it is better if I leave it alone.”
The Red Sox finished the season 69-93, out of the playoffs for the third straight year and the first time the franchise had lost 90 or more games since 1966. Valentine was fired and was recently replaced by John Farrell.
“I am a player that has the game in his blood,” he said. “In the 10 years that I have (been) in Boston, I have been the soul of the organization and there has never been a second where David Ortiz being able to go on the field and do what he does has decided to stay seated.”
Ortiz, who will turn 37 on Nov. 18, hit .318 with 23 homers and 60 RBI over 90 games last season. He had played the past two seasons on one-year deal, and a source told MLB.com that his new two-year pact would reach $30 million with performance bonuses.