Ortiz gets his due from rival Yankees
NEW YORK — The David Ortiz farewell road show hit its last stop before Fenway last night at Yankee Stadium, the House that Ruth Built that Loves to Boo Ortiz.
And wouldn’t you know it, New York fans — many of them waving Dominican Republic flags and many of them actually Red Sox fans — sent Ortiz off to retirement with nothing but love, goodwill and a standing ovation.
“Impressive, man — there was no booing out there,” Ortiz said after the game. “It seems like everyone was happy that I was leaving. First time for everything.”
The Yankees held a brief, thoughtful ceremony shortly before first pitch.
“Tonight, the Yankees would like to put that rivalry aside for a few minutes and honor David Ortiz before his 117th and final game at Yankee Stadium,” the PA announcer intoned before launching into a recitation of assorted offensive milestones for Ortiz.
With his wife Tiffany and daughter Alexandra, each carrying a bouquet of flowers, and son D’Angelo, Ortiz stepped out of the Red Sox dugout to an overwhelmingly loud and positive reception.
Former Red Sox David Cone and Jacoby Ellsbury presented Ortiz with a leather-bound book containing photographs and hand-written letters from former and current Yankees.
“That blew my mind, there are some great notes in there from some of my ex-teammates and guys I played against for a long time. It was super nice,” Ortiz said.
Next, legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera jogged out for a hug and to unveil a large painting that showed Ortiz, from behind, standing at home plate at the new Yankee Stadium doffing his cap to the crowd on a sunny day, with an image of Ortiz seen from the front on the painting’s video scoreboard.
That was it, with the Yankees marking the finale by playing Fenway Park standard “Sweet Caroline.”
The song has seldom, if ever, been played at Yankee Stadium, so the sound was jarring, though not as strange as it will be next season when Ortiz will not be here.
Manager John Farrell likely would have given Ortiz a day off yesterday.
“David was very clear with respect to all that is on display tonight. (He) felt clearly it’s an obligation on his part to be in the lineup,” said Farrell.
Still, it was a short night for Ortiz, who struck out in his first at-bat and then walked. Farrell then took him out of the game for pinch-runner Brock Holt, which allowed fans one more chance to send Ortiz back to Boston on an up note.
They gave him a standing ovation.
Farrell said before the game that few players from either team could generate such a kerfuffle upon retirement. Such is the nature of the rivalry.
“There’s probably a small list of players on both teams that you would say have the same impact — from David to Pedro (Martinez) to (Jason Varitek) to Johnny Damon, who’s got experience on both sides of it, and then you look at Mariano to Derek (Jeter) to (Alex Rodriguez) to so many different guys. I don’t know that you can singlehandedly put that on one person. I think there are big personalities, great players that have really fueled this over the last 10-12 years.”