David Ortiz. The name evokes a lot in baseball fans, no matter what team you are a fan of. Some love him, some love to hate him. And there have been many superlatives used to describe him over the years. Slugger, clutch, postseason hero, arrogant, and others all of which, both positive and negative, have been accurate at times. As of Saturday, however, there is one more that can now be used without any doubt: hall of famer.
On a Saturday in Tampa Bay, facing off against the Rays in a ballpark in which Ortiz has launched so many home runs over his career, the big man sent two more into the seats: numbers 499 and 500 of his illustrious career, in the first and fifth innings, respectively. With the second, Ortiz secured his place in the Hall of Fame and probably as the greatest designated hitter of all time.
500 has, for many years, been seen as the minimum to guarantee a slugger’s spot in the Hall. And let’s just be clear: love him or hate him, Ortiz gets in on his numbers alone. In his 18 memorable years in the league, mostly with the Boston Red Sox, Ortiz has put up some incredible stats. His isn’t just the 27th player in league history to hit at least 500 homers. He also owns 2,289 hits, 578 doubles, 1,628 runs batted in, and a career .284 batting average. 2015 marks his team-record 9th 30+ home run season, and that’s saying something on a team that has seen its share of power hitters over the year.
Ortiz’ Hall of Fame resume could be built on his numbers alone. But a player’s candidacy for the Hall also depends to some degree on his impact on the game and his legacy within it. Ortiz’ legacy and impact, especially on one of the game’s oldest and most storied franchises, is undeniable.
Ortiz is not perfect. Some opposing pitchers, and most fans outside of Boston, dislike him for his bat flips and slow home runs trots. Personally, I have no problem with either. If a hitter gets a hold of one he has earned the right to let the pitcher know he made a mistake. Don’t like it? Don’t miss your location next time.
There will also, unfortunately, always be PED allegations attached to Ortiz’ name, thanks to a failed drug test in 2003. It doesn’t really matter that investigators, when going after Barry Bonds in 2004, violated the privacy agreement between the owners and players by seizing the ’03 results. It doesn’t really matter that a federal court, five years later, ruled that seizure unconstitutional. And it doesn’t matter that Ortiz, if he was actually using anything, was just using whatever the rest of the league was using (more than 100 other names on the fail list from ’03 remain anonymous). Ortiz swears he’s clean now. He has not failed a test since 2003, despite being on of baseball’s most frequently tested players. Some people will always see him as a juicer.
Whether you believe he cheated or not, the fact that Ortiz’s name is almost synonymous with the Boston Red Sox should remove any shadow of a doubt from his Hall of Fame status. He’s been a fan favorite in Boston since he arrived. He is one of the most clutch power hitters to ever swing a bat. His post season heroics are the stuff of legend. Down three games to none against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship series in 2004, Ortiz brought the Sox to the greatest comeback in sports history on the power of his lumber and the sheer, indomitable force of his will. That year, he brought the city of Boston its first championship in 86 years. Three years later, in 2007, he helped the team capture another.
Despite all he had achieved up to that point, Ortiz’ greatest moments had yet to come. In 2013, the city of Boston was rocked by a horrific bombing attack at the annual Boston Marathon. In the wake of that tragedy, with people looking for something to hold on to, Ortiz and the Red Sox provided just that. Boston belonged to its people, Ortiz proclaimed shortly after, and nobody could take that from them.
When he gave that short, famous speech in Fenway Park, the truth was that Ortiz was speaking to his people. In that moment, with those words, Ortiz became more than just a baseball player. He gave the city and its people a hero to look to. Boston has always loved the Red Sox, but the city and the team had never been so connected at they were during that magical 2013 season. Ortiz spoke, and the people listened, and the Red Sox went on to have one of the finest seasons in team history. Would the city have healed without him, and without a title that season? Yes. Time heals all, as they say. But Ortiz and the Red Sox brought the city together like never before. He dedicated that season to the people, and when he hoisted the World Series trophy at the end of the season, it was for them. Ortiz also had one of the greatest statistical postseasons that year, and was rightfully named MVP of the World Series.
Three rings. 500 home runs. A laundry list of incredible stats. And a legacy the likes of which few players in any sport could hope to establish. Fans of the Boston Red Sox have known for years that Ortiz would one day find himself in Cooperstown. Now, none can deny it. It will be sooner rather than later at this point. Ortiz is 39 and, despite another great season at the plate, is nearing the end of his career. Personally, I hope he has a few more seasons in him. He has been my favorite player for years, and there are so few genuine and recognizable personalities in baseball anymore. But I’m glad to know that, when he inevitably hangs his spikes for good, he will get his reward for a remarkable career. David, thank you for being you.
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