Red Sox DH David Ortiz (R) at his final All-Star Game.
Advertisement
“To me, he’s kind of got that larger-than-life personality”, said Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo, baseball’s current home-run leader.
When Ortiz left the game in the third inning after being walked by Miami ace Jose Fernandez, the entire AL team came out to greet him as the crowd of 44,380 gave Ortiz a standing ovation.
“This isn’t about where you play”, said Seattle’s Robinson Cano, with nine of 12 seasons as a Yankee to Big Papi’s rival Red Sox. “So that was a cool moment, I thought”. I want him in my starting rotation. Let’s go out there and do what we know how and make sure that this game goes to the American League.
Big Papi received an All-Star send-off Tuesday night, then offered some suggestions for the Red Sox.
Now, though, there’s a hint more pressure.
With all the talk of Bryce Harper, Mike Trout and the Inevitable Cubs, the best-selling major league jersey this year is Boston’s No. 34.
“It surprised me”, Encarnacion said.
But the last time Ortiz played as many as 30 games at first base was 2004. If anybody sees the way I swing, it’s pretty much unorthodox, to be honest.
Before the game, Ortiz was asked to speak to the AL squad – some of whom are half his age. They had never even faced each other in spring training.
“This is a business and I understand the business of it”, he said. “But David also works very hard at studying pitchers and swinging at the pitches he wants to swing at. We both looked at each other and smiled”.
The next at-bat, Yost pulled Ortiz after a walk and the parade of chest-bumping commenced. The first heater was a ball, the next two were fouled off. Kimbrel was injured during batting practice before a win Friday over Tampa Bay.
Well, besides being a great quote, Bruce is likely going to be one of the more sought after players in the comings weeks before the August 1 trade deadline.
“I told him yesterday that I am going to throw him three fastballs down the middle”.
“If one day I’m up for the Hall of Fame and there are guys who don’t vote for me because of that, I will call it unfair”, Ortiz told the Boston Globe in 2015.
“It made me happy because the preparation and consistency and focus that I see from them”.
More information on where these four Red Sox hitters fit into this star studded lineup can be found here.
Advertisement
“It’s an honor”, Fernandez said. I love and respect this game, and I think wherever I’m going to be pitching, wherever I’m pitching for the rest of my career, anywhere… He’s always asking questions and trying to get better.
