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2007 It may be heresy to suggest that Big Papi enjoyed his finest season in a Red Sox uniform in 2006, but he set personal bests in OBP, SLG, and EqA, broke the franchise single-season home run record (besting Jimmie Foxx`s 50 in 1938), and tied the AL record for home runs in road games (32, matching Babe Ruth`s 1927 mark). For those arguing that he`s got that special clutch goodness, he also led the AL in hitter Win Expectancy (8.14) for the second year in a row. Nonetheless, the final stretch of Ortiz`s season left a bitter aftertaste beyond the Sox`s ignominious fate. Just after Manny Ramirez went down in late August, Ortiz was hospitalized due to an irregular heartbeat, missing a week. His return to the lineup underscored the fact that Ortiz benefits considerably from having an all-time great batting behind him; in 23 Manny-less games following his return, opposing pitchers walked Ortiz 31 times, all but one of the slugger`s nine homers were solo shots, and he drove in just five additional runners. His mid-September comments regarding the upcoming MVP voting--including a petty dismissal of Derek Jeter`s candidacy--and his reaction to the fallout made him appear more focused on individual glory than team success. All in all, the fairytale of 2004 seems a long way away, but as long as he has Ramirez protecting him, there`s no reason he can`t continue his heroics. 2006 Big Papi has reached Orr/Bird/Brady status in Boston with his great statistics and numerous game-ending homers over the past few seasons. Having such a great player as your DH comes with a cost-the ability to rest some of your older, banged-up, veterans over the course of the season by keeping them off the field. Ramirez`s DH appearances the past four seasons: 50, 26, 18, and two. It`s a small price to pay. 2005 What else can you say about Big Papi that hasn't already been said? Ortiz had one of the great postseasons of all time, officially arriving on the stage as a superstar and savior of a beleaguered Nation. He improved on virtually all his major statistical measures for the fourth year in a row and thrust himself into the middle of the wide-open MVP discussion in the AL. Though he did lose out to Vladimir Guerrero in the end, the Red Sox were prescient enough to sign him to a two-year, $12.5 million extension in May. While that move may have been questioned considering the significant players headed for free agency at the end of the season, it looks downright psychic now, a major coup for the young Boston front office. 2003 Welcome to the New Economics. We’ve warned for years that the benefits of arbitration shouldn’t really trickle down to baseball’s middle class, because a smart organization can just non-tender or release a solid player rather than leave it to an arbitrator to set his value; solid players can be replaced through player development and/or a sharp eye on the waiver wire. It would have made more sense to non-tender Mientkiewicz and go to arbitration with Ortiz, but Ortiz’s annual struggle to stay healthy probably squelched that idea. Ortiz is a thoroughly useful DH, but this winter’s market of free agents is flooded with useful DHs. As a Red Sox, he’s every bit as nifty a pickup as Jeremy Giambi. 2002 Ortiz is a reasonable offensive player, which means that as a Twin, he was injured during 2001. He started the season off monstrously before suffering a fractured wrist in early May that kept him out of action for two-and-a-half months. Ortiz looks like he should be some sort of bashing ox, and he began the season that way, but he's never been healthy or played long enough for anyone to find out what he can really do. Some scouts think he can be Mo Vaughn in his prime; others think he’ll be the shadow of the Hit Dog on whom the Angels spent a bunch of money. Ortiz is probably in the wrong organization to get the playing time he needs. 2001 After being demoted in 1999 because of questions about his attitude, David Ortiz made a point of not getting cranky about sitting during the first half. That made a good impression, but he still has a long way to go as far as conditioning and preparation. If you start reading stories about him coming into camp in great shape, that projection is low. If he doesn’t, he’ll have a hard time matching it. Kelly is never going to play him regularly at first base, so he has to hit to stick. 2000 The organization’s litmus test to see if they want to get better in a hurry or just do things their way. Ortiz is accused of having an attitude, and he catches flak for bad glovework and his weight. Ullger says he’s gotten into bad habits at the plate: he had been pitched outside for so long that he wasn’t adjusting to anything inside in the majors, diving across the plate without keeping his head or hands still. Despite all that, he has the best power in the organization, so the question is whether Kelly will work with Ortiz or bury him. 1999 Ortiz took a big leap forward last year in terms of plate discipline. A broken bone in his right wrist took a chunk out of his year, and appeared to curtail his power when he returned. Don't worry about it. Ortiz could take another big step forward this year; 23 is an age where many players boost their power. Get him. 1998 Ortiz (known as David Arias when he first came to the big leagues from the Dominican Republic) had a solid year at A-ball and Double-A and then hit .327 in a cup of coffee with the Twins. He is very young, and the Twins may want him to have more than a half-season at Double-A before they hand him a starting job in the majors, but his upside is very high. Think Dave Parker.
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