David Ortiz

From SoSH

David Américo Ortiz Arias was born on November 18, 1975 in Santo Domingo, Dominician Republic. He is also known as God or the Lead Deity of the Church of Ortiz. He and his wife Tiffany have two daughters, Jessica (10/23/96) and Alexandra (3/22/01), and a son, D'Angelo Ortiz.

Contents 1 Overall Career 1.1 2004 1.2 2005 1.3 2006 1.4 2007 2 Señor Octubre 3 Awards 4 Achievements 5 Honors 6 Trivia 7 Ortiz HR Breakdown 8 Ortiz Quotes 8.1 By Ortiz 8.2 About Ortiz 9 Transactions 10 External Links

Overall Career

David Ortiz is one of the most productive hitters in baseball and perhaps the focal point of the Red Sox offense. He was first signed at the age of 17 as an international free agent by the Seattle Mariners on November 28, 1992. He was later traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1996 as a PTBNL (the Mariners acquired Dave Hollins), and made his major league debut with the Twins on September 2, 1997. Ortiz had mixed success with the Twins. Despite producing an .802 OPS in his inagural season, and an .817 OPS over 278 ABs in 1998, he was shuttled between the minors and the majors. It was with the Twins, however, that he became a designated hitter, to cover his defensive shortcomings and to provide playing time for glove man Doug Mientkiewicz. In 2002, Ortiz was up for arbitration and, despite 20 home runs that year, he was non-tendered by the Twins who believed that Doug Mientkiewicz was a cheaper and more productive alternative. He was signed by the Red Sox to be part of a five-way, 1B/3B/DH platoon with Shea Hillenbrand, Jeremy Giambi, Kevin Millar, and Bill Mueller. In early 2003, Ortiz was marginalized by the Red Sox, batting .212, and spending several games on the bench. However, due to struggles and injuries to Giambi, and the trade of Hillenbrand, Ortiz got a second chance, and proceeded to exceed the most hopeful projections. He produced a .961 OPS for the year and finished in the top 5 in MVP voting. Ortiz struggled in the 2003 ALDS, producing a .317 OPS, and while he rebounded with a .905 OPS against the Yankees. Then manager Grady Little pinch ran for him on several occasions, depriving the Red Sox of his potent bat.

2004

• In 2004, Ortiz again had a MVP-caliber year in which he and Manny Ramirez were the most feared 3-4 combination in the American League. Ortiz continued his mastery of all pitchers in the 2004 postseason, in which he hit three game winners, one against the Angels and two on the same day against the Yankees.
• A first-time All-Star, Ortiz cracked a 6th-inning two-run homer off Carl Pavano at the Mid-Summer Classic in Houston. He also walked twice and scored two runs.
• Had an extra-base hit in 9 straight games April 19-29 (9 doubles and 2 homers), 2 shy of the A.L. record set by Jesse Barfield in 1985.
• Ended a three game sweep of the Anaheim Angels with a walk-off 2-run homer off Jarrod Washburn in the 10th inning of Game 3 of the 2004 ALDS at Fenway. The HR was the icing on the cake of a 4-for-6 game with 2 doubles and the HR.
• Ortiz became the 28th player in history to hit a HR in his first World Series at-bat.
• He was named MVP of the ALCS and was instrumental in bringing the World Championship back to Boston after 86 long years.

2005

• In 2005, he came in second in the MVP vote in a highly contested race versus Alex Rodriguez. Big Papi, as he has been nicknamed, has quickly earned the title of "Best Clutch Hitter in Red Sox History" for his amazing abilty to win games with his bat. He signed an extention with the Red Sox in 2006, ensuring that Ortiz will be at Fenway, launching pitches into the Wall for many years to come.

2006

• Set Red Sox record with 31 HRs prior to All Star break.
• Voted by fans as the starter at 1B for the American League All-Star team.
• On Saturday, July 29th he was tied for most walkoff hits over a 4 year period with 11. Phil Garner accomplished this with the Houston Astros in the early 80s
• On Monday, July 31st he had the most walkoff hits over a 4 year period with 12. Phil Garner hit 11 with the Houston Astros in the early 80s
• On Thursday, Sept 21st he hit his 51st HR of the year off of former teammate Johan Santana to break the Red Sox Single Season HR mark set by Jimmie Foxx in 1938. He hit #52 in the same game. Interestingly enough, Ortiz was Santana's 1,000th career strikeout victim earlier that year.
• On Tuesday, Sept 26th he hit his 54th and final, American League-leading HR of 2006 to help Curt Schilling finish his season with win #15.

2007

• Hit walkoff HR (his second HR of the game) on September 12th versus the Devil Rays in a 5-4 win. Ortiz was responsible for all 5 RBI.

Señor Octubre

• Ortiz currently shares the record for most RBIs in a postseason (19).
• Hit a key double off Keith Foulke, with the Red Sox 4 outs away from elimination, to give the Red Sox the lead in the bottom of the 8th of Game 4 in the 2003 ALDS.
• He has three walkoff game winning hits in playoff career:
  • Won three of those playoff games at Fenway Park with walkoff hits (within the span of 11 days).....
  • And two of his game-winners actually came on the same calendar day (October 18) against the New York Yankees when down 3-0 and 3-1 in the 2004 ALCS.
• Ortiz, through his clutch hitting, won the 2004 ALCS MVP award.
• Hit a 3 run HR in his first World Series at bat.

Awards

• 2004 American League Championship Series MVP
• 2005 American League Hank Aaron Award (Best Hitter in the League)
• 4-time American League Designated Hitter Silver Slugger (2004 - 2007)
• 4-time American League All-Star (2004 - 2007)
• 5-time Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award winner (2003 - 2007)

Achievements

• 2006 American League Home Run Leader (54 - Red Sox Single Season Record)
• 2006 American League Total Bases Leader (355)
• 2007 American League On Base Percentage Leader (0.445)
• 2-time American League Walks Leader (2006 - 2007)
• 2-time American League RBI Leader (2005 & 2006)
• 3-time American League Extra-Base Hits Leader (2004, 2005, 2007)

Honors

• In a pennant race, Ortiz was named A.L. Player of the Month for September after batting .320 (33-for-103) with 11 homers, 29 RBI, a .425 OBP and a .670 slugging percentage in 29 games. Ortiz's 11 home runs were the most in September in Red Sox history.
• Received 4,138,141 votes to play in the 2005 All-Star Game at Comerica Park in Detroit, more than any other player in baseball.

Trivia

Career Walk Off HRs as of 9/13/2007
PLAYER	##	CAREER AB	CAREER HR
Jimmie Foxx	12	8,134	458
Mickey Mantle	12	8,102	536
Stan Musial	12	10,972	475
Frank Robinson	12	10,006	586
Babe Ruth	12	8,398	714
David Ortiz	11	4,165	262
Tony Perez	11	9,778	379
Dick Allen	10	6,332	351
Harold Baines	10	9,908	438
Reggie Jackson	10	9,864	563
Mike Schmidt	10	8,352	548

Ortiz Walk Offs: List of Ortiz Walk-Offs

• Ortiz hit 20 home runs in the 2005 season which either tied or gave Boston a lead.
• Points to the sky when he reaches home plate after hitting a home run: "I do it normally, just to thank God and thanks to my mom, too."[1]
• He also sports a tattoo of his mother on his biceps. His mother, Angela Rosa Arias, died in a car crash in January 2002 at 46.[2]
• In 2005, 19 of Ortiz's 47 home runs either tied a game or gave the Red Sox the lead
• Of his 47 home runs in 2005, 43 came as a designated hitter, most ever by a DH since the DH rule went into effect in 1974
• Although playing in significantly less games than the others on the top ten list, Ortiz will likely become the all-time leader in DH HRs sometime in 2007.
• Is the originator of the tossing off the batting helmet as one approaches home plate routine after a walkoff HR. Is quoted to have said about it: "If you leave your helmet on, they hammer you. If you take it off, they take it easy. I learned that from my first walk-off home run here. I went to the video, and I saw Trot Nixon just hammering me. I mean, just beating me up like I was his enemy. I’ve been taking it off ever since. And now I see everyone in the league doing it"[3]
• In 2005, broke Ted Williams' 1957 Red Sox record of 26 home runs hit on the road in a season (with 27)
• In 2005, he and Manny Ramirez hit more HRs as any other duo in Red Sox history (92)
• In 2004, Ortiz and Manny Ramirez homered in the same game 12 times, setting a club record
• In 2006 he became the first Red Sox player in history with 30 or more HRs by the All Star break
• The 3rd member of the Red Sox to have three 40 HR seasons, joining Carl Yastrzemski and Manny Ramirez
• In 2006 he became the first Red Sox player in history with 3 consecutive 40 HR seasons
• On December 5, 2006, David Ortiz won an unprecedented fourth consecutive Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.

Ortiz HR Breakdown

• As a member of the Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz has clubbed 224 home runs. 213 in the Regular Season, 11 in Postseason play
• Nearly half of those homeruns (103) have either tied the score, given the Red Sox the lead, or ended the game. 17 have tied games, 76 have given Boston the lead, and 10 have been Walk-Offs.
• 74 of his home runs have come in the 7th inning or later.
• Roy Halladay and Jamie Moyer have allowed the most HR to Ortiz with 5. Gil Meche, Ramon Ortiz, and Seth McClung have allowed 4.
• The Red Sox are 139-57 when Ortiz homers.

Ortiz Quotes

By Ortiz

• I showed people that it's not about guessing what people can do. It's about saying, 'Here, show me what you can do.'
• It doesn't matter if we were down 3-0. You've just got to keep the faith. The game is not over until the last out.
• What happened to me should teach everybody that you should never give up on anybody.
• You just have to go as far as you can go. Everyone works his way up.
• On being tested for steroids: "All they are going to find is a lot of rice and beans." [4]
• Again on steroids: "I should use steroids just to see what’s going on. Nah. I have a good family. I want to see my kids learn and develop. I think I’m having an OK career. So, I take a lot of Advils, but I think I’m going to stop taking them. They say it (expletive) your liver.” [5]
• After his 3-run walk-off HR against Baltimore's star closer, BJ Ryan on June 2, 2005: "I don't do anything but go out there and hit once in a while, so I've got to get people to know me. The best way to get people to know me is to produce at the right time." Asked if he really thought there was anyone in Boston who didn't know him, Ortiz cracked, "A child that's just born today." [6]
• That's why people gotta believe in the Sox. This is not apple Sox, or barbecue Sox. This is the Sox. (September 2003)
• We're going to kick their ass, drink their beer and rape their bitches. (2003) [7]
• It kind of puts you in a good mood...You feel like Superman...'OK, I can't let my people down.' (Hearing "MVP" chants and then delivering a game-winning single against Toronto on September 29, 2003) [8]
• There's a cookie?
• Now go home and get some ass. (to reporters, ending a media session) [9]
• I keep telling the new guys, "Wait until you play your first game at Fenway Park. You might need a diaper. ... You might need a diaper, homey. It's gonna be like that every day." (April 10, 2006, after signing a four-year contract extension) [10]
• I feel great playing in Boston. I feel like this is my house and I need to protect my house. (April 10, 2006) [11]
• After last night's game (Sox lost 19-8 in Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS) I saw a woman on the sidewalk crying. I had to turn that frown upside down. (October 18, 2004 following his 12th inning walk-off HR)
• I just swing hard in case I hit it -- that's it. (2006) [12]
• I only have one tape at home, the Red Sox one. I watch it over and over and over and over. I just watch that tape. It kind of hits me afterwards. When things are happening, you don't put attention to it, but when you're kicking back at home and you watch the DVD that they made for all of us, you realize, 'Man, I can't believe I did that.' (February 21, 2005)
• When life give you lemons, smash 'em with a bat.

About Ortiz

• “He thinks he’s going to be on the cover of GQ, but he doesn’t quite understand what style is all about.” — Doug Mientkiewicz
• “He’s bulletproof, as far as I’m concerned. Whether there’s a lefthander on the mound or a righthander on the mound, he beats us up pretty good."— Joe Torre
• “He’s a tremendous person, but his bat, that’s what helps us win more games.”— Terry Francona
• "He's Mo Vaughn with an uncanny knack in the clutch and no strippers-and-bacon-sandwiches baggage. He's Reggie Jackson without being an arrogant, phony $%%#@. He's Dave Henderson with more ability, more pure power, more duende. He is the greatest clutch hitter you, your dad, your granddad, and in all likelihood, your unborn children will ever see. He's Big Papi, larger than life, bigger than the biggest moments"- Chad Finn, Touching all the Bases [13]
• "No matter how dire the situation appears for the Red Sox, there's always Big Papi."— AP Game Summary (7/30/2006) [14]

Transactions

• November 28, 1992: Signed by the Seattle Mariners as an amateur free agent.
• September 13, 1996: The Seattle Mariners sent David Ortiz (PTBNL) to the Minnesota Twins for Dave Hollins.
• December 16, 2002: Released by the Minnesota Twins.
• January 22, 2003: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• April 10, 2006: Signed a four year, 52 million dollar contract extension with the Boston Red Sox.

External Links

• The Baseball Cube Player Page
• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Ortiz's ESPN Player Card