CAP CANA, Dominican Republic — With his value at an all-time high after his World Series for the ages, David Ortiz said that he has directed his agent, Fern Cuza, to ask the Boston Red Sox to tack on one year to the two-year, $26 million deal he signed in November 2012.
If he’s successful, Ortiz would guarantee he’ll remain under contract through the 2015 season, after which he will turn 40.
“My agent and them, they’re talking right now to see if we can get another year,” said Ortiz, hosting his sixth annual charity golf event to raise money to provide urgent medical care for children in New England and the Dominican Republic. “I already know that I’m going to be in (Boston) next year. It’ll be exciting knowing you’re going to be there another couple of years. I’ll be good. We’re talking. We’re exchanging words and stuff.”
Ortiz brooded in 2011 when the Sox made him play out his $12.5 million option in 2011, then accepted salary arbitration for 2012 when they didn’t make a multiyear offer.
But he values his status as a franchise icon – he is the only member of the 2004 World Series champs who also won titles in both 2007 and 2013 – and isn’t inclined to play anywhere else in the final act of a career that may eventually merit a spot in the Hall of Fame.
The Red Sox know that, too. And when the time comes, there isn’t much reason for them not to give Ortiz at least one more year. Not after he recovered from an Achilles strain that ended his 2012 season and sidelined him for the first two weeks of this season to play 137 games and bat .309 with 30 homers, 103 RBI and a .959 OPS that ranked fourth in the majors.
A federal judge said the owner of a public relations firm won’t have to testify for now at an arbitration proceeding for New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
The ruling makes it less likely Major League Baseball can use evidence from Michael Sitrick to argue for enforcement of its 211-game suspension of Rodriguez for alleged violations of baseball’s drug agreement and labor contract.
Rodriguez is challenging the suspension.
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