Yet Ortiz said that though he would obviously prefer the Red Sox pick up his $12.5 million option for the 2011 season, he won't allow it to become a distraction or a storyline this spring.
"They know what they've got right here. Simple as that," Ortiz told the Boston Herald. "I'm just telling you how it is. I've been here for years. [Option talks] are going to have to happen at some point. When contract time comes, it seems like the player is always the one with issues. When players start asking for something, they look bad. I’ve seen that happen for years, and I don’t want any part of it. I just want to play and do my thing. I’m not sending any messages to anyone."
At times in the 2009 season, Ortiz appeared to be wearing himself down mentally — at least from afar. After a successful summer surge, though, Ortiz seems committed to keeping his focus this season.
"To tell you the truth, I’m not focused on that," Ortiz told the Herald. "I’m focused on playing, letting things happen, and at some point they’re going to come to me and say, 'What’s up?' You know? That’s how it is. It’s not like I’m going to kill myself because of it.
"Right now, I’m just worried about hitting the damn ball," he added. "Believe me. The only time I think about the contract is when [the media] comes up to me. Otherwise, my mind is not thinking about that."
