David Ortiz Baseball Hall of Famer
David Ortiz Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
David Ortiz began his career with the Seattle Mariners signing with the team just after his 17th birthday. However, Ortiz’s hall of fame career did not start with a bang but really started after his arrival in Boston. Ortiz arrived in Boston after the 2002 season following his release from the Minnesota Twins, Ortiz signed with the red sox on a low-risk 1.25 million dollar deal. Before his arrival in Boston, the Red Sox were in the midst of 86 year curse. Upon retirement in 2016 after 14 seasons with the Red Sox, Boston had won 3 World Series titles and Ortiz had become known as one of the greatest clutch hitters in Postseason history. This article looks back at his career.
In November 1992 Ortiz was signed by the Seattle Mariners just 10 days after his 17th birthday and was listed as David Arias. In 1996, minor league homerun derby then listed as David Arias beat out Ken Griffery Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. But like all stars, there was a developmental period even for the future Hall of Famer.
From 1997 to 2002 Ortiz bounced from the minor leagues to the majors a lot splitting time at first base with Doug Mientkiewicz.
After a slow start, Ortiz earned regular playing time starting in June and finished the season with 31 homers and 101 RBI in 128 games. Ortiz's slow start was primarily due to the logjam the red sox had at first base and the lack of consistent playing time for Ortiz. His solo homer in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the ALCS vs. the Yankees gave Boston a 5-2 lead.
However, what happened next was New York rallied to win the game in the 11th. On an Aaron Boone Homerun which set the stage for the 2004 season. In 04’ Ortiz was part of his first all-star game hitting a home run and having 2 RBIs. That season Ortiz hit 41 home runs and had 139 RBIs. Later that the Red Sox and Yankees met again in the ALCS. To get there the Red Sox swept the Angels, in game 3 David Ortiz brought Boston back to an ALCS rematch with the Yankees by hitting a walk-off opposite-field home run to clinch Game 3 of the ALDS against the Angels.
In the ALCS in 2004 the Red Sox trailed the series, 3 games to none entering game 4. In game 4 the red sox came back in the 9th inning to tie the game then Ortiz hit a walk-off homerun to win it in the 11th inning.
Ortiz did it again the next night not only winning the game in the 14th but cutting the lead to one with a home run in the 8th inning.
Then winning it in the 14th inning with a walk-off single.
In game 7 even when hope looked closed early in the first after Johnny Damon was gunned down at the plate Ortiz came up next and hit a home run to give the red sox the early lead. The Red Sox went on to win the ALCS in 7 games where Ortiz got ALCS MVP. In the series, Ortiz hit .387 avg 3 HRs, and 11 RBIs.
Ortiz’s postseason heroic’s are not something of just a one-time coincidence. Ortiz has a batting average of.289 with 88 hits 17 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 51 runs scored in 85 games in the postseason. In the World Series, he has an avg of .455.
Ortiz also had postseason heroics late in his career adding to his name as Mr. October in 2013 Ortiz hit a game-tying home run in the ALCS.
Ortiz would go on to have a .688 avg in the World Series with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs, as the Red Sox went on to win their 3rd World Series since 2004.
Ortiz’s Hall of Fame resume goes beyond his postseason resume as Señor Octubre. Only Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez have more extra-base hits than Ortiz, who shares eighth place with Ken Griffey Jr. and Rafael Palmeiro. Throughout his career, Ortiz slashed .286/.380/.552 while recording 2,472 hits. Of those hits, he had 632 doubles and 541 homers, driving in 1,768 runs while scoring 1,419 of his own. He also drew 1,319 walks during his career.
In addition to setting a Red Sox franchise record 54 home runs Ortiz is a 10-time Allstar, Ortiz has 541 regular season homers that Ortiz crushed ranking him 17th overall in the record books. He is 12th all-time in doubles and tied for eighth all-time with 1,192 extra-base hits.