Big Papi Probably Big Mistake

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 PRESSWIREDavid 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.