Looking Back on David Ortiz’s Controversy Filled Career
Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz announced on Nov. 18 that he will be retiring after the 2016 MLB season. This gives the fans of baseball a chance to look back on his career and remember just how much of a tool he has been.
Throughout his years on the diamond, Ortiz, aka Big Papi, has always found himself in the spotlight of the media. He constantly runs his mouth during games and is an overly-arrogant player on the field, often letting emotions get the best of him. Somehow though, it seems he is given special treatment, never being disciplined harshly by any means.
In an interview done in Feb. 2009, Ortiz said he thinks players should be suspended for a year if they test positive for steroids, saying that the normal 50-game ban was not enough for a first time offense.
Just five months after that interview, Ortiz and his teammate Manny Ramirez showed up on a list of 104 major league baseball players that took PED’s, or performance-enhancing drugs. Of course, Ortiz said he was stunned at the allegations, saying he will do all he can to clear up the charges. He also stated how it was unfair that he was targeted out of all the names on the list, saying that there are other guys on there that should be questioned more than him.
July 8, 2011
On this date, Ortiz completely lost his cool. Baltimore pitcher Kevin Gregg threw three consecutive pitches a bit too close for Ortiz’s liking. They exchanged words, and both benches were warned that any other altercations would result in ejection. The next pitch, Ortiz flew out to center field, then charged the mound after Gregg yelled at him, with both Ortiz and Gregg exchanging multiple punches.
Ortiz and Gregg were each fined $2,500 and given four game suspensions after the altercation.
July 27, 2013
Ortiz has been known to argue strike calls made by the umpire, often times going a bit too far in his reactions. On this day, Ortiz was called out on strikes and clearly did not agree with the call. He argued with the umpire, went to the dugout, and annihilated the bullpen phone. The umpire saw this and immediately ejected him, creating even more of an outrage by Big Papi. After this outburst, however, he was not banned a single game. He was fined just $5,000, which is nothing for a man making $14 million that season. This somehow still upset Ortiz, and he had the audacity to appeal the fine. It was nothing short of a classless move, further proving how bone-headed he is.
Sept. 3, 2015
Ortiz shared his elation with his Twitter followers when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell lifted the four game ban on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Brady was involved in a scandal that proved the Patriots had purposely deflated footballs used in the AFC Championship game against the Colts in 2014. For this, Brady was initially banned four games for his involvement, eventually appealing the ban and winning. NFL fans all around the country were outraged, feeling that Brady got special treatment. Its almost fitting that Ortiz would support Brady, seeing as they both seem to think they deserve to be pampered.
Feb. 23, 2016
After announcing his retirement, Ortiz said, “I would love it if the fans at Yankee Stadium gave me a standing ovation.” A standing-o? How about a standing-no. With the Yankees being the biggest rival of the Red Sox, Ortiz seems to be asking for it here. He knows this statement will only rustle the feathers of the Yankees fans. It just further shows how arrogant Ortiz is as a human, thinking so highly of himself that he asks for a standing ovation.
On this same day, Ortiz also spoke about domestic abuse. When talking about Jose Reyes, a friend of Big Papi’s, as well as the other domestic abuse cases in the MLB, Ortiz said, “These are good guys. I feel so bad for them.” Really? You feel bad for the abusers that have already hurt their spouses and loved ones? That’s just sickening.
Overall, Big Papi’s career is littered with outbursts and ejections. He has been suspended multiple times, supported cheaters and abusers, been cited for using PED’s and even fought a pitcher on the field. He is by no means a role model, and with his latest stunt of asking for a standing ovation from his rival team, is in no way helping his cause.
