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Bill Chuck
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Age: 60
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Happy 7th anniversary Big Papi and Red Sox Nation
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Bill Chuck wrote this 2 years ago | Permalink |
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FROM THE BILL CHUCK FILES...
Bill Chuck, Baseball Newstalgist
January 22, 2010
Nine to Know about David Ortiz
Seven years ago today, on January 22, 2003, the Boston Red Sox signed David Ortiz. Writing for the Boston Globe, Gordon Edes described the transactions on and around those days seven years ago: "[David Ortiz], meanwhile, passed a physical in Boston Saturday and has agreed to a one-year deal for a sum in the vicinity of $1 million. (But) with Daubach arbitration-eligible, the Sox elected to sign the 27-year-old Ortiz, who was released by the Twins in December."
"Ortiz, who last season hit .272 with 20 home runs and 75 RBIs, has a career average of .266, the same as (Brian) Daubach. He has not been healthy in either of the last two seasons, fracturing his right wrist while sliding into home plate in a game in Kansas City in May 2001, then undergoing surgery to remove bone chips from his right knee last April 25. Last season was overshadowed by the death of his mother, Angela Rosa Arias, killed in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic. She was 47, and David was the oldest of four children."
Over these seven years, Red Sox Nation has had a love affair with Ortiz despite the fact that in his first Sox game, Big Papi went 0-for-6 (he has gone hitless in six at bats three other times for the Sox and he went 0-for-7 last May 14).
Here are nine numbers to know about Big Papi:
Since David Ortiz joined the Sox in 2003, he has hit more homers than anyone who has primarily played as the DH with 259; Jim Thome is next with 230.
David Ortiz leads all DHs with 830 RBI since 2003 followed by Jim Thome with 638.
Ortiz leads all Red Sox DHs with 259 homers followed by Jose Canseco's 52.
In Red Sox history, the 259 homers that Ortiz has hit ranks sixth in team history, 15 behind Manny Ramirez. Ted Williams holds the club record with 521.
Since joining the Sox, Ortiz has played 112 games at first base but only 13 over the last two seasons combined.
David has hit 10 regular season walkoff homers and eight grand slams. His first walkoff was his last homer as a member of the Twins. He has hit six dingers off Roy Halladayamongst his 27 hits. Ortiz is 4 for 8 lifetime against Seth McClung with four homers.
The longest hitting streak of David?s career was in 2002 when he was with the Twins and he hit in 19 straight. His longest Red Sox streak was 13 games in 2007.
Three times as a member of the Sox, Ortiz has had six RBI games and four times he's driven in five runs in a game.
For the Red Sox, David Ortiz is a four-time Silver Slugger, three-time AL Player of the Month, four-time AL Player of the Week, four-time All-Star, three-time Red Sox MVP, two-time MLB Player of the Year, one-time Hank aaron Award winner, and one-time ALCS MVP. He has led the AL in homers once, RBI twice, and OBP once.
Bill Chuck
* Creator of Billy-Ball.com (www.Billy-Ball.com)
* Author of, "Walk-Offs, Last Licks, and Final Outs - Baseball?s Grand (and not so Grand) Finales," published by ACTA Sports (2008)
* Contributor to NESN and NESN.com
* Bill@billy-ball.com">Bill@billy-ball.com; Twitter: @Walkoffs; Skype: BillyBall; AIM: Walkoffs44
For media bookings contact:
Josh Boyle, Sports Identity, 617.268.0001, jboyle@sportsidentity.com">jboyle@sportsidentity.com
-Bill Chuck
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