Papi takes big swing
Fan of ‘free’ hitters
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Any general manager with some green to spend would be smart to lurk the greens today with David Ortiz.
No, not to lure Big Papi, but his big-name friends who are looking for work.
The list of major league players at Ortiz’ ninth annual celebrity golf classic here made the event a pseudo-symposium for free agents.
Everyone spoke highly of Ortiz’ event, which benefits pediatric critical care both in New England and the Dominican. Most, however, were reticent to say much about free agency.
Edwin Encarnacion, the Blue Jays free agent slugger whom Ortiz previously suggested would be a great replacement for the Red Sox at DH, didn’t even speak to the media yesterday, when many others did.
Ortiz seemed to speak for the first baseman instead.
“Definitely, we need one of those thunders,” Ortiz said. “The reality is, the way baseball is right now, when you have a guy like Edwin doing what he does, he can ask for whatever he wants. Not everybody is hitting 40 bombs in the big leagues and doing all the damage that he’s doing. So if you’re going to recruit a guy like him, you know you’ve got to bring that money in.”
That’s exactly the problem. Encarnacion hasn’t drawn as much interest from the Sox as many expected, simply because he’s going to come with a larger commitment than they’d like.
Ortiz still seems parked in Camp Encarnacion, but he also spoke well of Carlos Beltran. Beltran, who is not in attendance, should be available for less because he turns 40 in April.
“Beltran is another good choice,” Ortiz said, “but you know that Beltran is probably going to want to play a couple of more years. Veteran-wise, a guy that cares and really wants to win. I know he’s another choice. It all depends the shape the organization is in.”
And, as Ortiz rightly pointed out, you need to know what other financial demands are coming up. The Sox have to worry about paying their young stars at some point as well.
“We have a good group of guys out there, you’re going to have to sit down and talk to them about long term,” Ortiz said, referring to the likes of Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts. “You know what I’m saying? We have four or five guys, you’re definitely going to have to sit down and chat with them about $100 million. Let’s not put pressure just on the Red Sox.”
Ortiz seemed ready to hand every one of the Sox young stars a nine-figure contract.
“They are baseball,” Ortiz said. “They have that work ethic as a younger player. That’s something that to me, they have unbelievable value. These kids, they come to the field and it’s straight business.”
Encarnacion is not the only Blue Jays free agent potentially of interest to the Sox. Jose Bautista did speak to the media yesterday, but said nothing of substance.
“Being a free agent, you just got to be open to all possibilities,” Bautista said when asked about the Red Sox DH job. “I don’t know what the future’s going to hold for me.”
‘Definitely, we need one of those thunders. . . . Not everybody is hitting 40 bombs in the big leagues and doing all the damage that he’s doing.’ — DAVID ORTIZ, on Edwin Encarnacion