‘Don’t matter’ where Hanley plays
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Hanley Ramirez’ first choice seems to be no choice.
The Red Sox first baseman said yesterday that he didn’t care whether he plays first base or is the designated hitter in 2017.
“Why you got to come up with that? I don’t care,” Ramirez said. “I just want to play and have my four at-bats. Maybe five. That’s all that matters, just go out there and kick some butt. It don’t matter where I’m going to be playing.
“I’m not the type of player or person that says, ‘ I want to do this, I want to do that.’ I’m just going to go into spring training and do whatever they ask me to do.”
Ramirez, one of several major leaguers supporting David Ortiz’ charity golf classic, is planning to play for the Dominican in the World Baseball Classic in the spring. He also hopes to get some at-bats in winter ball beforehand, playing for the Tigres del Licey.
“It’ll be good to have him playing both sides of it,” Ortiz said when asked where it’d be best for Ramirez to play. “Give him some days off with the DH and playing at first base. He did a great job last year at first.”
Ortiz set for nothing
How detached is Ortiz from the New England sports scene? He didn’t know about Rob Gronkowski’s back surgery until the media asked him about it yesterday.
“What happened with Gronk?” Ortiz said. “No way. Done for the season?”
We’re not yet two full months into Ortiz’ retirement, and we know there’s a lot to check up on for the 1,000th time. Let’s run down the list. No, he still hasn’t changed his mind about playing, even though his heels are feeling better.
“Well, when I’m not doing all the running and all the crazy stuff that I do, inflammation starts going away, starts feeling better than usual,” Ortiz said. “But the training and everything it takes to get prepared to play a season is when things get complicated. I’m done with it, man.”
He’s not playing in the World Baseball Classic, either.
Ortiz has talked to the Red Sox about a job with the team. Nothing’s been settled on at this point, but Ortiz knows the team wants him around.
Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said by email he’s seen Ortiz a few times since the season ended.
“Not sure of the role at this point,” Dombrowski said. “Would need to sit down and discuss with him.”
Ortiz said he’ll probably visit spring training, but was noncommittal. He’ll probably be spending more time in Florida either way, as he plans to build a home there.
Don’t look for him in the booth, though. He has no plans to be involved in the media any time soon.
It doesn’t sound like Dombrowski has come to Ortiz with a fat one-year offer to play in 2017, and it doesn’t sound like Ortiz is surprised Dombrowski hasn’t thrown a Hail Mary his way.
“No, not really, because I made myself clear, you know?” Ortiz said. “It’s not about the money. It’s how you feel. I’m old, man.”
What does Ortiz plan to do, then? Whatever comes his way.
“I’m going to start not planning things,” Ortiz said. “Just going to do things, I don’t know where. I’ve been planning things my whole life. So now I’m going to do a little bit of not planning things, see how that works. And I’m not complaining … but I have a lot of things going on right now and hopefully I can clear out my schedule a little bit, especially when the summer kicks in so I can do summer things with the family.”
Beltran comfy in NY?
Yankees lefty CC Sabathia said he wasn’t there to recruit anyone, the same answer Ramirez gave.
Sabathia might have done a little recruiting anyway.
Carlos Beltran — a target of both the Red Sox and Yankees — is someone Sabathia said he would love to have back in New York. The Yanks traded Beltran to the Rangers midseason.
“I see ‘Los’ a lot,” Sabathia said, using Beltran’s nickname. “Our families are really close. I’ll talk to him all the time. I would love for him to come back, I think that’d be great for us.
“He lives in the city. So my family, my wife and his wife are really close. I just saw him last week. I see him all the time. It’s cool.”
Having just watched Ortiz put up a tremendous season at age 40, Sabathia thinks Beltran is in position for success as well.
“I think he is. He works hard,” Sabathia. “He’s in good shape, he takes care of his body. I think he is.” . . .
Orioles center fielder Adam Jones was just soaking it all up.
“I know ( Edwin Encarnacion is) being pursued by the Yankees and Boston, so he might stay in this division,” Jones said. “I’m tired of him.”
Chapman talks talks
A pair of free agents from the World Series champion Cubs were on hand: Center fielder Dexter Fowler and closer Aroldis Chapman, the hardest throwing pitcher around.
Fowler said he’s open to play for anyone who wants to sign him. His time with the Cubs seems up after the team signed Jon Jay, but Chapman could well wind up back in Chicago.
“He would love to,” Chapman said via an interpreter, “but right now they’re negotiating.”