Saturday, May 22, 2010

David Ortiz is Not a Happy Man

David Ortiz has had a really good May and for the time being has tamed his critics (this one included) who thought he may be done. But he doesn't appear to be enjoying himself and his comeback. In a recent Boston Globe article, he blasts writers (including Buster Olney) for "changing" him from a fun guy into a jerk. The whole article reminded this observer of Sammy Sosa who was fine and "fun" until he started facing criticism in the latter third of his career. Perhaps it is a trait of people from their area of the world to not take criticism very well. But seriously, should the press change who a person is?

Frankly, from the perspective of a struggling working stiff, what does David Ortiz have to be upset about? If you are not performing, you're not supposed to be questioned? If your manager loses faith in you when you are batting .178, he's to be faulted? To be unhappy and feel persecuted when you are making $13 million a years is just preposterous. Give the Fan thirteen million a year and the Fan will take all the criticism you can dish out and would keep smiling. The man is living a charmed existence. He's at the pinnacle of the employment food chart. He works about five hours a day and doesn't even have to play in the field. Unlike a lot of players, the press has basically given him a pass for the steroid allegation he faced (and admitted to). He should thank the press for that.

Last year, Ortiz finished at league average in OPS+ despite a fairly torrid second half. This year his OPS+ is a healthy 116. But we still don't know if the April Ortiz is the real one or the May one is the real deal. We'll see how it all plays out. From what the Fan has seen, pitchers are making a ton of mistakes against him. The Fan reserves the right to reconsider whether he is done or not when the time comes. For now, he seems to have some life left. But not fun.

The Fan's message to Ortiz is pretty straightforward though it is highly improbable he'll ever read this. The message is: Oh boo hoo and poor you. Get over yourself. You've made $39 million over the last three years while the country has been in the throes of a major economic disaster. Cheer up and stop sulking. You have no right to feel the way you do and it's highly unseemly.

1 comment:

Josh Borenstein said...

And he made his money fraudulently, just like Sosa.