BOSTON – When it comes to Red Sox successes in the 21st century, one of the first names that comes up – if not the first – is David Ortiz, a legend of the Patirrojos who in 2004 helped the team to break an 86-year drought without World Series titles and then it was the cornerstone of two more Boston editions that were crowned in 2007 and 2013.
Now, “Big Papi” is preparing to enter the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame on November 14. On the occasion of the exaltation, the manager of the Red Sox, the Puerto Rican Alex Cora – who played alongside Ortiz in Boston in the first decade of this millennium and was part of the 2007 champion team – received the news with happiness.
“I’ve always said that he’s a rock star playing baseball,” Cora said. “With the chains and the glasses. It’s David ”.
Specifically, Cora was Ortiz’s teammate between 2005 and 2008, during which time he participated in three postseason games with the Dominican slugger, who retired as an active player after 2016. And today, with Ortiz as the team’s special consultant. and Cora as leader, that group’s influence in Boston remains intact.
“Pedro (Martínez) and David mean a lot to this community. Not just the Latino community, but everyone, ”said Cora. “Is incredible.
“I’m proud, because it wasn’t just about baseball for him, but about family and taking care of his teammates. David is one of the best teammates I have ever played with ”.
In 20 years in the majors, including 14 with the Red Sox, Ortiz hit 541 home runs and drove in 1,768 runs, with a career OPS of .931. In Boston, where his career really took off with his arrival in 2003, he hit .290 / .386 / .570 with 483 homers, 1,530 RBIs, a .956 OPS and a 148 OPS +. Wearing the Patirrojos uniform, he attended 10 All-Star Games and won three World Series titles.
And in the Dominican League, he was a pillar of the Leones del Escogido in the 90s and early 2000s, in addition to serving as a luxury reinforcement in Caribbean Series with a particular highlight in the events of 1999 and 2003.
“Night after night, you always thought he was going to do something special,” Cora recalled. “He brought that quality every day and with what he did here, they love him very much. We love him very much and I am happy that he is going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Dominican Republic.
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