The Boston Red Sox signed David Ortiz to a contract extension during spring training. The decision has never looked better.
Ortiz, who entered Wednesday hitting .263 with 32 homers and 99 RBIs, continues to be the Red Sox’s most productive offensive player. His extension with Boston wasn’t considered a slam dunk by everyone at the time it was signed, however, as there were some who felt giving an extension to a 38-year-old designated hitter simply wasn’t good business.
So much for that.
Ortiz will earn $16 million in 2015. His contract also carries options for 2016 and 2017 at very reasonable dollar amounts. The Red Sox certainly made out like bandits, as Big Papi likely would have commanded a more lucrative contract if he waited and hit the open market this offseason.
“There’s just a couple of people out there that they think they’ve got everything figured out,” Ortiz told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford over the weekend in Kansas City. “Now what? What would have been the advice they would have given the Red Sox right now if I was going to be a free agent after this season? ‘Oh, we screwed up.’ ‘Oh, you should have listened to me.’ I don’t hear anybody saying right now, ‘It was wrong what they did, signing David Ortiz in March.’ I don’t hear anybody talking about that.
“None of those smart asses are coming out saying it was a good move what they did, or ‘Man, I was wrong saying they shouldn’t have signed him.’ Step up like a man and say it. Nobody will because it’s all about making noise and calling attention. It’s all about having the chance by this time (of the season) to say, ‘See, I told you it was wrong to sign him.’ That’s what it’s all about, so that’s why I don’t pay any attention to that.”
Ortiz’s contract has been an annual topic of discussion. This season has been different because of the Red Sox’s proactive approach in securing the slugger’s services. Now, Boston doesn’t need to worry about potentially losing Ortiz in free agency and the nine-time All-Star can continue to go about his business, taking satisfaction in the reality that he’s been silencing his critics since signing his new deal in March.
“I don’t want to be jumping around everywhere. I’ve been here long enough to decide what I want to do at the end of my career,” Ortiz told Bradford. “It’s been a blessing playing here these last 12 years. I know the fans are happy seeing me in this uniform and I take pride in that.
“I just like to play and get things done. You haven’t seen me talking too much this year because I got to the point whatever I say, I’m wrong about that. It’s not being wrong. You work hard to ask for what you think you deserve. If you think I’m wrong about that, that’s fine with me.”
The Red Sox and Ortiz recognized a good thing when they saw it. Their relationship appears as healthy as ever.
Photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports
