David Ortiz will hit free agency this offseason and he’s looking for a multiyear deal. Sound familiar? It should, but this offseason will be different than most for the Red Sox. The team recently freed up approximately $260MM in payroll yet there are numerous questions heading into the 2012-13 offseason. The future of Ortiz, who’s currently sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury, is one of them. Ortiz recently shared his thoughts on the Red Sox and his upcoming appearance on the free agent market with Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Here are some highlights:
- Ortiz said he wants to re-sign in Boston, but explained that he expects the Red Sox to win. “We have two wild cards, and we're not even in it,” he said. “You can't let that happen." The team’s current situation is “disgusting” in Ortiz’s view. However, he told Bradford the Red Sox should be better in 2013 since they have payroll flexibility this coming offseason.
- Ortiz continues seeking a multiyear deal, but he made it clear he’s not looking too far into the future. "The thing is when people talk about me signing a multi-year contract, they make it seem like I'm asking for a four- or five-year deal,” he told Bradford. “A guy like me isn't going to be looking for more than two years in the market.”
- If the Red Sox front office has questions about potential acquisitions, Ortiz will be “happy to answer" them. He tells free agents that Boston is a good place to play as long as you’re consistent.
- Ortiz joked that the Red Sox should get three of him if they want to improve.
- MLBTR's Mark Polishuk recently previewed Ortiz's free agent stock.
Three of him wouldn’t be a bad idea if they could stay healthy.
And if a team could have three DHs
Diva.
Y’know Dave, there’s this other team, the Blue Jays, looking to improve, with lots of payroll flexibility, and if you want to play with 2 other David Ortizs, it already has 2 Dominican power-hitters in the lineup…
The Jays and Red Sox are in pretty similiar positions. Weak pitching hit hard by injuries, solid hitting, and a lot of impact prospects but not enough coming up next year to make the leap. I assume the two teams will be going after a lot of the same free agents. Guys like Ortiz, Ross, Edwin Jackson, Marcum, ect.
I doubt the sox go after any big free agents this year. Sure they still want to put a decent product out so they sell tickets but I don’t think they will be competing. That void at 1B and losing a top starter won’t be easy. They are rebuilding and I don’t think they go after anyone significant, just pieces to plug the holes.
I would rather grab Torii Hunter at 2yrs/$28m simply because he can also play the OF
Injuries aside, he’s been consistent, and a two-year deal seems pretty reasonable. It’s all about what the AAV is for those two years.
I’d rather have 3
Xander Bogaerts
Ortiz at the right price as well as Ross needs to come back for 2 years. Maybe Ross comes with a third year option. That will help keep the offense above average until the top prospects are ready. Then the Red Sox need to focus on improving their starting pitching whethor that be getting Lester, Clay, and Doubront to perform their best or obtaining constient starters through free agency or trades
Ross will ask for 3@7 mill per. Im ok with that. But yeah pitching pitching and more pitching. Did i mention pitching
I agree with both of your statements. I think the trick will be to continue to develop our young pitchers and not trade them away for other possible impact players. The best impact could be made from plugging gaps and seeing what we have in the minors. It’ll take time but I’d love to see the red sox hang on to our prospects and see who shakes out.
Geez, Ortiz….are you always on?? Stop whining already. If you want to re-sign, do so. If you want to leave, then leave. Enough of the soapbox. Drama Queen.
I dont think a contract has been offered as of yet. There is nothing for him to sign!
He was sort of asked a question.
2 yr 27 million. Front loaded yr 1 @15 or 16. He shoul jump at that
He would be all for that and the Sox should be too. They need power in their lineup and he would probally retire and then his spot could be filled by a prospect in 2015
I always have to preface myself and say I’m a die hard Sox fan, but those comments are dumb. You’ve proven your age with injuries this year. Hasn’t happened much before until this year. So we need 3 more of you, to sit on the DL? Bah, I think that he is still a very productive player, but I’m still offering 1 year if I’m Cherington. Players over 34 have to go year-by-year, especially with how many younger players are emerging in baseball. Don’t like it, take your talents to south beach or something.
From what I understand Ortiz would probably be able to come back if the sox were in contention. He is at a point where the sox have no postseason plans, so it really isn’t worth risking further injury by coming back.
Proven his age with injuries? What Red Sox hasnt been on the DL the last 3 season, they’re all soft.
They are? pedroia played thru a torn muscle in his thumb and reinjured the same hand again.. That issue forced him to miss less than 1 week and many players would have been gone on the 60day DL with the tear alone.
Broken foot of Pedroia’s in 2010? he cam back and played on it, screws in it the same season, tho was June he had the surgery.
Take that “all soft” comment elsewhere.
He came back played two games with that broken foot and then went back on DL for rest of season
Thanks. Remember he came back and tried to play and the pain was bad, even had special shoe with extra padding but didn’t remember how long it lasted.
Pros: Good hitter, power, great for community (if he’s happy). Cons: Can’t run, can’t field, fat, 37 years old, bad achilles, known as chronic complainer if he’s unhappy. Give him one with a team option. Maybe $7,000,000 for 2013.
Ortiz looked great this year. Far from “fat”. He was much more slimmed down than in the past and it can only help him going forward if he keeps the weight off.
Exactly. Ortiz lost a lot of weight last winter and looked thinner than I ever recall him looking in a Sox uniform. He also looked a bit quicker on the base paths as well.
Babe Ruth was fat, whats your point? Hes a top 15 hitter pretty much every year if not better and was on pace for an even better year than last year. Hits for average and is an on base machine. There are plenty of hitters who cant field out there luckily hes in the American League so he can dh.
He was faster around the base path than Agon was. He lost alot of weight. He may be 37 but he can still mash. He is not a chronic complainer, that has gotten blown out of context.
David – you’re worth what the market is willing to pay you. Your constant blathering is not going to magically increase your value.
Old, slow and injuries will start happening. Let him go if you want to get back on track.
And replace him with who? Next year without Ortiz or a suitable replacement and this team will struggle scoring runs as much as they struggle preventing them. Ellsbury and Pedey are solid 1-2 but after that you have a bunch of low order hitters or guys that haven’t developed. I say keep Ortiz for 2 years especially since he is a fan favorite.
Old and slow, perhaps, but he’s consistent. Old players can still perform very well in their old age. Just ask Dave Winfield how he played at the age of 40.
A two year deal sounds very reasonable. It’s just a matter of the AAV.
What’s more disgusting is that Ortiz is a roiding cheater.
Sox trade for Adam Dunn and Carlos Lee. BAM! Three of David Ortiz!
ortiz might be a tough sell with the length and the money he probably wants. He obviously can hit, but multiyear, even 2 years, and eight figures per year? The bigger question for Boston is whether they can contend next year. If yes, then Ortiz makes sense. If no, then it’s just expensive window dressing, and you might as well spread the PA’s around
Disagree. They have money available. It is not a long term deal, it will not handcuff them in the least to sign him to a 2 year deal. He is a leader in the clubhouse and will help the transition of the younger players.
Ortiz played in 90 games this year, missing more than 40% of the season because of an injury that seems highly questionable as to its seriousness. Recognizing his apparent vulnerability to debilitating injury, an offer not to exceed $9,000,000, perhaps with a mutual option for a second year, is all that David is entitled to following his 2012 performance. Besides, the 8 figure contracts Papi has signed for the past 4 years were rewards for the amazing offensive numbers he put up during Boston’s championship seasons.
He is still an elite bat that any team would be happy to have. The only teams that probably wouldn’t have room for him would be CLE, LAA, CWS, KC, and TX. Some teams probably wouldn’t take it if they aren’t in contention. But if he were to go for 9M alot of teams would be in on it. Even the Rays would probably jump at that chance, since Pena makes 7.25M anyways; and that is a big upgrade.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Papi, but he will be 37 in December. He doesn’t step onto the field except when he runs the bases. Even then, in 2012, he injured himself badly enough (so he says) to miss the last 70 games of the season. If he can still bat in 140-150 games a year, I say pay him $14.5M, but his performance this year says he cannot do that any more. I watched him injure himself, by the way, and all he was doing was slowly trotting around second base when it happened. I am 70 and I could do that all day long and not get hurt. IMHO, he has been faking the extent of his injury, big time, to stay above the fray, during this tumultuous second half of the season.
Having had the same injury let me tell you first it hurts. Second it is slow to recover from (see Howard). I injured mine doing light jogging. As the doctor told me sometimes it just goes. These types of injuries are much like a knee, no matter the protection used or the amount of muscle one has when it goes it goes. I am sorry but Ortiz is the face of the club, this coming from a Halos fan. He is to the sox what Jeter is to the Yanks. They need him for PR alone as the guy is a winner with fans all around the league. Always with a smile and time for everyone.
If it’s a 1yr deal, it will be for the qualifying offer, which I believe is around $13.5m
bingo
You are correct, unbeknownst to me until I did my homework. But, as I understand the term “qualifying offer” it means to qualify for a draft pick as compensation should some team offer the player in question more. Perhaps, in some instances, then, putting a qualifying amount on the table is not the wisest thing to do, do you think?.
In this market he will not get eight figures anywhere else. Not Toronto. Nor the O’s or even NY. He is damaged goods. His Achilles goes and he goes. Done. The smart business move is to let him see what the market offers and then decide to match it, exceed it or let him go.
Ryan Howard shows this to be a totally inaccurate statement. Ortiz hits, period. He never has hit that big payday though he should have, He just plugs along when he plays and is still an above average contributor on any team in the AL. Since the Sox are out of it no need for him to play. I hate the Sox (Go loser Angels) but Ortiz will be a force again next season whomever is smart enough to sign him.
One of the biggest reasons I want the Sox and Ortiz to maintain a friendly relationship is his value as an ambassador to Latin America (DR in particular, honestly). I’d love him to play with us a couple more years and then stay on as a scout/liaison.
2 years/22-25 mil
I don’t think they need three of you Papi, unless they suddenly gain 2 more DH spots
I think Ortiz wants the years more then the money. When they give him one year deals thats when he wants top dollar. He’s probably give them more of a discount on a mulityear, just throw the guy an option or 2.
Papi eats more when he doesn’t have to worry about his waist line until next year. Thats not good because he cannot get the bat around on fast balls when he waist gets to 48″-50″in diameter.
FWIW, I just read elsewhere that John Henry and his fellow owners have decided to shop the Red Sox ….FOR SALE @ $1.3B……. anyone interested?