David Ortiz Extended!

[soxfan121]

Apologies, but I don't see a current thread on Ortiz's contract. And since Ortiz is seemingly always talking about his contract...new thread. Dopes, move, lock or merge at your discretion. 
 

Asked by station sports director Steve Burton if he would like to retire with the Red Sox, for whom he has played the last 11 years, Ortiz said, "Hey, I would like to. I'm having fun. It's been a hell of a ride as long as I've been here.
"But as I always keep on telling people, this is a business. Sometimes you've got to do what's best for you and your family.
"As long as they keep offering me a job and I keep doing what I'm supposed to do and the relationship keeps on building up, I'm going to be there. Hopefully, I won't have to go and wear another uniform."
Burton then asked what would happen if the team didn't offer him another long-term deal.
"Time to move on," he said.
 

 

Asked how much longer he expected to play, Ortiz said, "It can be two years, it can be three years, it can be 10 years. You never know."
 

 
I don't think the Tim Wakefield Memorial Perpetual Club Option Contract is going to work for Ortiz. I think that unless the Sox extend him, again, for multiple years, he'll spend 2014 talking about a new contract at every opportunity. While reminding Sox fans, subtly, that he could "move on". That's called leverage and he's entitled to use it but I'm also a bit tired of this annual lament about how much David Ortiz wants to do what is "best for his family" (aka, make more money - we all do!). 
 
So, let's talk about how much and how long David Ortiz's contract should be in 2015...because he wants it that way.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

The last Ortiz discussion, which has some good stuff about contracts, is on page 2.
 
I don't quite get your second question -- if I don't want to give him a contract extension, just have him serve his existing 2014 contract, what am I supposed to pick?

 

[soxfan121]

The last Ortiz discussion, which has some good stuff about contracts, is on page 2.
 
I don't quite get your second question -- if I don't want to give him a contract extension, just have him serve his existing 2014 contract, what am I supposed to pick?

 
Added poll choice of "Zero" to Question 2. 
 
EDIT: Previous Ortiz thread here - contract talk sprinkled throughout but mostly on the last page. 
 
Thanks for pointing it out, Lose R.

 

[Minneapolis Millers]

Voted for a 1 year extension. Papi could decline this year, and the team really has most of the leverage. But there's value in having a happy Ortiz. I'd add a year with a base of about $12m and PT incentives to get it to $15-16m. I'd accept the possible overpay as a fabulous parting gift.

 

[Luis Taint]

Is it just me or does Papi seem like the neediest girlfriend you've ever had. He constantly needs reassurance the Sox want him around. Give him one, and a vesting option when certain HR or RBI's are hit, and an out of he is caught eating to much rice and beans.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

I'm a little unclear about the language here. The "one year" option says "year to year is the only safe choice." But year to year would mean zero, since he's already under contract for 2014.

 

[Scriblerus]

Does anyone see this as a reaction to Lester saying he wants to stay in Boston and would be willing to consider less money to do so? 
 
I know Ortiz has been talking about the contract over the off-season, but the timing of these comments seem to be saying, "I'm not Jon Lester".
 

 

[Curt S Loew]

Yeah, I would vote Zero, but not necessarily "move on".  Just let him hit Free Agency.   I have a feeling we would offer more than other teams.  If for some reason a team goes nuts, then "move on".

 

[soxfan121]

I'm a little unclear about the language here. The "one year" option says "year to year is the only safe choice." But year to year would mean zero, since he's already under contract for 2014.

 
I apologize if it is unclear but I'm unsure how to edit it to respond to your concern. If you sign Ortiz to an extension for one year it would cover 2015, which would be "year to year" in some way. 
 
If anyone has suggestions on how to improve the poll language, please send me a PM and I'll edit it. Thanks. 

 

[Toe Nash]

Is it just me or does Papi seem like the neediest girlfriend you've ever had. He constantly needs reassurance the Sox want him around. Give him one, and a vesting option when certain HR or RBI's are hit, and an out of he is caught eating to much rice and beans.

Maybe, but he is also the go-to-guy for quotes, usually says what is on his mind no matter the topic, and reporters ask him about his contract all the damn time. Maybe a different player would just say no comment but that's not him. It's not like he is calling into WEEI and bringing it up or his agent is leaking whispers that he wants an extension.

 

[Adirondack jack]

Is it just me or does Papi seem like the neediest girlfriend you've ever had. He constantly needs reassurance the Sox want him around. Give him one, and a vesting option when certain HR or RBI's are hit, and an out of he is caught eating to much rice and beans.

 
To the bolded: no, and it's not even close.
 
The Boston Red Sox and David Ortiz have had a mutually beneficially business relationship. This year Ortiz will eclipse the $100,000,000 mark for career earnings (this does not include endorsements, ie he has done quite well for himself and his family as he well should). At the end of 2014 his career earnings will stand a little north of $112M.

 

[mabrowndog]

If a 38-yo Ortiz doesn't replicate his 2013 numbers, or at least come close to them, he's not worth extending at his desired rate. If he does replicate them, he's worth bringing back at a salary in the $13M-$14M range.
 
As for market competition, he's a guy who can only play the occasional 1B for AL clubs during interleague games. I can't see any scenario where he plays 1B regularly, which would render him a bench bat at best for any NL suitors.
 
So why wouldn't the Sox just make a one-year qualifying offer if merited? How many teams are going to (a) outbid them for a 38-yo DH with fielding limitations and zero positional flexibility, (b) give him a multi-year contract, and (.c) forfeit a #1 draft pick for that privilege?
 
The "face of the franchise" and "a whining Papi is a distraction" stuff is superfluous, overblown media fodder. The cord's going to get cut at some point. Pedro always bitched like a diva about his contract, but the Sox did the right thing in the end, letting him leave and letting another team assume the risk. And in the end, once the dust had settled on his career and the club won the 2007 championship in his absence, Pedro and the Sox kissed and made up. And now he'll be getting a 2013 WS ring as a Red Sox employee.
 
The Red Sox have 99% of the leverage here. The remaining 1% belongs to the Yankees, who appear to have plenty of DH candidates for 2015, but clearly have a penchant for exorbitant stupidity, and will likely be under pressure to bring back their own "face of the franchise" for that role. Still, they signed Luis TIant after 1978 just to stick it to the Sox, and I could see them doing the same here -- even if it costs them $15M and a draft pick. But then Ortiz would look like a selfish assclown turning down $14M in order to make "only" a million more while fleeing to the enemy.

 

[Darnell's Son]

I would let him play out this year and see if they could come to a deal after the year is done. If they can't, tell him to test the market and that they will match any reasonable offer he gets. If some team is going to go bonkers for him, then let him walk.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Is it just me or does Papi seem like the neediest girlfriend you've ever had. He constantly needs reassurance the Sox want him around. Give him one, and a vesting option when certain HR or RBI's are hit, and an out of he is caught eating to much rice and beans.

 
No, not really.  But even if he does seem like the neediest girlfriend you've ever had, he's got tricks in (and out of) bed that no one else has ever been able to do for you, and he keeps it interesting and exciting for years and years. 
 
Find me a girlfriend like that and I'll put up with all of her crap.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

I would at least give the Wakefield treatment a try. Something like 12 mil a year with escalators for performance and games played incentives. Papi is obviously concerned with money, but he doesn't strike me as the type who is going to want to play beyond the point in which his talents are in decline. Is that 2 years from now, maybe 4? Who knows really, strictly DH's can have prolonged careers and he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet.

 

[JimD]

I didn't see the actual interview and have only read the quotes so maybe I'm missing something.  He seems to have answered honestly as an athlete who just had himself a pretty good year in general and a World Series for the ages and thinks he can still play for a few more.  This doesn't rise to the level of 'OMG, there he goes complaining about his contract AGAIN!!!' that some folks seem to suggest it does, but maybe it's just me.  I'm more than OK with extending him for 2015 right now and wouldn't mind a reasonable vesting option for another year beyond that.

 

[seantoo]

Is it just me or does Papi seem like the neediest girlfriend you've ever had. He constantly needs reassurance the Sox want him around. Give him one, and a vesting option when certain HR or RBI's are hit, and an out of he is caught eating to much rice and beans.

That is not allowed. You can't put clauses into contracts based on certain HR or RBI levels. You can base it health numbers such as games played, at-bats or innings pitched, etc.

 

[smastroyin]

Well, from the final poll question we know how sf121 feels.
 
The real answer (mine at least) is "I understand this is a business and by continually giving one of your best players one and two year deals, you are going to have to listen to him talk about his contract when he is asked."
 
It's probably worth noting that while people may say we are tired of hearing about it and he sounds "needy," the media wouldn't report on it continually if people didn't eat it up.  What this comes down to is people like to moralize about players and contracts and that is true no matter who the player is.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

He doesn't like playing on a one-year deal, that's pretty clear. Of course, the Sox have all the leverage, but there may be value in having an iconic player like Papi happy, and retiring as a Red Sox. The downside is that you potentially have him a year too long. Then again, he could have another great year, join the Yankees and then everybody loses.

If adding a year at his current salary shuts him up, I'd do it.

(He doesn't like having to play for a new contract every year. So the "Wakefield option" really makes no sense).

 
It wouldn't be like playing for a new contract. He's guaranteed 12 mil, in my scenario anyway.

 

[soxfan121]

Well, from the final poll question we know how sf121 feels.

 
Yep. I love him. 

 

[glennhoffmania]

Ortiz has every right to do and say whatever he wants, but the stuff about doing what's best for his family rubs me the wrong way.  This isn't a guy who's still trying to get financial security.  Would it be best for his family to take a couple million more and relocate to KC or Oakland?  Maybe but I really doubt it.  If you want to make every dollar possible that's fine but stop making it sound like you have to do that just for the good of your family.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Not quite sure what is meant by Poll Question # 2 and option " One - this guy is 38 years old. Year-to-year is the only safe choice"
 
I assumed this means "Extend his contract to include 2015" .. So that is what I voted for. 
 
As long as he produces I would give him the "Modified Tim Wakefield Contract Extension" - that is , every year you extend the contract by a year - so he is always playing on a two year contract.
 
When he starts to slip - which, realistically has to be pretty soon, he's down to year by year.

 

[radsoxfan]

 
It wouldn't be like playing for a new contract. He's guaranteed 12 mil, in my scenario anyway.

 
I'm not sure you understand Wakefield's contract (or at least how team friendly it is). The Red Sox had a team option every offseason for 4M.  They could decide not to continue at any time.  
 
The Red Sox would of course love to do something like this for Ortiz in the 12M range. But there is zero chance he would agree.  Papi would be playing for a contract every season. If he falls off the cliff, he's gone. It's very idealistic to assume the Red Sox and Ortiz would both know when the time was up, and just mutually agree to part ways. Lots of gray area here, it's unlikely to be black and white.
 
There is a reason the Wakefield option hasn't been repeated.  It's a terrible contract for the player. Ortiz would much rather sign a 1 year 12M extension than a 1 year 12M "wakefield contract" extension. 
 
I'd give him a 1 year extension in the range of his current salary (though I agree with others that's not really "year-to-year"). If he wants 2 more years, essentially a 3 year total commitment, I think thats too much. Even for someone with his pedigree. If he wants some type of 2-3 year extension, I'd only consider it at a serious discount, something less than 10M annually.

 

[TomRicardo]

Have fun trying to get a contract with a qualifying offer Mr. Ortiz

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

 
I'm not sure you understand Wakefield's contract (or at least how team friendly it is). The Red Sox had a team option every offseason for 4M.  They could decide not to continue at any time.  
 
The Red Sox would of course love to do something like this for Ortiz in the 12M range. But there is zero chance he would agree.  Papi would be playing for a contract every season. If he falls off the cliff, he's gone. It's very idealistic to assume the Red Sox and Ortiz would both know when the time was up, and just mutually agree to part ways. Lots of gray area here, it's unlikely to be black and white.
 
There is a reason the Wakefield option hasn't been repeated.  It's a terrible contract for the player. Ortiz would much rather sign a 1 year 12M extension than a 1 year 12M "wakefield contract" extension. 
 
I'd give him a 1 year extension in the range of his current salary (though I agree with others that's not really "year-to-year"). If he wants 2 more years, essentially a 3 year total commitment, I think thats too much. Even for someone with his pedigree. If he wants some type of 2-3 year extension, I'd only consider it at a serious discount, something less than 10M annually.

 
A 2 year commitment is ok but 3 years and he'd have to take a paycut? There's a less than zero chance of that happening. I honestly don't see why he wouldn't be comfortable with a virtually guaranteed contract. Either way when the Sox are done they're done whether it's a team option or a 1 yr extension. I don't think it's idealistic to assume that Papi would want to go out as a shell of what he was. He seems to proud. He knows he can still produce, even when there were doubters a few years ago.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

 
I don't think it's idealistic to assume that Papi would want to go out as a shell of what he was.

 
I assume you meant "Papi would *not* want to go out as a shell of what he was." And I don't doubt you're right about that. But history teaches us that athletes tend to be the last people to accept that they have reached this point. There are exceptions, of course, but in general athletes tend to think they have something left in the tank even when everybody else has given up on them. That degree of confidence and resistance to negative feedback is what got them to the level they're at in the first place. But it makes things awkward at the end. From what we know of Papi's personality I think the likelihood that it will play out this way is pretty high.

 

[radsoxfan]

 
A 2 year commitment is ok but 3 years and he'd have to take a paycut? 
 

 
Um... yes?  That's how contracts work.  If you want more guaranteed years than the team wants to give you, you take less AAV to make it happen.  This is not a controversial statement.
 
You're living in an idealistic world of the Wakefield contract, if you think that somehow the Red Sox and Ortiz will mutually know when the time is up and he is ready to retire.  That's not how it works.
 
There is a reason no players (besides Wake, who never should have) ever sign deals like that.  It can only hurt the player.  There is zero reason for Ortiz to sign a perpetual 1 year team option contract, and there is nothing "virtually guaranteed" about this scenario for him whatsoever. He is always on the chopping block every offseason, whether he thinks he is done or not.  Plus, he can never get a raise with good performance. It's the worse case scenario for Ortiz in every way, and he should fire his agent if he even brings it up.
 


 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

TRic hit the nail on the head for me.  Ortiz's perpetual team option doesn't have to be an agreed upon Wakefield type contract, it's the Qualifying Offer.  If he plays well, offer it to him.  If not, oh well.  There isn't going to be much of a market for a 39 year old DH who carries draft pick compensation baggage, so it's likely going to be the best offer he'll ever get.  Heck, with the way contracts are trending, being tendered a QO amounts to getting a raise every year.

 

[mauidano]

Ortiz has every right to do and say whatever he wants, but the stuff about doing what's best for his family rubs me the wrong way.  This isn't a guy who's still trying to get financial security.  Would it be best for his family to take a couple million more and relocate to KC or Oakland?  Maybe but I really doubt it.  If you want to make every dollar possible that's fine but stop making it sound like you have to do that just for the good of your family.

Like a lot pro athletes, contract talks in the media tend to focus on the cliches; "what's best for my family, etc."  $112 million and you still are worried about providing for your family?  He has a lot of good will in the bank as well with everyone.  Don't tarnish it.  No need to start saying stupid stuff.  I'm sure something REASONABLE can be worked out.  Short and sweet for all.

 

[radsoxfan]

TRic hit the nail on the head for me.  Ortiz's perpetual team option doesn't have to be an agreed upon Wakefield type contract, it's the Qualifying Offer.  If he plays well, offer it to him.  If not, oh well.  There isn't going to be much of a market for a 39 year old DH who carries draft pick compensation baggage, so it's likely going to be the best offer he'll ever get.  Heck, with the way contracts are trending, being tendered a QO amounts to getting a raise every year.

 
Agree, this is a more reasonable scenario. Ortiz may not like it, but it's still probably better than a Wakefield contract from his point of view.  Perpetual team options only hurt the player, it's basically sending them back to their pre-FA arbitration status without raises. At least with the QO he would likely get small raises if he accepts, plus he has some say in the matter (though I agree the market with a pick attached may be very limited). 
 
The downside of course is that Ortiz has made it clear he doesn't like 1 year contracts, so you risk alienating the face of the franchise.  I wouldn't go overboard to avoid that scenario and give him a 3 year extension or something, but tacking on another year to his current 1 year deal (or two if he takes less AAV) is something worth considering if the money is right.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

 
 
Um... yes?  That's how contracts work.  If you want more guaranteed years than the team wants to give you, you take less AAV to make it happen.  This is not a controversial statement.

 
It is if you think for one second Ortiz is going to take less money whatever the length of the contract. It's not going to happen.
 
 

 
 
You're living in an idealistic world of the Wakefield contract, if you think that somehow the Red Sox and Ortiz will mutually know when the time is up and he is ready to retire.  That's not how it works.
 
There is a reason no players (besides Wake, who never should have) ever sign deals like that.  It can only hurt the player.  There is zero reason for Ortiz to sign a perpetual 1 year team option contract, and there is nothing "virtually guaranteed" about this scenario for him whatsoever. He is always on the chopping block every offseason, whether he thinks he is done or not.  Plus, he can never get a raise with good performance. It's the worse case scenario for Ortiz in every way, and he should fire his agent if he even brings it up.

 
I don't think it's as bad as you make it out to be. If there are incentives or escalators in the contract, he plays himself into more money. If not or he gets hurt he's still guaranteed that 12 mil, and then it's goodbye. Yeah, he'd be living year to year but at his age, that's what he's doing anyway. He's an ankle, knee or leg injury from calling it a career.

 

[radsoxfan]

 
It is if you think for one second Ortiz is going to take less money whatever the length of the contract. It's not going to happen.

Who said I think it's likely Ortiz would accept such a a deal? I just said from the team's perspective, the only way to make a 3 year total guaranteed commitment palatable is if Ortiz takes signifanctly less AAV.

 

[radsoxfan]

 
I don't think it's as bad as you make it out to be. If there are incentives or escalators in the contract, he plays himself into more money. If not or he gets hurt he's still guaranteed that 12 mil, and then it's goodbye. Yeah, he'd be living year to year but at his age, that's what he's doing anyway. He's an ankle, knee or leg injury from calling it a career.

The point is that these "Wakefield" contract terms offer him nothing.

Now if he is desperate for a 1 year extension, and the Red Sox are making no offer at all, perhaps he would prefer 12M guaranteed in 2015, even if he has to put up with team options forever after that. In that case Ortiz gets assured an extra 12M in addition to this years salary. But I find it hard to believe Ortiz is that deperate or that the Red Sox refuse to offer anything at all.

The Wakefield terms are completely team-friendly in every way. Ortiz would far prefer a 1/12 no-strings-attached simple extension if he has that choice.

 

[esfr]

sidebar  - I'm not in-state and didn't see the show that is referenced in the article about Papi wanting a new multi-year contract - did he say that - the quotes int eh article have nothing to do with a multi-year contract - 

 

[YTF]

For what it's worth......
http://t.foxsports.msn.com/ortiz-ready-to-move-on-if-red-sox-dont-want-him
 
Classic "I really, really want to come back, but I might have to finish my career in another uniform." type shit. He knows as well as we do that there isn't going to be more of a market for him coming off his age 38 season than there was after age 36. I get that there is a "game" that both sides play, but the fact that he does this publicly every contract year is really pissing me off. Yes the guy produces, but he make more money than anyone else who is almost exclusively a DH and he pulls this shit in the media every contract. He constantly makes it seem as though he's being disrespected and I think many of us here agree that he's been recognized financially for past performance, so where's the disrespect? Highest paid player at his position, always rewarded on past performance. Just shut the fuck up and swing the bat Papi.

 

[Leather]

Well, to play devil's advocate, he only does it every year because the Red Sox (smartly) only offer him short-term deals. 
 
I agree it is irksome, though, because I don't see how these threats possibly help his negotiating position in any material sense.  What, David? You think that Ben Cherington wasn't aware that you might "test the waters", as is your right, if you don't get an offer that you like? 
 
The whole kabuki theater aspect of it is tiresome.

 

[Stitch01]

 
Well, I think it potentially gets the fans involved, and the veiled threat of going to the MFY gets in some people's heads. Papi knows the team has no real reason to give him an extension, but he doesn't like playing on one year deals, so he's trying to get the public on his side to the point where the team may (but probably won't) negotiate.

Luckily none of those people have any decision making power and our GM has absolute job security.

 

[Adirondack jack]

For what it's worth......
http://t.foxsports.msn.com/ortiz-ready-to-move-on-if-red-sox-dont-want-him
 
Classic "I really, really want to come back, but I might have to finish my career in another uniform." type shit. He knows as well as we do that there isn't going to be more of a market for him coming off his age 38 season than there was after age 36. I get that there is a "game" that both sides play, but the fact that he does this publicly every contract year is really pissing me off. Yes the guy produces, but he make more money than anyone else who is almost exclusively a DH and he pulls this shit in the media every contract. He constantly makes it seem as though he's being disrespected and I think many of us here agree that he's been recognized financially for past performance, so where's the disrespect? Highest paid player at his position, always rewarded on past performance. Just shut the fuck up and swing the bat Papi.

 
 

Well, to play devil's advocate, he only does it every year because the Red Sox (smartly) only offer him short-term deals. 
 
I agree it is irksome, though, because I don't see how these threats possibly help his negotiating position in any material sense.  What, David? You think that Ben Cherington wasn't aware that you might "test the waters", as is your right, if you don't get an offer that you like? 
 
The whole kabuki theater aspect of it is tiresome.

 
That's a half-assed devils advocacy if you ask me. 
 
Ortiz did not say he wasn't being respected, the article and YTF implied it. News is slow people... Ortiz has earned the latitude to try to bargain the best deal possible for him and his family. He has been paid handsomely, it seems like many resent that fact, but he has also earned every last one of those pennies over the past 11 seasons. Given all the revenues the sport generates I do not begrudge him for trying to eek out every last nickel. The Wakefield contract bar should never be expected, ever

 

[Reverend]

 

[Leather]

So you don't think the fact that Ortiz complains about his contract situation every year or two has anything to do with the fact that his contract is up every year or two.
 
Gotcha.

 

[Adirondack jack]

So you don't think the fact that Ortiz complains about his contract situation every year or two has anything to do with the fact that his contract is up every year or two.
 
Gotcha.

 
No, I think there are other reasons why his contract has always been on the short-side, actually.
 
As others have already said, the reporter asked the question and Ortiz answered (probably too) honestly. Then the hack "journalist" framed it to best get some clicks. Yawn
 
Do you want another robotic Jeter answering any and all questions with perfectly crafted PR boilerplate answers instead?

 

[TheoShmeo]

In the end, I'd much rather eat a year of Ortiz money than suffer a lot of risk that he will leave the Sox.  I get that there isn't a huge market for him and that in the end it's not very likely that he will go.  Still, I'm OK with Ben continuting to take some risk that he'll eventually give Ortiz something along the lines of what Theo gave Schilling in 2008: Money for nothing.
 
That said, I do wonder why David feels he needs to do this through the media.  Not that I care that much.  It's what he does and so far it's all worked out fine.  But would it be any less effective if he simply just told Ben what he told Steve Burton?  What does Ortiz think he gains by going public?

 

[Rasputin]

I'm pretty much willing to give him a one year extension every spring until he has a shitty year. He won't ever be on the last year of his deal until he's staring right in the face of being in the last year of his career, and at worst, we'll pay for two shitty years.

 

[IdiotKicker]

I would do a one-year extension with a club/vesting option for plate appearances or something along those lines.  Dollars in the ballpark of what he is getting now, maybe a touch higher, with a $2-3 million buyout.  That gets you 2-3 more seasons of Ortiz, at which point I make it clear that I've offered him the last multi-year deal I'm going to give him.

 

[67WasBest]

I went with a two year deal because the franchise has so much financial flexibility starting next year.  Even if his performance were to fall off the cliff, they would have the room to make whatever move was required.  Don't see as much risk as some. 

 

[YTF]

For what it's worth......
http://t.foxsports.msn.com/ortiz-ready-to-move-on-if-red-sox-dont-want-him
 
Classic "I really, really want to come back, but I might have to finish my career in another uniform." type shit. He knows as well as we do that there isn't going to be more of a market for him coming off his age 38 season than there was after age 36. I get that there is a "game" that both sides play, but the fact that he does this publicly every contract year is really pissing me off. Yes the guy produces, but he make more money than anyone else who is almost exclusively a DH and he pulls this shit in the media every contract. He constantly makes it seem as though he's being disrespected and I think many of us here agree that he's been recognized financially for past performance, so where's the disrespect? Highest paid player at his position, always rewarded on past performance. Just shut the fuck up and swing the bat Papi.

 
 

 
 
 
That's a half-assed devils advocacy if you ask me. 
 
Ortiz did not say he wasn't being respected, the article and YTF implied it. News is slow people... Ortiz has earned the latitude to try to bargain the best deal possible for him and his family. He has been paid handsomely, it seems like many resent that fact, but he has also earned every last one of those pennies over the past 11 seasons. Given all the revenues the sport generates I do not begrudge him for trying to eek out every last nickel. The Wakefield contract bar should never be expected, ever

 
Ortiz has implied it on more than one occasion. There's this from about a year and 1/2 ago and you're right, no mention of being disrespected. "Embarrassed" and "humiliated" seem to have been the words he used and mentions not getting his "due consideration".
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/redsox/story/2012-07-04/david-ortiz-red-sox-offseason-humiliation/56023464/1
BTW I don't begrudge Ortiz anything, I just wish he'd stop taking this to the media every time his contract is up.

 

[YTF]

I went with a two year deal because the franchise has so much financial flexibility starting next year.  Even if his performance were to fall off the cliff, they would have the room to make whatever move was required.  Don't see as much risk as some. 

 
Just curious as to what you mean here

 

[67WasBest]

 
Just curious as to what you mean here

If the worst were to happen and he fails, the franchise has the money and prospects to make a move if they deem that needed.  Of course, if Carp is still here at that time, likely no move would be needed.

 

[YTF]

If the worst were to happen and he fails, the franchise has the money and prospects to make a move if they deem that needed.  Of course, if Carp is still here at that time, likely no move would be needed.

 
Thanks for clarifying. I pretty much thought that is what you meant and on the surface, yes they do have the money and the prospects. The follow up to that would be what do you do with Ortiz? Mostly rhetorical as the teams situation would dictate that, but you could be hamstrung by having him taking up a roster spot if he falls off to the point that they can't move the guy. I suppose if it got to that point they DFA him, but how does that impact them BEFORE they get to that point?   

 

[chrisfont9]

 
Thanks for clarifying. I pretty much thought that is what you meant and on the surface, yes they do have the money and the prospects. The follow up to that would be what do you do with Ortiz? Mostly rhetorical as the teams situation would dictate that, but you could be hamstrung by having him taking up a roster spot if he falls off to the point that they can't move the guy. I suppose if it got to that point they DFA him, but how does that impact them BEFORE they get to that point?   

This is true of any pricey veteran. In that context, then, how much of a risk is Ortiz compared to his peers? If by "peers" you mean fellow DHs, Ortiz is so far superior in his recent performances -- just the stats, not the franchise icon/WS hero thing -- that it's a wonder they don't give him a five year deal. Obviously his age is relevant, as is his recent injury history, all of which make for a legitimate concern on the Sox' part about Ortiz going forward. Still, that's the only concern. I offer this just for perspective -- it strikes me as a pretty unusual case.
 
As for Ortiz talking, I'm not sure he's more focused on his contract than anyone else, I suspect he's just more open and honest about it. Just my opinion but I don't take it too seriously, at least as far as reading into it some sort of real problem.