Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Big Pappi vs. David Ortiz


Dahitman44

Recommended Posts

Recently, in another thread I said it was one of the biggest mistakes the Twins made was to let go of Big Pappi.

This coment was made by a person on that thread, "big pappi in boston and david ortiz in minnesota are two different creatures.

Ortiz didn't show any signs of what was to come. He was something like a 275 hitter with 58 homers in 4 plus years for us.

He nearly matched his twins totals in 2006 alone..."

While that is true I saw some big potential in him that was getting pulled in tight by the font office and TK.

Any thoughts on this topic?

Thanks

Hitman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

no, i believe its becuase he has people around him in there line up that they had to pitch to him. And thats going to make him a better player, knowing there going to pitch around the other players, to pitch at him

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spear --

Good point but I think it was TK and the staff that really made him think too much about small ball and not enough about bringing out his power.

I know he was hurt a lot as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Obviously it helps being surrounded by other players. But man o man would ortiz look nice hitting 4th here.

We couldn't afford him and would have lost him anyway with where his production has gone...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People that say he is a different player IMO, are just using it as an excuse. Ortiz playing here, when healthy, was a massive power threat and had the ability to rake. That was his problem all throughout his time with the Twins though, he couldn't stay healthy.

Also, look at his minor league numbers, 310/.381/.530, with plenty of HRs. The Twins new what they had, the reason that they let him go was that he was due for arbitration and could not say healthy.

The Twins didn't want to waste the 1.2 million or whatever figure it was on an injury prone player, (by the way he was also injured a few times during his time in the minors). Big mistake it turns out.

Having Manny and the rest of Boston's lineup protect does help I am sure, but even if we was to have stayed with the Twins I would think he could still be a .280 hitter or so that would hit around 30 hrs a year and drive in a bunch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: Dahitman44
Spear --

Good point but I think it was TK and the staff that really made him think too much about small ball and not enough about bringing out his power.

I know he was hurt a lot as well.

ya i think your right. there is alot of diffenent things that might make it happen. I just think that with him not having anyone around him like he does in boston, makes a whole bit of difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah i thought he was injury prone...saw him once in the minors over in cheese land...they've had some nice players go through...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you guys imagine what he would be like in our lineup now --WOW!

He is the guy we were begging to have the past five years ago -- and we had him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: Dahitman44
Can you guys imagine what he would be like in our lineup now --WOW!

He is the guy we were begging to have the past five years ago -- and we had him.

He would have been great to have on a few of those playoff teams, that's for sure.

But a ton of teams can say that. What about KC, they had Beltran, Damon, Dye, probably some others I am missing.

I'm sure they would love to have them back too. Problem is, unless your team is in New York, Boston, Chicago, or California, you just can't keep guys around. It is B S and teams in those cities are at an unfair advantage from the get go. That is the way it will be until they do a salary cap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it is a combintation of what he has around him in Boston, and the fact that he probably has a been told to swing freely. I think as a Twin, they kept him reigned in a little trying to get a hit. Now that he can be a little more of a free swinger, WOW. Wish he was still here, but there are a lot of guys that you can wish were still Twins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excuse thats ridiculus....they don't give you a crystal ball look at the numbers.....its not rocket science.

One he couldn't stay healthy on the turf nor could he play defense in fair territory.

And the other key points are performance enhancing drugs and Manny plus other good hitters.

Anyone who is saying they knew he would become an MVP type hitter is kidding themselves.

Yeah maybe we should have kept him......shoulda woulda coulda.....sheeesh!......get over it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the Twins cut him he did not catch on with another team right away. He dropped 25 lbs., got in shape and Boston gave him a look in spring training. Good move by Boston.

My favorite team let Ortiz go to give Matthew LeCroy more swings in the DH spot. Ouch!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For starters he split alot of DH time with Fatty LeCroy. And another thing, in Boston the "porch" and foul pole is 302 feet. The high school diamonds in most towns are further away. Another short right field porch he plays alot of games at is Yankee Stadium, which has a line of 314 feet. RF line at the Metrodome is 327, plus the ball has to clear the curtain, where in Boston that fence down the RF line is waist high. My point is he has hit a ton more HRs out east, but in alot easier parks to hit HRs in. Did we do the right thing letting go of him? No, much rather have seen LeCroy go. But there was absolutely no way we would have known then what we do now given the amount of playing time he got here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: PierBridge

Yeah maybe we should have kept him......shoulda woulda coulda.....sheeesh!......get over it!

Ver5y good point Pier -- but the point I have made from day one till now is you don't CUT a guy like that. Too much of a good hitter to just let go. Plus he was a a good clubhouse guy, but TK didn't like him and you know what that meant ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zamboni --

Yeah, old TK loved Fatty LeCroy and not so much on Ortiz ... Hmmmmmmm ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exactly Hitman, you are right on. Shouldn't have given up on a guy with that kind of potential for the chance to save a million bucks.

In his last season as a Twin, Ortiz hit .272/.339/.500, with 20 HRs in 125 games. Don't really need a crystal ball to see that those are decent numbers.

The year before he had 18 HRs in 89 games. His minor league numbers also showed very good power. Now granted, those are not the same kind of numbers he has put up in Boston, but tell me the Twins wouldn't have LOVED to get a .272/.339/.500 line out of their DH during those years they were in the playoffs.

Twins let him go because he couldn't stay healthy, and they didn't want to give a mill in a half or whatever the arbitration numbers were at the time to a guy that wasn't always healthy.

Not because they didn't think he had the potential to be a good power hitter. Twins also knew he couldn't play defense from the get go. Also, who said he has taken performance enhancers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Willy -- RIGHT ON MY BROTHER!!!

That and TK didn't like him. I liked TK but wow -- that guy did NOT like working with the young guys all that much.

He reminded me of my old HS principal -- sure he was a good guy and wanted the best for me, but I would not have thought that then -- thought he HATED kids.

Actually think he really did -- kinda like TK.

;\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.