Wednesday, May 18, 2016

David Ortiz: biggest dog of the millennium.

Come on. Has anyone seen this guy put any effort into playing baseball? How often has designated hitter (DH) David Ortiz (born Nov. 18, 1975) run after leaving the batter's box? Did Ortiz run in a World Series game ... once? Twice? If so, that's about it.

Ortiz is not a fast runner, so we don't expect him to run fast, just as fast as he can. Try. Instead Ortiz emphasizes that he is not trying. Robinson Cano does that. It's what got him off the Yankees and onto the Mariners, who were so desperate that they swooped in at the last minute and outbid the Yankees when Cano was a free agent after the 2013 season.

Alex Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975) was a DH almost exclusively in 2015, playing in 151 games. In 2016 Rodriguez has only been a DH. But Rodriguez is a baseball player and the baseball player in him caused him to try really hard to beat out a ground ball May 3rd, which caused a pulled hamstring muscle, which has Rodriguez on the disabled list (DL). Rodriguez may be activated soon.

Games started:
A-Rod
OrtizA-RodOrtiz
SS1,25646.57%
3B1,18143.79%
1B1264.04%12.18%
DH2591,9039.60%87.82%
total2,6972,167

Ortiz has played the field in only 12% of his regular season starts and then only first base, one of the least taxing positions. And still Ortiz makes no attempt to run hard. None. His ill temper causes him to waste everyone's time when he stalks around in a petulant manner after a disagreement with the plate umpire. This in addition to his typical wasting of time between each pitch.

Ortiz is not the first to do almost nothing outside the batter's box. The Red Sox alone have Ted Williams and Jim Rice, both in the Hall of Fame. Williams is my Mendoza Line for DH: a DH should bloody well hit like Ted Williams to be considered for the Hall of Fame.

Stolen bases and caught stealing:
Rodriguez: 328 and 76 = 81% success
Ortiz: 16 and 9 = 64% success

25 attempts. 25 in his 20 year career.

David Ortiz for the Hall of Fame? Of what, golf? Thursday, August 20, 2015

Ortiz is not even a baseball player.  He's a golfer.  All he wants to do is swing the clubs.  Fat Papi makes zero effort outside the batter's box and inside it he's no Ted Williams, who represents my criteria for those with Hall of Fame aspirations who do little or nothing outside the batter's box...

Have you ever seen someone moving more slowly, with less interest on the bases than Ortiz?  This includes his movement from the plate towards the general direction of first base.  Ortiz doesn't even approach waddling speed.  Is Ortiz waiting for his caddy?  Who exerts less effort and shows less interest?  Is there a bigger dog?  Why is this tolerated by his home town fans?  Why is Ortiz not excoriated as any other would be?
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