The BoSox Injection staff reflects on the 2016 season by grading each member of the Boston Red Sox based on expectations for them entering the season.
What David Ortiz did this season is uncanny. Boston Red Sox fans have had the privilege of watching Big Papi hit in the middle of this lineup for the past 14 seasons, but he saved one of his best performances for last.
No player in major league history has ever walked away from the game following a season remotely as productive as the one Ortiz had this year. He set records for the most home runs (38) and RBI (127) by a player 40+ years old, putting up numbers that were similar to the ones he produced in his prime about a decade ago.
If Ortiz’s career had to come to an end, he was going to ensure he went out in style. For years he has been recognized as one of the most feared sluggers in the game and in his final season he remained among the elite. Ortiz led the majors with a .620 slugging percentage, 1.021 OPS, 48 doubles and 87 extra-base hits. He tied for the American League lead in RBI, while finishing in the top eight in home runs, batting average and on-base percentage.
Ortiz was the best hitter in the league this season, anchoring the highest scoring offense in baseball for a team that won the AL East division. If not for the all-around brilliance of his teammate, Mookie Betts, who was right on his heels in most offensive categories while providing Gold Glove caliber outfield defense, Ortiz would be the front-runner for the MVP award.
Perhaps he’ll still win it if a few sentimental voters drawn to the storybook ending to Big Papi’s epic career balance out those with a bias against the designated hitter.
Grade: A
What’s Next?
Now that his playing days are over, the next step for Ortiz will come off the field. While he’s clearly still capable of putting up prolific numbers, the 40-year old’s body has betrayed him. The amount of preparation it took Ortiz to be ready to play and the discomfort he battled with his ailing legs and feet are forcing him to hang up his cleats. He seems to be at peace with his decision to retire, so a change of heart doesn’t appear to be in the cards no matter how much Red Sox Nation wants to see him back in the lineup next year.
It’s likely that Ortiz will take some time off to relax, spend time with his family and enjoy retirement. At some point he will likely join the team in some sort of consulting role, similar to how the organization has utilized his friend Pedro Martinez. Given what Ortiz has meant to this franchise, the Red Sox will certainly want to keep him in the fold in any capacity that he’s open to.
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