BIG PAPI COMES UP BIG AGAIN
Coming through in the clutch is nothing new for David Ortiz. His timely heroics often resulted in game-winning home runs and World Series rings. This time, however, the prize was a plaque in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Boston Red Sox legend was elected to Cooperstown by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) in January — the only player elected for the 2022 class by the writers. That erased any doubts about how important the contributions of this savvy designated hitter were to the game of baseball.
It was the slugging left-handed hitter’s first year on the BBWAA ballot.
“This is a wonderful honor, something very special to me,” an obviously thrilled Ortiz said upon hearing the news that he had attained baseball immortality.
He joined the Hall of Fame’s class of 2022, which already had six members voted into the class by the Hall’s Era Committees, including Minnesota Twins legends Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva. Had things gone a little bit differently — and who hasn’t said that in life? — the Twins would be celebrating the induction of three big stars into Cooperstown this year.
Who would have been the third Twin? David Ortiz himself. Ortiz’s offensive feats and his prowess at the plate loomed so large in Beantown (2003–2016) that few people remember that he started his MLB career in a Minnesota uniform back in 1997. But the Twins released him in December 2002.
“Yes, things like that hurt. But then you learn to appreciate the success and how rare it is,” Ortiz said.
Just when he thought his major league career might be coming to a premature end, along came the Red Sox to the rescue.
In Boston, the
