BBWAA journalists wasted no time in recognizing the legacy of David Ortiz, and that is cause for celebration for all Dominicans. Big Papi will be the fourth of ours with a plaque in Cooperstown.
And is not for less. Ortiz’s arrival in Boston sparked a culture shift, not just in the team, but in a city that fervently follows its franchise and had suffered disappointment after disappointment since 1918.
Without David, probably the famous “curse of the Bambino” does not end. When the Red Sox faced an 0-3 deficit in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees after losing Game 3 19-8, he kept them alive with his game-clinching home run in the twelfth inning of game four.
The next day, Big Papi himself took the series back to New York with the game-winning hit in the 14th inning. In Game 7, when it was important to shut down the Yankees fans early, Ortiz hit the road in the first inning to give his team a lead they never lost.
That’s where the story began. And from then on, the big clutch performances multiplied, probably peaking in the 2013 World Series, when Ortiz went 11-for-16 and hit .688/.760/1.188 with a pair. of home runs and six RBIs, in addition to eight bases on balls. The man basically reached base in four of five appearances in that classic.
Incredible. Especially when we think that Ortiz came to the Red Sox thanks to a recommendation from Pedro Martinez, after being released by the Minnesota Twins. Those of us who saw Ortiz shine in winter baseball wondered what the leaders of that organization were thinking. Time has proved us right.
Despite arriving in Boston at the age of 27, the slugger wrote a story that makes him one of the franchise’s greatest players of all time.
In 14 seasons wearing No. 34 for the Red Sox, he hit .290/.386/.570 with 34 homers, 109 RBIs and 37 doubles per season. And not to mention what he did in the post-season. Big Big Daddy.
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