Mazz On Sports Final: Ortiz Is A Hall Of Famer, 'Best DH That Has Ever Lived'
BOSTON (CBS) -- David Ortiz hit his way into MLB history over the weekend, joining the illustrious 500 home run club with a pair of blasts Saturday night against the Rays.
Ortiz is just the 27th player to join the 500 club, cementing his place among the all-time great hitters to play the game.
"He is the best DH of all time and I don't think it's close anymore," 98.5 The Sports Hub's Tony Massarotti said on Sunday night's Sports Final on WBZ-TV. "Edgar Martinez is in the discussion, but to me it's those two guys and nobody else... When you factor in October, the three World Series, the clutch hits and the 500 home runs, [Ortiz is] the greatest DH of all time. There's no question and it's a phenomenal achievement."
Mazz and Dan Roche both agree Ortiz is a Hall of Famer, and shouldn't have his position held against him.
"I'm one of the people that believes he is a Hall of Famer. It's not his fault, and this position has been in existence for half a century," Mazz said. "They ask him to do a certain thing, and more important, the Red Sox have built their lineup around him for the last 14 years. That's a huge point in his favor. He's a phenomenal hitter, and it's not just the power or the slugging. He doesn't get enough credit for being a real thinker in the batter's box."
"If you ever want to talk hitting with David, it's pretty fascinating what you hear and pick up from him, just how he breaks down every pitcher that is out there. It means everything to him," said Rochie.
"David Ortiz is a Hall of Famer," said Mazz. "To me, he is the best DH that has ever lived."
However, Mazz does admit that the 500 club doesn't have the luster it once did.
"Of the 27 guys on the list, half of them have come in the last 15 years. We're talking about a milestone that used to be sacred territory; it isn't that anymore," he said. "That isn't Ortiz's fault. The number doesn't mean what it used to mean, but if you want to use it to say, 'Look at this guy's career, look at what he's done at his position, especially since when he came here he was a guy off the scrap heap.' It's a phenomenal story. The 500 homers used to be an automatic induction, but I don't think you can do that in baseball anymore."
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