Fans' Response To David Ortiz Story Spotlights Complicated Relationship Between DH, Boston
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Yesterday, in a story about a documentary film crew following David Ortiz around for various portions of his final MLB season, I wrote that the beloved figure known as Big Papi has a somewhat strained relationship with the Boston fan base at times. As I put it, even though Ortiz has delivered some of the most significant hits in the Red Sox 100-plus-year history, there's always been the occasional oil-and-water element at play between Ortiz and Boston.
Making such a statement, one can never be too sure if it's 100 percent accurate, and sure enough, the lone commenter on the story took offense.
"'Oil and water aspect' as regards to the FANS???" the commenter wrote. "I don't think that statement holds true. Maybe to you guys in the media but the fans love him."
Well, here's the thing: even though they should love him, I'm not convinced they all do.
The story was not received in the most pleasant manner on the 98.5 The Sports Hub Facebook page. Obviously, no grand conclusions can be reached based on Internet comments, and this group of respondents represents a tiny fraction of the fan base. Some might not even be Red Sox fans. But the mixed reaction to a story as simple as "cameras will follow a baseball player, and the baseball player will sit down for a few interviews" provides a good look at the feelings evoked in fans by Ortiz.
As a reminder, Ortiz has launched 445 home runs as a member of the Red Sox, third-most in franchise history, behind only Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams. He'll almost assuredly end up being in the top 20 for home runs in the history of baseball. He has driven in 1,403 runs for the Red Sox, currently ranked fourth, and he'll likely end up passing Jim Rice for third all time by the All-Star break. His .951 OPS with the Red Sox ranks fourth in franchise history, behind Williams (1.115), Jimmie Foxx (1.034) and Manny Ramirez (.999).
And all of that is to say nothing of his postseason performances. He won Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS with his bat, helping ignite the greatest comeback in baseball history en route to delivering the first Boston championship in 86 years. He batted .370 with a 1.204 OPS three years later, helping the Red Sox win a second title in 2007. And in 2013, he smacked an iconic grand slam to tie Game 2 of the ALCS before batting .688 in the World Series with a 1.948 OPS.
Additionally, his "This Is Our [Bleeping] City" statement in April of 2013 became symbolic of the whole city's response to the Boston Marathon bombings.
He's among the very greatest to ever put on the uniform, and there's no doubt about that. But along the way, there have been some minor blowups that people seemingly have never forgotten. He's seemingly never really been happy with his contract, he used colorful language to call Boston a toilet, he interrupted a press conference to yell at the manager about an RBI he deserved, and his answers about being on that PED list from 2003 have never satisfied some people.
For whatever reason, it's just been complicated.
And that really showed in the Facebook response to yesterday's story. There was plenty of love, but plenty of downright disdain. Here's a sampling. (All quotes are sic'd, because one rule about Internet comments is they must remain in their purest Internet comment form. No exceptions.)
From John:
"nobody should put themselves ahead of the team. this stupid hey look at me retirement tour is going to be a huge distraction for the younger guys. Ortiz is a legend in Boston as he should be. Go re watch the 2004 playoff run and world series. With that being said....just play the game and [expletive] retire. It sucks when Kobe [Bryant] is doing it, it sucked when [Derek] Jeter did it, and it will suck when this guy does it. move along.
From Dan:
"Don't care what anyone says David Ortiz totally reversed the curse in 2004!!! He's a Boston hero never forget!! I hope he has phenomenal season to help the Sox win another World Series!!"
From John:
"regardless of talent THIS / THESE are reasons why professional sports has gone thru the S_ _ _ can in the last 30-40 years. greedy players succumbing to even greedier owners. thanks but I'll take my humble players like Brooks Robinson who NEVER had the 'hey look at me' attitude, played as the Champion he was and left the game without all this BS fanfare. oh and don't forget to keep buying those expensive corporate boxes/ suites Chevron."
From Bryan:
"This guy won us 3 world series and embodied how we all felt after the Marathon Bombings. I will never understand the hate thrown Ortiz's way. Thanks for everything Big Papi."
From David, in response to Bryan:
"Arrogant, selfish, narcissistic, hypocritical to name a few."
From John, also in response to Bryan:
"kobe's lame for doing it, jeter was lame for doing it, and this guy is going to be lame for doing it. just play the game and retire. no need for going away gifts and ceremonies every night."
From Alan:
"Great clutch hitter, but still nothing more than a DH who crys whenever he doesn't think he's receiving enough attention. He was a great DH but he was lousy at everything else, is he even considered a real ballplayer because real ballplayers actually contribute in the field as well."
From Valerie:
"Papi's been good to us, on and off the field. He really embodied the spirit of the city after the bombings. I just don't get all the shade being thrown at him."
From Daniel:
"Go away sooner Ortiz. Selfish self-involved whine bag. The only problem is he will probably last the season cuz he doesn't run out ground ball outs and somehow avoids criticism."
From Peter:
"He hits a ball with a bat. And not without (ahem) some help. And bitched aplenty. Great entertainer. I'll miss him. But enough already."
From David:
"Get bent Ortiz. This whole trip has always been about YOU. I'm tired of it and can't wait until you're out of the game."
From Paul:
"He's a [bleeping] turd and has been for a long time."
From Bobby:
"Biggest d-bag in the league,can't wait for this [expletive] to be gone."
From Deborah:
"They should make a video off all the times he whined at the umpires will take all day too watch."
From Joe:
"GET OVER YOURSELF."
Again, it's just a sampling, and this attitude certainly doesn't show itself every night at Fenway Park from April through September and sometimes October, when Ortiz strides to the plate and receives waves of adulation from the 36,000 fans in attendance.
But it is indicative of this subsection of fans who simply cannot like David Ortiz. Some of their complaints are valid, and others are just plain childish and extremely personal.
There's no grand point here. It is merely a fascinating dynamic. There's literally nothing more Ortiz could have done to help the Red Sox win baseball games over the past 13 years, and he'll go down as one of the greatest hitters in Red Sox -- and, for that matter, baseball -- history. Yet as the coverage of his retirement tour ramps up this spring and continues throughout the season, the resentment is only going to build among the group of fans that has already had enough. And if the Red Sox flounder and kick around near last place for much of the year? Those negative feelings may erupt in a not-so-pretty fashion at Fenway Park.
There's nothing Ortiz can do (or not do) in 2016 to negatively impact his standing in Red Sox history. But for as much as the past will always be remembered, the present could get a touch uglier than it ever has before.
But if there's one thing in which Ortiz can find some solace, it's that in many respects, the time spent in Boston by the greatest hitter in baseball history was not all sunshine and rainbows either.
As Ted Williams' said about his relationship with the media and some fans, "I'm the guy they love to hate."
It's a sentiment that certainly rings true with Ortiz, and whether folks love him or hate him, there's no doubt the team will be missing a major presence when he's gone. Gods don't answer letters, and Papis don't check Facebook comments.
You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
