Out of every single article I've ever written so far, this one hurts the most. I'll be faced with the same task again in 2019, when Tom Brady bids his likely farewell to the Patriots. But right now, it's all about Big Papi. The morning after the Red Sox were swept out of the postseason in the ALDS by former friend Terry Francona and his Indians, Red Sox nation still feels the sting of defeat. But this one hurts more than all the rest, for they know that next time the Red Sox take the field in Fort Myers in March, they will be short one player. One large teammate. David Ortiz.
The heart and soul of Boston for the last 14 years, is gone. That's hard to swallow, for any Red Sox fan. The only people that are happy about the 'Large Father' retiring, are Yankee fans. It's officially the end of an era in Boston. The glory days of walk-off homers, clutch hits, and explicit speeches, are over. There will never be another David Ortiz. There will never ever be another player, in any sport, who captivates and brings a city together, like Ortiz did for Boston. Ortiz was the reason I started watching baseball, he made me fall in love with the game, and the Red Sox. I know I don't just speak for myself when I say this, but all of Red Sox nation as well as everyone else who respects greatness. David Ortiz will be missed. Even Yankee fans will miss him. Who will they boo now? But when it comes down to it, words can't describe all that Ortiz has meant to this city, and this franchise. So how exactly do we measure his value? Is it the rings? The records? The titles? The awards? No. It's none of the above. It's the heart. Ortiz had the biggest heart out of anyone that has ever walked through the doors of the Red Sox clubhouse at Fenway Park. He wore his heart on his sleeve and every at bat seemed like life or death for Papi. To him, the word 'Red Sox' that was featured on the front of his jersey, was more than a team to him. It was a family, and the fans were a part of it. If you were to ask any one of his former teammates or coaches, they would all tell you the same thing. Ortiz was a great player, but an even better person. There's nobody he wouldn't talk to. If a fan came up to him in the street, he looked at them as if they were on the same level as he was, never treated anyone with disrespect. That's what made Ortiz so loveable. But the thing that got Ortiz over with the fans? Effort. It's the effort that matters to the Boston fans. Boston is a tough market to play in, everyone knows that, and not everyone is cut out to play in Boston. Ortiz thrived on the pressure that was felt in Boston. It felt like it was his duty to bring a title to Boston in '04. He did. If you show the fans you're trying and you want to succeed for them, as well as yourself, they will recognize that, and return the love, ten fold. Speaking of '04, Ortiz was the catalyst for Boston's World Series win. Without him, the Red Sox never win. They never break the curse. Who knows? We could still be in the curse, 98 years later. But we're not. Because of Ortiz. It started in the ALDS against the Angels, a walk-off homer sent the Sox to the ALCS against their arch-nemesis, the Yankees. You know the rest. The Sox got down 3-0 in the series, and backed by Ortiz, clawed their way back. In game 4, Ortiz sent a single up the middle in the fifth to give the Sox a 3-2 lead. Then he came up again in the 12th, and blasted a homer into the right field seats to give the Red Sox new life in the series. Ortiz was once again the hero in game 5. Faced with another must win game, Ortiz came to the plate in the 14th with the game tied at 4-4. Ortiz came through in the clutch once again, fighting off an inside fastball on the tenth pitch of the at-bat to center field, and sent the Sox to New York for game 6. Ortiz has so many milestones over his HOF career, it's hard to list them all here. But, I will list his most important stats with the Red Sox. HR- 483 RBI- 1,530 BA- .290 H- 2,079 R- 1,204 SLG%- .386 David Ortiz had what many feel is the best farewell season of all-time, and there is little doubt anybody will surpass the numbers he put up in 2016. Even though the season didn't end the way he wanted, he still had the best career a DH could ever have. 3 World Series, a WS MVP, ALCS MVP, 10x Silver Slugger, 2006 AL HR leader, 3x AL RBI leader, and a member of the 500 HR club. Ortiz revolutionized Boston Red Sox baseball for over a decade, and when your kids or grandkids ask who the face of the Red Sox was back in the early 2000's, your answer better be David Ortiz. Every generation has it's own legend. The 40's was Ted Williams. The 80's was Yaz, and the 2000's were the David Ortiz years. Ortiz' ear to ear smile and sweet stroke at the plate was a staple in Red Sox nation for years, but now, that's gone. Ortiz leaves the Red Sox in a great position however, with the young core of Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, and Andrew Benintendi, with Dustin Pedroia as their leader. But, Ortiz will forever be the most important Red Sox player of all-time. Now, all that's left to say is thank you. Thank you for giving your heart and soul to the game. Thank you for doing the impossible. Thank you for never giving up when they all said you couldn't. Thank you for all you have done to make Boston a better place. Thank you, David. Thank you for being, Big Papi.
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