Alex Rodriguez Praises Hall Of Famer David Ortiz With Lofty Comparison

Tuesday night’s Baseball Hall of Fame announcement reinforced the notion that David Ortiz is one of the best hitters the game has ever seen.

Ortiz, who boasts a .286 career average to go along with 541 home runs, had all the tools to be imposing at the plate. Big Papi swung a powerful bat, could send the baseball to any part of the field and had a knack for coming up clutch under the bright lights.

But two Ortiz attributes that often go overlooked are his baseball IQ and commitment to his craft. Alex Rodriguez recently put a light on both of those while stacking Ortiz up against another larger-than-life MLB icon.

“A Babe Ruth-type savant,” Rodriguez said of Ortiz to ESPN’s Buster Olney. “A-plus-plus-plus. An A-plus work ethic, A-plus in his video work and an A-plus for playing at a high level.”

Like Ortiz, Rodriguez’s name was placed on the BBWAA ballot for the first time this year. A-Rod only collected 34.3% of votes, however, well below the 75% needed for a bust in Cooperstown, N.Y.