Big Papi was supposedly done in 2009 after two subpar seasons. Seven years later, he’ll get MVP votes. If he’s hitting like this at 40, why can’t he do it at 45?
No one cares about the gifts. So what that the Astros gave David Ortiz a cowboy hat and the Royals some barbecue sauce and the Twins some peanut butter and the Mariners 34lbs of salmon. Ortiz shouldn’t not come back because he’s worried the Padres will be upset they bought him a surfboard as a retirement gift and then he didn’t retire. They probably still have the receipt.
“I thought a lot about it,” Ortiz said in November 2015, announcing this would be his final season after back-to-back last place finishes. “Every single one of us, athletes-wise, we run out of time at some point. Life is based on different chapters and I think I’m ready to experience the next one in my life.” Ortiz said all that on his 40th birthday, undoubtedly assuming that his skills would begin to noticeably erode in his age 40 season.
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My man is an old soul who plays old school baseball. @cubs
The Cardinals have a recuperation area for Coors Field https://t.co/mmlyZaiy2J pic.twitter.com/cLAfLOl8HJ
One proud mom! Trey Mancini's mom, Beth, got to witness her son's debut, and his first hit/home run. She gets the HR ball, too. #Birdland pic.twitter.com/c7MLVODcDk
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