Ortiz: Valentine ‘aggravating as hell’

Retired Red Sox slugger David Ortiz had a frustrating season in 2012, and not just because his injured right Achilles tendon kept him out much of the year.

In a Sports Illustrated excerpt from his new book, “Papi,” Ortiz says the source of frustration for him and many teammates during that 69-win season was new manager Bobby Valentine, whom Ortiz described as “aggravating as hell, arrogant and disrespectful.” That’s not even the half of it. “The drama began almost imtine mediately in spring training,” Ortiz wrote. “I remember fighting the thought, very early: We’re going to have an absolutely terrible year.

“It was all about him in the spring. It was as if he wanted to prove how smart he was by running us through all these drills he’d used while managing in Japan. Bobby was in his own bubble.”

Ortiz said he tried to play through pain that year and attempted to come back from the injury early, only to make it worse and end up missing the rest of the season. He also described watching a TV interview with Valen- when the manager lost his job at the end of the season.

“I was shocked when I saw him (say) I had quit on him and the Red Sox,” Ortiz wrote. “All season long I was the one who had defended him, who had tried to have his back, even when it was an unpopular stance to take as far as my teammates were concerned. But it was the right thing to do, and now he had the (temerity) to go on national TV and suggest that I quit?

“Days later, he tried to call me and apologize. I didn’t want to hear it.”

Said Valentine: “Whatever. I hope he sells a lot of books.”