The Dominican slugger from the Red Sox David Ortiz will retire after the 2016 season, according to various reports. Ortiz, who turned 40 years old this past season, has become one of the most popular players of this decade and helped Boston win three World Series titles.
Ortiz will announce his retirement officially this week as well, citing a source with knowledge of the plans Ortiz because the announcement has not been made public. Last season he hit his 500th home run in his career and now has 503, putting him 27th in the all time player list.
The cannon has been called nine-times to the All-Star games, averaging .273 with 37 homers and 108 RBIs in 2015. The Big Papi with a lifetime average of .284 with 1,641 RBIs.
Ortiz member the Red Sox World Series team in 2004, 2007 and 2013, earning MVP honors in the World Series in 2013. The nine-time All-Star has finished in the top five in MVP. On his way to cooperstown with his own numbers merit. Once he retires, after the 2016 season he has to wait five years to get on the ballot. And once it gets on the ballot, he will have 10 years to be elected.
When it comes to the Hall of Fame, time may be not be on the side of David Ortiz.
In other words, Ortiz probably will not appear on the ballot until at least 2021, and probably – if he does not fall below the minimum 75 percent required for the election – would appear until sometime around 2031.
Within its social welfare plans the David Ortiz Foundation has made hundreds of children reach happiness with the heart operations performed within the foundation. And even an operating room with his name was inaugurated in the Center for Diagnosis and Advanced Medicine and Medical Conferences and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT) which is considered among the most modern healthcare institutions in the Dominican Republic, Central America and the Caribbean.
Ortiz remembered by most for his passionate speech after the infamous Boston Marathon bombing, Ortiz wanted to make sure his message was delivered verbatim.
“I was never trying to be a role model,’’ Ortiz, 40, in front of his locker Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t really want people to look at me like a role model. When I look at role models, they want you to be perfect, only God is perfect.” continued Ortiz. “All I was trying to do, was do the right things.’’
