Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has always had a personality to match the thunder in his bat. Over his time with the Red Sox, his swagger and overall demeanor, to go along with his excellence with the lumber, have made him into an icon across New England. Nothing perhaps captures what Ortiz means to the city of Boston more than his famous speech, in front of a sold-out Fenway Park, after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. That day, Ortiz’s enormous personality brought out the best in him, as it did all season as he lead Boston to a World Series title.
Is David Ortiz’s Personality Too Big For Baseball?
Yet Ortiz doesn’t win as much love from his fellow players, or from Major League Baseball itself, for his antics on and off the field. His bat-flips and long, slow trots around the bases after home runs draw the ire of opposing pitchers, and many in baseball and the media are less than appreciative of his outspoken manner.
Now, Ortiz has been suspended for making contact with an umpire while arguing over a call during Sunday’s game with the Baltimore Orioles. Ortiz is appealing the one-game suspension and so will remain in the lineup for now.
Whether or not the appeal is granted, it is hard not to wonder if Ortiz should consider toning himself down just a bit. His open displeasure with umpires over the years is well documented, and this season in particular the league seems to be taking issue with it.
Full disclosure time: I am a Red Sox fan, and I absolutely love David Ortiz. I don’t care what anyone else says about him, the man is awesome. His clutch homers, the way he plays the game what he has become for the city, and even his controversial personality, all make him just so much fun to watch. But here’s the thing: Ortiz can’t help the Sox win games if he is constantly riding the bench because he didn’t get the strike call he wanted. As great as Ortiz is, the team has to come before the player.
So should Ortiz take it down a few notches? Well, no, not really. He just needs to be more careful when irked by an ump. He probably shouldn’t argue so much, but that’s just who he is. That’s how he plays the game. Everything is a big deal to him, everything matters. And if that’s how he needs to play to be the guy that the Sox and the city need him to be, then that’s just fine with me. He might not even really be able to turn it off, anyway. It’s hard to imagine a stoic Ortiz.
And is there anything really wrong with a few acts of showmanship, as long as he’s earned it? If he absolutely crushes a ball, isn’t it OK that he let’s the pitcher know it for a bit? Ortiz works as hard as anyone at his craft. Isn’t it understandable that he would want to admire the final product? While I agree that outright disrespect has no place in the game, I do not think that Ortiz does (a slightly slower pace on the base paths, and more elaborate toss of the bat) amounts to that. The other thing is that these people are professional baseball players. They get paid sometimes obscene salaries to pitch. If they get taken deep and feel a bit disrespected after, maybe they should do something about it. Strike that guy out next time. Earn that respect back. Many will disagree with this, but matters between players should be settled on the field, not in the media.
Photo by Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images
