That seems to have surprised the designated hitter some.
"I was expecting something would happen before [the exclusive negotiating period ran out], but so many things are going on," Ortiz told WEEI. "I know everybody has priorities, and to be honest with you, I thought I was one of them."
New general manager Ben Cherington had five days upon the conclusion of the World Series to offer Ortiz and other Boston free agents new deals. That window apparently shut without any offers for Ortiz.
Now, he seems ready to test the waters.
"I guess when it comes down to this situation, they would like to see what they're going to hear out there because I've seen that happen before here with some other players," he told WEEI. "Players who have been here for a long time, they want to know what their value is in the market. Like I said, I'm not familiar with the situation"
Ortiz said he has deferred the "listening" stage of things to his agents, and the DH is ready for those offers to come in.
"To be honest with you, it doesn't matter where I go, I'm just going to try to be the same and do what I normally do. Work out the way a lot of people expect. I'll just have to listen to somebody else. The good thing is that it's not me who is doing the listening. My agent is doing the listening. They just pass on the word."
