Jays Journal » David Ortiz

Big Papi Probably Big Mistake

Joshua Menezes — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:55:39 +0000

July 14, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

David Ortiz is a free agent this offseason. He reportedly is looking for a 2-year contract worth 25 to 30 million. With the Boston Red Sox rebuilding, Ortiz may not want to stay in Boston and instead go to a team that has a chance to win.

Toronto Blue Jays fans and media say the Blue Jays should pursue Ortiz to play DH. That allows Edwin Encarnacion to play 1st base full time and lets Adam Lind be a bench player or become more expendable in a trade. It would also give the Blue Jays a left-handed power bat to go along with Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Bautista is also known to be good friends with Ortiz so people hope Bautista would be able to talk him into coming to Toronto.

David Ortiz, despite being 36 years old, amazingly hit 318 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI’s in 90 games in 2012 before his season ended with an injury to his achilles tendon on July 16. Signing any player who missed the last 2 and a half months of a season with an injury is risky. Signing a soon to be 37-year-old who missed the last 2 and a half months with an injury is super risky.

If the Blue Jays signed Ortiz he’d be 37 years old when the 2013 season starts and be 38 when the 2014 season starts. Vladimir Guerrero was 37 during the 2012 season and he showed such little ability in the minor leagues he couldn’t find a job in the big leagues. Alex Rodriguez is 37 right now and he’s performing so badly lately for the New York Yankees he’s spending playoff games on the bench. Johnny Damon played well at 37 for the Tampa Bay Rays but at 38 he got released by the Cleveland Indians.

The Blue Jays signing Big Papi would be exciting because he’s Big Papi. But paying a 37-year-old coming off an injury a $25 to $30 million, 2-year contract would probably be a big mistake.

David Ortiz defeats Jose Bautista in Reebok challenge

Jared Macdonald — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:09:11 +0000

While in Kansas City for All-Star Game festivities, Jose Bautista and David Ortiz competed in a CrossFit fitness challenge yesterday at the nearby Buck O’Neill Research and Education Center. Sponsored by Reebok, the two sluggers raced against the clock in workouts to determine which athlete was the fittest on the baseball field. The crowd in attendance saw Ortiz defeat Bautista and, due to a handshake agreement between the pair, Bautista will have to wear his pants up high when the Blue Jays take on the Yankees in New York next week as a result.

For hosting the event, Reebok made a donation to the Buck O’Neill Center, the home of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Thanks to Jessie Carney and Jody Sowa from M&C Saatchi for reaching out and providing these images from the event.

David Ortiz and Jose Bautista pose for a photo at the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

David Ortiz participates in the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Jose Bautista poses for a photo with children from the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Missouri at the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Jose Bautista and David Ortiz conduct an interview during the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Jose Bautista and David Ortiz talk during the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

How signing David Ortiz would be different than Frank Thomas

Jared Macdonald — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:23:30 +0000

Over the weekend, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star chimed in on what I speculated back on October 18th, which was the possibility of the Jays signing impending free agent slugger David Ortiz.

While it’s unlikely that the Jays will pursue another DH this offseason after exercising their club option on their intended 2012 DH, Edwin Encarnacion, earlier this evening, signing Ortiz would obviously represent an upgrade at the position. Talks between the Jays and Ortiz will probably only take place if the Red Sox decline to offer him arbitration, which is quite possible considering he made $12.5 million in 2011.

Griffin concludes his blog entry by mentioning how the Jays signed a similar aging, DH-only type back in 2006: Frank Thomas. I opted to leave the Thomas comparison out of my initial article on Ortiz, but with it having surfaced more lately, here’s how signing Ortiz would be different.

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David Ortiz on the 2012 Blue Jays: A Realistic Option?

Jared Macdonald — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:01:26 +0000

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted this on Saturday, surfacing the possibility of Big Papi becoming a member of the Jays next season. Could it be something that the Jays would realistically consider? In an interview with ESPN’s Colleen Dominguez last Thursday, Ortiz, who becomes a free agent later this month, mentioned that there was “too much” [...]

David Ortiz on the 2012 Blue Jays: A Realistic Option? - Jays Journal - Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Jose Bautista Announces Extension Deadline: Now or Never for Blue Jays?

Jared Macdonald — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 11:34:26 +0000

Discussion erupted among Jays fans yesterday when Jose Bautista told Ken Fidlin of the Toronto Sun that if he can’t agree to a long-term contract with the Jays prior to Monday’s scheduled arbitration hearing, he will not discuss the matter further until the end of the season, setting a Pujols-esque deadline for contract talks.

Image courtesy of Sports Illustrated

There’s nothing wrong with Bautista doing so, as many players have not wanted to negotiate a contract during the season in order to prevent any kind of distraction on the field, and it’s simply a negotiation strategy by Bautista and his agent. Bautista put up monster numbers this past season, and he wants to get paid for them, now. You can’t blame him for that.

“My desire is to play in Toronto long term but, after the hearing, or during the season, I have come to the conclusion that it’s probably not the best thing for me to be negotiating any type of deal,” he said. “I want to focus on the game and trying to win ballgames.

Bautista’s decision yesterday effectively erases the idea of the Jays being able to wait and see how he swings the bat in the first few months of the season before opting to sign him to a long-term contract.

There are now simply two scenarios regarding Bautista’s intriguing contract situation that can take place. (more…)