The Rangers have expressed serious interest in free agent designated hitter David Ortiz, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Texas executives envision Ortiz as someone who could replace the offense of Josh Hamilton should the outfielder sign elsewhere.
The Red Sox are still considered the favorites to sign Ortiz, Rosenthal reports. The sides continued discussing a two-year deal worth as much as $25MM this week. Only the Red Sox can sign Ortiz for now, but their exclusive negotiating period ends first thing Saturday morning.
Ortiz will likely obtain a qualifying offer from Boston later today. If he declines the offer to pursue other options he'll be linked to draft pick compensation, meaning a team such as the Rangers would have to surrender a draft pick to sign him.
Ortiz, who turns 37 later in November, posted a .318/.415/.611 batting line in 383 plate appearances this past season. He hit 23 home runs and 26 doubles, but appeared in just one game after suffering a right Achilles strain on July 16th. An SFX client, Ortiz ranks 13th on MLBTR’s list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents.
Question for anyone that can answer –
The new compensation system works so that a team that signs a compensation-worthy player loses their first round pick (or second round if protected) but the team losing the player doesn’t get that particular pick, they get one in the new “sandwich round” – correct?
In that sandwich round, then, how is the order determined?
I’m not sure, but I imagine if there are sandwiches involved, David Ortiz will be there.
You are correct. I’m not sure but I think the compensation picks follow the same order as the first round picks… worst record gets the first pick.
Ahhhh by record. Got it! Thanks!
Yes, worst record picks first in the sandwich round pick.
I just don’t see him not at least giving Boston the chance to match any offer he gets. Regardless, a lot can happen between now and 11:59 tonight. Hopefully they hammer something out or can get it done the first couple days of free agency.
He may be intent on escaping what he sees as a sinking ship.
He has come out and referred to Boston and next season as something he’s going to be apart of already many times. Why else would he do that? He wants to help turn it around.
If the issue is money, the Rangers should offer the same terms, noting that in real money, their offer is more since Ortiz pays no state income tax for home games.
I feel like if the rangers and red sox offer the same terms (say 2/$26M) he’ll take the Sox offer because he’s said all along he wants to stay here
Players pay state income tax to every city they play in now. It amounts to like 25% of his contract not being taxed (if his home team was in a tax free state) and about 2-4% of his total pay. The state tax no longer really plays into these contracts like the old days when what team a player played for was the only state he was taxed in. As of now, if Ortiz plays 8 games a year in New York then he has to pay taxes on about 5% of what he makes. He made about 15 mil this year so the state of NY will calculate that he made $750,000 in NY and tax him on that amount. This subsequently happens in every state that has a state income tax. That make sense?
Dr Mr Nolan Ryan,
Can you please overpay for an injured 37 yr old DH who’s self centered attitude is a cancer in the clubhouse of a team that needs to re-identify itself.
Thank you,
Red Sox Nation
Here I was all this time following Nolan Ryan…and I didn’t even know he had a Doctorate.
Dear running red we only trash a player or coach after they leave town not in anticipation of them leaving.
Thank you,
Red Sox Nation
Yanks should sign him for 1/14. *evil grin*
A chill just ran down Red Sox Nation’s spine…
a non-boston team isn’t getting him without a multi year deal.
Why not, some loyalty to the Red Sox, who are trying to low ball him and won’t even give him 2/25, after giving him one year contracts the past two years (one was an option, but same difference)? If someone offers him enough for one year he might take it. If I were Ortiz I might be looking to stick it to the Red Sox for the disprespect, and what better way than to sign with the Yankees!
He’ll go to the Blue Jays or Indians before he goes to the Yankees. Blue Jays got a strong Dominican core of players with Jose and Ortiz spending many winter ball seasons together. Not to mention Jose brought David as his guest for the homerun derby. Cleveland is a maybe aswell because of Francona.
How are they low balling him? He’s been a well paid DH for years now. He needs to realize he’s 37. Sure, he’s still hitting but he needs to be reasonable now. We gave him everything, can he return the favor now?
Ortiz is still the best DH in the game.
Not to hard to be, they are endangered and only a couple remain!
Interesting.
So, they are dumping Mike Young? I think many fans would be ok with losing Young and gaining Ortiz as DH. But I’m not buying this story.
Yeah, it looks like someone is making stuff up again,
If Ortiz left, that would leave a HUGE hole in the Sox lineup. There’s no guarantee Ross (if we re-sign him), Middlebrooks, or Salty will continue to put up the power numbers they did last season. The Sox need that big bat to steady the lineup.
You can have Ryan Howard 🙂
I think you meant to say that it would add another huge hole to the lineup.
I say let him walk. No need to sign him for 2 years. He is older, hurt and will most certainly decline.
I would like to sign Josh Hamilton 5 years 105m. He is a better bat, plays pretty good OF, and we can stick him in LF to limit injuries. Let Hamilton DH occasionally and keep him healthy.
The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. He could even play 1st to save his legs.
I know first is suppossed to be an easy position but hamiliton has never played it there is now way of knowing he could. Second he will be 32 in may meaning he would be 35-37 for the final three years of his deal where his production would probally not be worth tweenty million. That means for the two years it would the team probally wouldn’t be contending for a championship with or without him and the the last three years when they will be back in contention he with be a salary burden. Not to mention his injury issues, off an on production, and off field issues.
I will take Ortiz on two years 25 million, keep our second round draft pick, and have payroll flexibility after 2014 when kershaw, felix, and verlander are suppossed to be free agents.
Well, I was kind of joking but with that said I wouldnt be upset at all if that was the way we went.
Ortiz WILL be on a decline. For an extra 7m a year for the first 2 years, and then 21m a year for 3 yrs after that for a power hitting LF and part time DH is not that bad. The way contracts keep going up, it might make sense to sign a power hitter and then convert him to part time DH. Hamilton is an elite bat and those arent readily available.
Either way it is something to consider
See ya.
Ugh I don’t want to think about the fallout that would ensue if he signed somewhere else…
I’m just wondering under the MLB rules, expressing interest while the Red Sox have negotiating rights until today or tomorrow(not sure when the actual deadline is) how is that not tampering?
A player can talk to any team after the world series and vice versa just not talk about numbers. It basically amounts to a team being able to say we are interested in you and nothing more. It is meant to help the players have more leverage yet still give the home team the first shot a throwing numbers at them.
Makes sense, thanks.