Tag Archives: David Ortiz

Ortiz to Appear in Boston Marathon Attack-Themed Film “Patriots Day”

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David Ortiz is ready for his close-up…

The 40-year-old Dominican designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox will appear in the upcoming movie, Patriots Day, a film that revisits the events of the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.

David Ortiz

Ortiz will play himself and reenact his speech addressing fans in Fenway Park on April 20, 2013, in which he stated, “This is our f—ing city. And nobody’s going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong!”

The film is scheduled for a limited release in theaters in Boston, New York and Los Angeles on December 21, 2016, with a wider national release slated for January 13, 2017.

It’s being directed by Peter Berg and stars Mark Wahlberg playing a Boston policeman.

“Yeah, Mark [Wahlberg] and I go way back,” Ortiz told ESPN.com. “He came and approached me the other day, asking me about it. And I said, ‘No problem.’ It sounds like it’s going to be fun. We’re going to do the filming when I get back to Boston, one of those mornings. I’m excited.

“It’s a big deal,” Ortiz said. “This movie is going to be a big deal, especially in Boston. After what happened in 2013, it’s going to come out on Christmas.”

Ortiz had no problem getting into how important that moment was for him, as well as for the city of Boston. He feels comfortable tapping into the feelings of the day he spoke to fans and of the pride he feels in helping to express the sentiments of many in the city. It’s especially noteworthy because the film will reportedly use considerable amounts of documentary footage, so the decision to reenact Ortiz’s speech and recapture the emotions of that moment make for a potentially powerful artistic decision.

“That’s the idea,” Ortiz said. “Being proud of it, it’s one of the main reasons they want me in it. But I can say, he went through some other details with me that, once you guys watch the movie, you guys are going to find out about. I’m excited.”

For Ortiz, beyond his personal feelings and role in the events after the bombing, this was also something that speaks to the kinds of movies he’s interested in.

“It’s about history, and I’m a big fan of movies based on true stories,” he said. “When they came out and asked me about it, I could agree with it.”

Ortiz Hits Two Home Runs to Blast into the MLB History Books

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David Ortiz has officially earned his place in the annals of Major League Baseball history.

The Dominican professional baseball player, nicknamed “Big Papi,” has become the 27th player in MLB history to reach the 500-home run threshold.

David Ortiz

Ortiz, a designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox, vaulted into the 500 club after hitting two home runs Saturday night in the team’s 10-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Ortiz is also the fourth player in the team’s history, and the fourth Dominican Republic native to surpass the 500 mark in his career.

Ortiz hit No. 499, a three-run home run, in the first inning off Rays left-hander Matt Moore, driving a 1-2 fastball over the right-field fence.

After popping out to short center field on a 3-0 pitch in the third inning, Ortiz led off the fifth inning against Moore, greeted by chants of “Let’s go, Papi,” and drove a 2-2 pitch into the seats.

Ortiz’s teammates poured out of the dugout and the relief pitchers ran in from the bullpen to greet him after he jogged slowly around the bases, stepped on home plate, brought his fingers to his lips, and then pointed to the sky.

Ortiz, just 10 weeks shy of his 40th birthday, achieved the milestone with a three-month power surge that has been matched only twice by a player of his age or older, Barry Bonds and Henry Aaron, over a full season.

On June 10, Ortiz had just six home runs and was batting .219, a performance that invited wide speculation that his celebrated career was winding down. Among qualified designated hitters in the American League, Ortiz ranked last in most major categories.

Red Sox principal owner John W. Henry acknowledged the skeptics.

“The guy, he’s the best hitter I’ve seen for the Red Sox for a long time,” Henry said at the time. “He’s not in his prime. He’s not going to hit 50 home runs. But is he going to hit 30? It doesn’t look like it this year. Is he getting older? Yes. But I don’t think any of us know [if the end is nearing].”

Even Ortiz revealed a sliver of doubt.

“Everybody’s time is up at some point,” he said. “I don’t think that’s my problem, though. I’ll keep on trying like I normally do.”

With 28 home runs in the span of just 273 at-bats, Ortiz erased all doubts that he’ll return in 2016 for his 20th season in the big leagues, the past 13 with the Red Sox.

He joins Manny Ramirez, Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams as Red Sox players who have hit 500 home runs, and Sammy Sosa, Ramirez and Albert Pujols as fellow Dominicans who have reached that threshold.

Ortiz also solidified his case for induction into baseball’s Hall of Fame, a place which only this past year opened its doors to a second Dominican player, Ortiz’s former Boston teammate Pedro Martinez, and has historically resisted the inclusion of designated hitters.

Boston Red Sox Reportedly Offer Sandoval a Lucrative Five-Year Deal

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Pablo Sandoval may soon be seeing Red (Sox)…

The 28-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player, a free-agent third baseman, has reportedly been offered a five-year, $95 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to the Boston Globe.

Pablo Sandoval

The Red Sox have had their eye on Sandoval, whose nicknane is Kung Fu Panda, since the beginning of his free agency. He arrived in Boston on Monday night, had dinner with slugger David Ortiz, and according to a club source, met with team officials Tuesday before leaving the next day.

The San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays also have interest in the switch-hitter, but a major league source indicated to the Globe on Friday that the Red Sox’s offer might be in the lead.

Sandoval would represent a significant offensive upgrade at third base for Boston. A career .294 hitter, he hit 16 home runs with 73 RBIs and 68 runs scored this past season for San Francisco.

Sandoval played a huge role in the Giants’ 2012 and 2014 World Series title runs, but the team did not discourage him from testing his value on the free-agent market. But they’ve also stayed involved in the bidding this offseason, with assistant general manager Bobby Evans telling the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday: “I think the interest is sincere. I think Pablo loves this fan base as much as any player loves a fan base, and that could go a long way.”

The Red Sox have the financial flexibility under the luxury tax threshold to handle a five-year, $95 million contract. But given the weight issues that have saddled Sandoval since 2010, the club isn’t expected to display much enthusiasm for the six-year deal that agent Gustavo Vasquez said his client wants.

Ortiz Gets Contract Extension with the Boston Red Sox

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David Ortiz will be seeing red (sox) for another season…

The 38-year-old Dominican professional baseball player, nicknamed “Big Papi” has reached an agreement with the Boston Red Sox to keep the iconic slugger on the team through the end of his career.

David Ortiz

Ortiz has reportedly agreed to a $16 million extension for the 2015 season, a $1 million bump from the $15 million he will be paid in 2014.

Also in place is a club/vesting option for the 2016 season that will automatically kick in if Ortiz achieves a certain number of plate appearances, and a club option for 2017. If the option years are fulfilled, Ortiz will remain under Red Sox control into his 40s — he turns 42 on Nov. 18, 2017, the final year of the deal.

The team announced the extension and option years Sunday night.

“With this agreement, we have near certainty that David Ortiz will finish his career in a Red Sox uniform, which is something we have all wanted and that we are all proud of,” owner John Henry said in a statement. “It is difficult to describe David’s contributions to our city both on the field and off the field, and we are so proud to have this ambassador of our game with us as he continues on this road to Cooperstown.”

There has been little doubt throughout camp that the Red Sox would sign Ortiz to an extension, with both the player and club ownership expressing a desire to strike an agreement. Ortiz’s agent, Fernando Cuza, came for face-to-face negotiations with general manager Ben Cherington and CEO Larry Lucchino on multiple occasions, including Sunday.

Gomez Earns Kids’ Choice Award Nomination for Favorite Female Singer

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Selena Gomez
 is the people’s choice… At least the young people’s choice.

The 21-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer is among the nominees at the 27th annual Kids’ Choice Awards, earning the eighth nomination of her career.

Selena Gomez

Gomez, a six-time Kids’ Choice Award winner, earned her nod in the Favorite Female Singer category. She’ll face-off against Lady Gaga, Katy Perry
and Taylor Swift
for the award she previously won in 2012.

This year’s fan-voted event will be hosted by Mark Wahlberg, who stars in the fourth installment in the Transformers franchise.

This year, the Kids’ Choice Awards has added several new categories: favorite app, favorite villain, favorite funny star, favorite animated animal sidekick and most enthusiastic athlete.

Other notable Latino nominees include Bruno Mars and Pitbull, who have armed nods for Favorite Male Singer, Sofia Vergara for Favorite Funny Star, baseball star David Ortiz for Most Enthusiastic Athlete
and Benjamin Flores, Jr.
for Favorite Television Actor.

Voting in the 22 categories is currently underway across all Nickelodeon digital platforms, including the Nick.com website and the official Nickelodeon page, where users can vote by using custom Kids’ Choice Awards hashtags.

The Kids’ Choice Awards take place Saturday, March 29, from 8-9:30 pm ET/PT at the University of Southern California‘s Galen Center.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s nominees:

Favorite TV Show
The Big Bang Theory
Good Luck Charlie
Jessie
Sam & Cat

Favorite Reality Show
America’s Got Talent
American Idol
The Voice
Wipeout

Favorite Cartoon
Adventure Time
Phineas & Ferb
SpongeBob SquarePants
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Favorite TV Actor
Benjamin Flores, Jr.
Jack Griffo
Ross Lynch
Jake Short

Favorite TV Actress
Ariana Grande
Jennette McCurdy
Bridgit Mendler
Debby Ryan

Favorite Movie
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Iron Man 3
Oz the Great and Powerful
The Smurfs 2

Favorite Movie Actor
Johnny Depp
Robert Downey Jr.
Neil Patrick Harris
Adam Sandler

Favorite Movie Actress
Sandra Bullock
Mila Kunis
Jennifer Lawrence
Jayma Mays

Favorite Animated Movie
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
Monsters University

Favorite Voice From an Animated Movie
Steve Carell
Miranda Cosgrove
Billy Crystal
Katy Perry

Favorite Male Buttkicker
Johnny Depp
Robert Downey Jr.
Hugh Jackman
Dwayne Johnson

Favorite Female Buttkicker
Sandra Bullock
Jennifer Lawrence
Evangeline Lilly
Jena Malone

Favorite Music Group
Maroon 5
One Direction
One Republic
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Favorite Male Singer
Bruno Mars
Pitbull
Justin Timberlake
Pharrell Williams

Favorite Female Singer
Lady Gaga
Selena Gomez
Katy Perry
Taylor Swift

Favorite Song
“I Knew You Were Trouble”
“Roar”
“Story of My Life”
“Wrecking Ball”

Favorite Book
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
Harry Potter series
The Hobbit
The Hunger Games series

Favorite Video Game
Angry Birds
Star Wars
Disney Infinity
Just Dance 2014
Minecraft

Favorite App Game
Angry Birds
Star Wars II
Candy Crush Saga
Despicable Me: Minion Rush
Temple Run
 


Favorite Funny Star
Kaley Cuoco
Kevin Hart
Andy Samberg
Sofia Vergara
 
 

Favorite Animated Animal Sidekick
Patrick Star
Perry the Platypus
Sparky
Waddles

Most Enthusiastic Athlete
Dwight Howard
Cam Newton
David Ortiz
Richard Sherman

Ortiz Earns Sixth Silver Slugger Award of His MLB Career

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Forget golden… David Ortiz is a silver sensation…

The 37-year-old Dominican-American Boston Red Sox star, this year’s World Series MVP, has won the sixth Silver Slugger award of his illustrious career as the top designated hitter in voting by Major League Baseball managers and coaches.

David Ortiz

In what turned out to be a showcase of Latino baseball stars, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera were selected for the fifth time each.

Silver Slugger awards are given to the top offensive player at each position in the American and National Leagues. They were handed out Wednesday night on the MLB Network.

First-time selectee Pedro Alvarez (third base) was joined by Pirates teammate Andrew McCutchen. The star outfielder won his second prize.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Yadier Molina (catcher) received his first Silver Sluggers.

Several players earned bonuses or salary escalators for winning the award:

Cabrera and Ortiz each get $100,000 bonuses, while Molina earns $50,000.

Ortiz Notches a History-Making 1,689th Hit as a Designated Hitter

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Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has batted his way into Major League Baseball history…

The 37-year-old Dominican baseball player notched his 1,689th hit on Wednesday as a designated hitter, surpassing Harold Baines for the all-time lead at a position the American League adopted in 1973.

David Ortiz

In the second inning, Ortiz took a 3-1 offering from Seattle Mariners starter Aaron Harang and lined a double into left-center field.

Ortiz earned an extended standing ovation from the Seattle and Boston fans scattered throughout Safeco Field and eventually came around to score.

He followed in the third inning with a long two-run home run, his 19th of the season.

Ortiz already holds marks for the most runs scored, doubles, home runs, extra-base hits and RBIs by a designated hitter.

He has shredded Seattle pitching the last three games, going 8-for-10 and boosting his batting average from .313 to .331. He has reached base in 20 of his past 21 games while hitting .413 (31-for-75) with 9 doubles, 5 homers and 16 RBIs.

Asked what prompted his offensive outburst, Ortiz joked, “What you mean lately? I’ve been hitting .300 the whole season. What are you watching?”

“He goes out there every day and he’s so consistent you almost expect it,” catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said of Ortiz’s production. “You feel bad whenever he goes 0-for-4 and you’re like, ‘Come on man, are you kidding me?’ That’s how good he has been.”

Ortiz spent three years (1994-96) in the Seattle farm system before beginning his decorated MLB career. On Sept. 13, 1996, the Mariners traded Ortiz to the Minnesota Twins for Dave Hollins, a career .260 hitter, in a move that still haunts Seattle fans.

“I never think about it,” Ortiz said of his history with the organization. “You probably know where you’re going to start at, but you never know where you are going to finish.”

Not lost on Ortiz was the setting in which he achieved his latest milestone. In his 20s, he admired from a distance the hitting exploits of Mariners legend and DH pioneer Edgar Martinez.

“It’s good to be mentioned with some of the greatest hitters that ever played the game,” Ortiz said. “I used to love to watch Edgar. He was a wonderful hitter.”

Peralta Propels the Detroit Tigers to Victory with a Ninth-Inning Home Run

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Jhonny Peralta has managed to save the best for last…

The 31-year-old Dominican professional baseball player’s ninth-inning home run gave the Detroit Tigers a much-needed victory against the Boston Red Sox.

Jhonny Peralta

Peralta hit the two-run homer off Andrew Bailey in the bottom of the ninth to give the Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Red Sox on Thursday night.

Boston led 3-2 when Victor Martinez drew a leadoff walk off Bailey, and Peralta followed with a line drive over the fence in left field for his seventh homer of the year.

“I don’t try to hit a home run, but I try to have good contact with the ball,” Peralta said. “That’s what happened when I had good contact.”

Earlier in the game, David Ortiz homered and drove in a tiebreaking run with an eighth-inning single to put Boston up, but Drew Smyly (3-0) replaced Phil Coke for Detroit and prevented any further scoring by the Red Sox. He struck out four in two innings of relief.

Detroit improved to only 2-19 when trailing after eight innings.

But Peralta proved to be the hero with one swing and was mobbed at the plate.

“I see everybody at home plate, it’s a good feeling, hitting a walk-off home run,” Peralta said. “It’s the best that I can feel.”

Ortiz Signs Two-Year, $26 Million Contract with Red Sox

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David Ortiz won’t be clearing his locker at Fenway Park for at least two more seasons…

The 36-year-old Dominican-born baseball star, once designated “the greatest clutch-hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox” by the team, has closed a $26 million, two-year deal to stay with the team.

David Ortiz

Immediately after signing his new contract, Ortiz came out to defend himself against comments made by former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine that he had given up toward the end of the season after suffering an injury to his right Achilles.

“The day that I returned from the DL, I told him that I was not sure what percentage health-wise I was in but that I could not be out there without trying to help,” Ortiz told ESPNDeportes.com.

“When I told him that, I put my career on the side to help him and the team. Being in an incredible amount of pain, I went out there to support them.”

“I am a player that has the game in his blood,” the Dominican slugger added. “In the 10 years that I have (been) in Boston, I have been the soul of the organization and there has never been a second where David Ortiz being able to go on the field and do what he does has decided to stay seated.”

Ortiz attended a Fenway Park news conference Monday to announce the agreement, which includes bonuses that could raise the value to $30 million.

“Big Papi,” as he’s nicknamed, had consecutive game-ending hits in extra innings of Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 American League championship series against the New York Yankees as the Red Sox became the first major league team to overcome a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series.

The eight-time All-Star has hit 343 homers for Boston, fifth on the team’s career list, and has 1,088 RBIs.

Ortiz ThisClose to Signing Deal to Stay with the Boston Red Sox

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It appears David Ortiz may not be emptying out his locker room anytime soon…

The 36-year-old Dominican baseball star is thisclose to closing a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, a deal that the team hopes to finalize before the end of the week, according to ESPN.

David Ortiz

The two-year term – something that was of utmost importance to the Ortiz – already has been agreed upon, sources said Tuesday, but both sides were still haggling on compensation.

Ortiz is believed to be seeking $25 million. The Red Sox are in that neighborhood, but hope to sign him for a few million less, according to the source, who noted the monetary negotiations aren’t expected to get in the way of the deal’s completion.

“As I said, we want to have David back,” general manager Ben Cherington said Tuesday. “We’ve had good, amicable dialogue. I talked to Fernando (Cuza, Ortiz’s agent) yesterday. We’ll continue to keep talking. Our hope is to get something done. I’m sure we’ll talk again this week sometime.”

The Red Sox hope to announce the extension as soon as Friday, the first off day of the World Series. The league frowns upon teams announcing news on days of World Series games.

Ortiz, who made $14.575 million on a one-year deal struck on the same day his arbitration case was scheduled to be held this past February, missed 71 of Boston’s final 72 games because of a right Achilles strain. He told ESPNBoston.com on Sunday that he’s feeling much better and will begin his normal offseason workout regimen soon.

“I’m 36, and I know what I’m capable to do,” Ortiz said. “I know what’s fair and I know guys my age aren’t going to get three-, four- or five-year deals anymore, so I want to play two more, and if things go good, I’ll continue to play.”

Ortiz was having one of the best years of his career before the injury, hitting .318 with 23 homers, 60 RBIs and a 1.026 OPS in 90 games.

He’s the longest-tenured player on the Red Sox, having played in Boston over the past 10 seasons.