The Red Sox announced today that they’ve reached a long-term agreement with retired designated hitter David Ortiz that “should link him with the organization forever.” Details surrounding Ortiz’s role with the team for which he starred from 2003-16 are somewhat nebulous, though the team’s press release on the matter indicates that Ortiz “will act as a mentor for current players, participate in recruitment efforts, make a variety of special appearances for the club, and work in a business development capacity for Fenway Sports Management and its partners.”
Ortiz himself revealed to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford yesterday that he’d agreed to some kind of new front-office role with the club. “I’m going to be up in the front office,” said Ortiz to Bradford. “Doing some things like going seeing players. That’s going to happen. At some point you’re going to see more often around, things like spring training.”
The 2017 campaign marks the first in which Ortiz hasn’t appeared in a Red Sox uniform since 2003 and the first in which hasn’t been active as a player since 1997. The 10-time All-Star retired following the 2016 campaign, bringing his career to a close with a terrific .286/.380/.552 batting line and 541 home runs across parts of 20 Major League seasons. Ortiz’s success with the Red Sox and postseason heroics had already cemented him in the team’s lore, though there’s been a longstanding belief that he could also return to the club in some type of off-the-field capacity.
As Bradford notes, Ortiz will follow in the footsteps of former Red Sox stars Pedro Martinez and Jason Varitek in serving the organization in an advisory capacity, although today’s announcement seems to indicate that Ortiz’s agreement is more formal and elaborate in nature.
“Like David himself, this agreement is unique and the first time we have made a commitment of this kind or this length to a player, retired or active,” said Red Sox chairman Tom Werner in the team’s announcement. “I am delighted we have a lasting partnership with him; one that brings to us the wisdom, experience, and character that has lifted this club time and again.”
Banquet services?
Congratulations, you’re an idiot with a beyond asinine comment
Take yourself seriously do you? Perhaps some professional help. Remember stay Boston strong.
I thought it was funny… I guess you don’t understand comedy.
No that’s a job for Arod!
Word coming out of Boston is Papi will be heading the Red Sox newly created “Human Growth Hormone” department
Speaking of big mouths, it looks like Pedro is eating too many burgers in between blurting his nonsensical BS. He’s always been long on the tooth and is now fat under the chin.
Speaking of big mouths I see the stanky troll is spouting more nonsense on a Sox thread. I almost missed your off the mark crap.
Did you have anyone help you come up with that? How many times did you practice it in your head before you typed?
It used to be common for former stars to stay with teams and tutor players. I remember Dom Dimaggio, Frank Malzone, Johnny Pesky, Bill Monbouquette, Eddie Kasko, Joe Dobson and a slew of others every ST for Boston working with the players, Ted Williams some years also.
Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford would show up at Winter haven with the Yanks sometimes. They had a great former cast. It was common for former greats, but now, with these mega salaries? Former super star players maybe don’t have the need to stay involved as much and it’s a shame.
“Former super star players maybe don’t have the need to stay involved as much and it’s a shame.”
So you prefer that super star players, who produce a ton of revenue for their employers, retire without the financial security their efforts produced and remain dependent on that former employer for continued sustenance? Got it. Perhaps it’s a shame for you but no players, not a single one, would agree.
Cardinal legends still do. Ozzie was helping Paul DeJong with infield Work yesterday. Gibson, Ozzie, McGee, Brock, McCarver etc all are around for home stretches, opening weekends, playoffs etc.
I’m sure a lot of other organizations do too.
Yes, most do, and why not. Lifetime association with that team.
Some want their own legacy, their own success away from “home.”
“I can do it without daddy’s help.” Or, “I don’t want to go into daddy’s business, I want to do something totally different and stand alone.”
I respect both approaches to post playing careers.
Ahhh, the power of PEDs to change your life!
Did they ever prove it?
“Prove”. Jurors often judge on circumstantial evidence. He was on the 2004 list and has consistently avoided the topic. That said, so many were using and likely still are (to a lesser degree) that his heroics shouldn’t be forgotten (especially his leadership off the field after the marathon bombing). As a lifelong Sox fan, I’d like to see Dwight Evans and Luis Tiant in the HOF before him. Will not happen but that’s how I feel. How is Tiant forgotten given the Cuban crisis?
He never avoided the topic. Where have you been? He repeatedly spoke out against PED’s.
You might want to revisit the facts of the report. The list was just that, a list with little supporting information.
You recall is deeply flawed. Google the report it may help you with the facts.
The Cuban crisis, Castillo?
If it was that nonsensical why did manfred have to pardon him?
Nope.
As a lifelong Sox fan, sadly I agree. I believe the rush to retire his number is because if it ever officially comes out he used, it will be too late. For all those who believe PED use is the same as the greenie use of the past, just remember the latter was prescribed by tge team doc with open bowls in the locker room while the former was hidden in closed lockers and sent in plain brown wrappings, often labled to someone else.
Are you serious? But with all the testing…. how could he not get caught all these years, and keep playing if what he did was against the rules???
Testing is years behind new PED treatments. Money is too much an incentive. Should be a one time, lifetime ban with reimbursement of earnings in the most egregious cases. PED use is fraud.
Oh wow another troll! Usually an idiot Yankees fan. Guess they never had any players that actually were found guilty of PED’s…oh wait
Yes they changed Arod’s dramatically!
How come the Yankees haven’t done something like this with Jeter?
Jeter wants to have his own legacy with his own handprint away from the historically abundant Yankees. Be his own man. See Michael Jordan.
The question is why hasn’t Jeter done this with the Yankees. It’s up to the player. An organization can’t force a guy to stay and do these kinds of things.
My guess is he was offered a front office job but he said he wanted more.
Bad guess. He made enough money including more endorsement dollars that Yankee dollars and has businesses and the turn2 foundation as well as the players tribune that take time.
Combined with his marriage and now father hood he’s got plenty on his hands.
And the naysayers should know better than question him; Jette has always represented the epitome of class and respect. So giving the Yankees time to be separate as well as provide room to Didi to establish himself are high on his agenda.
Why would he buy the Marlins if he’s got plenty on his hands?
The Facts:
In 2009, a report came out that David Ortiz’s sample test from 2003 was one of more than 100 flagged to showing positive for a substance that is now banned.
It wasn’t banned at the time. The testing that season was to see if a testing system needed to be implemented and the results were supposed to remain confidential.
For over 100 players, that remained the case. Yes, your favorite player from that era could have been using and you could have no idea.
Say whatever you want about that season (I personally couldn’t care less because the league wasn’t yet suspending players). That’s fine.
Here’s the deal, though: Ortiz has now completed 13 seasons since then under MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement and not failed a test. Not once.
Per Ortiz, he’s been tested hundreds of times.
Even if he hasn’t been tested quite many times, again, it’s been thirteen years with zero positive tests.
Are we done now, or will Yankee fan with his ONE flag in the last 18 years step to the podium again?
I still get a kick out of some of the names on that 2003 list. Shea Hillenbrand??
Gregg Zaun….
Perfectly said. No other comment is worth reading.
How can a yankee fan criticize Ortiz when Arod and Giambi did the same thing?
AROD dindu nuffin wrong. On the other hand MAN-RAM and Big Papi were known PED cheats
Ralphie, people do not care what you have to say. Just because you have a miserable life is no reason to garbage up these great forums. Give it up troll because you are ready to be banned through your IT address. There is no way to change that like you have done many times here just to get back on here to make your foolish comments that have nothing to do with sports.
Hi Peter. It’s time to take your meds and go back in the closet for timeout. Bringing up old rhetoric does not contribute anything. So keeping your little voice quiet during time out is advisable.
Got him Mike!!!
Do your math pal it’s 2 flags…oh and Big PED can buy a ticket to the HOF that’s as close as he’ll get to it..
Lol !!!
2001 – 2018 only ONE championship (2009, and they’re not winning it this year, so don’t count it as your second flag.)
Yes the Yankees were dominant in the late 90s and didn’t they win four in a row or five out of six or something like that? That was 20 years ago.
You said 18 years that does include 2000,or is it erased in your memory…not to mention WS appearances in 01 and 03. The many playoff appearances. They won three in a row 98-2000. They were the team of the 90’s and 00’s. They never stay down for long!
Most players were using in the early 2000s. Canceco was originally not taken seriously and it only got worse until Congress stepped in. Might actually have been the last time Congress did something right and even then there was division based on party.
And the banned substance he tested positive for was never disclosed. Could have been adderal or a number of other mundane things.
new role with the team: DH
He already is a DH…
Hopefully he isn’t working near a telephone. We’ve seen how he feels about those.
Perhaps the Sox should try and distance themselves from those that have tarnished the Grand Ol’ Game: Rocket, Manny, Big Papi – the bank hitting Minnesota Twin before PEDS…tarnished chanpionships…disgraceful!
See Gary. Idiot.
Rocket ??? Lol !!
I think the Rocket was a major reason the Yankees won two championships the last century ????
Yeah it took a former Boston alum for the Yankees to win!
Your squeaky voice is not flattering Peter.
Nor is your shrill tone mikestank
He will inject players with HGH.
Probably paying him ridiculous amount for exlucivity. Lots of show up and smile
I guess though the biggest embarrassment to the Sox in recent years was when Uber-fringe “Hall of Famer” Jim Rice dared to dis a true great of the game, Derek Jeter @ the Little League World Series. NO CLASS!!!
Troll better next time.
… Big Papi the ambassador. Good fit.
Get Big Papi a pair of Prosthetic feet and he could play for 10 more years.
To all fans:
I remember a few years back Jim Leyritz, a guy who spent a majority of his career in a yankee uniform, gave an interview where he was talking about the yankee clubhouse. There were 2 coffee pots. One was labelled “leaded” and the other “unleaded,” so all the players knew which one had amphetamines in them. While use of amphetamines was breaking federal law as far back as the 70s, it wasn’t a banned substance in the game until around 2005.
Now this isn’t just calling out the yanks as Leyritz said in the same interview that this was normal in every clubhouse. Leyritz I believe estimated that over half of all players were on something and the coaches and the front offices either turned a blind eye or even encouraged it.
When McGwire was breaking the record, I lived 2 hours from St. Louis and I was cheering him on. During that year a reporter found out about the non-banned substances he was on, wrote some articles about it, questioned it, and fans were livid… at the reporter.
That was then. Do I believe Ortiz was on something before MLB and the Union wanted strict penalties, I go by Leyritz’s believed probabilities. But I think after the rules changed he stayed clean just like many other players. To believe otherwise would be to believe in a massive conspiracy which by probabilities is just crazy. Anyone who wants to say Ortiz hasn’t deserved his place, look at your own team’s history and your favorite players of the past. Find me one saint.
Ken Griffey Jr
Not saying he used but nobody should be above suspicion. Half the players that tested positive were probably pitchers and half of the field position players were scrawny middle infielders, so don’t somebody’s frame make you think they were clean.
Just to clarify: Big Papi on the Banquet circuit – R we talkin’ clearing tables, filling gravy boats, etc.???
Maybe he can get Manny & Roger a job as well!!! 😀
We dumped Rog in 94….before he started taking that stuff.
After he was washed up and started juicing, then he wona couple World Series with the Yanks.
So he’s on YOUR list, not ours, concerning that PED stuff.
The PED accusations against Ortiz are just scurrilous.
LOTS of guys have the best season of their careers at age 40.
When Red Sox fans won’t admit their team cheats just like the patriots but doesn’t get punish.
When idiots talk trash with poor grammar.
Every fan is entitled to have their favorites. As an outsider, Ortiz left me cold, but he’s obviously important enough from a marketing perspective that the Red Sox felt the need to formalize. As for his alleged PED use, I suppose I no longer care enough to fret over it. Whether or not Ortiz used has become less relevant as MLB institutionally has moved towards tacitly rationalizing the Steroids Era.
No HOF though!
No brainer. Good job Sox! Papí just makes things better by being around. Best ambassador you could ask for.
Ridiculous
Big Sloppi is the biggest attention w hore you could ask for…
Did you hear about the new secret weapon in Boston?? The new long-term, highly coveted front office position has now been filled!!!
Everybody now knows david ortiz is going to be bostons new secret weapon..
He is soon to head up the all-new supa-wicked – PH/HGH department for the sox! His job description will entail mentoring new young prospects on just how to avoid getting caught! Thats right!…Forget Apple Watches folks – THIS!… is the new secret weapon of the sox!! There is no one better for the job because Ortiz was the CHAMP himself… learn from the best and hit HRs to your hearts content well into your late 40s without getting caught.
Request release waivers NOW…and become a legend in bean town!! What are you waiting for!??
I swear there is not a single reasonable person on this website. God forbid some posts a fact or something that ever happened that you disagree with.
Retired player signs contract to hang out with former team.
Fascinating. I guess September is a slow news month for baseball.
The only September news for you, Brooklyn hat, is that
THE DODGERS LOST ELEVEN IN A ROW.
They could let him work the phones…
… nevermind.
Most of these phone jokes are too easy/obvious, that one was funny. Laughed despite myself. Cheers.
Bonds career trajectory before (rumored steroid use)…HOF. Ortiz career trajectory before (documented PED/Steroid use) being DFA’d by multiple teams. How does this guy get a pass?
DFA’d by multiple teams? Not to let the facts get in the way, but he was signed by Seattle and traded to Minny who then released him years later; then signed in Boston and retired from that.
I believe it’s a Cinnamon Roll.
I Love It when you Yankees & Sox fans cut each other’s throats!! It’s Beautiful!!