Biografia

In a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Boston's Fenway Park on April 19, 2006, "Big Papi" Ortiz was paid the ultimate compliment to a slugger when Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon made a shift of his fielders so that Ortiz faced five rather than the normal three outfielders. At the bottom of the first inning of the game, which the Red Sox eventually won 7-4, the Devil Rays' defense shifted, leaving only the shortstop and the first baseman in the infield. The third baseman played left field, the left fielder positioned himself in left-center, the second baseman played shallow right, the center fielder shaded toward right, and the right fielder played down the line. Ortiz grounded to short in the first, but doubled off the Wall in the third inning against the shift. Of the shift, Ortiz said "Crazy, man. But whatever they do, they can't catch the ball if you hit it off the Green Monster," referring to the 37-foot wall in left field. The Red Sox had runners on base in Ortiz' other at- bats, forcing the Rays to stick with the over-shift that's usually in play when the slugger comes to the plate. Only the very best hitters, like the late great Ted Williams and superstar Barry Bonds are subjected to such radical fielding strategies.

Was voted Most Value Player of American League Championship Series in 2004, when the Boston Red Sox finally topped their hated rivals, the New York Yankees, in the playoffs, one year after losing to the Bronx Bombers in a heartbreaking Game 7. In the two rounds of playoffs, Ortiz batted .400 (22-for-55) with five homers, 19 RBIs and 13 runs scored in 14 games. The Red Sox, cleared of the Yankees Curse, went on to win their first World Series since Babe Ruth was their star pitcher in 1918.

Most valuable player of 2013 World Series (2013).

Made his MLB debut on 9/2/1997 as a Minnesota Twin. He was signed by the Red Sox at the beginning of the 2003 season.

Came in second in American League Most Valuable Player voting in 2005, finishing 24 votes behind winner Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees, whom the Red Sox had tried to acquire before the 2004 season. Rodríguez, a fine-fielding third- baseman who won two Gold Gloves as a shortstop, beat out Ortiz, a non-fielding designated hitter, earning 16 first-place votes and 331 points versus Ortiz's 11 first- place votes and 307 points. "David Ortiz is a great player...," Rodríguez said of his rival. "I'd certainly trade his World Series championship for this MVP trophy." For the 2005 season, Ortiz batted .300 with a career-best 47 home runs, 148 RBIs, 119 runs, 102 walks, a .604 slugging percentage and a .397 on-base percentage in 159 games. He was listed first or second on every MVP ballot cast. Ortiz won the Players Choice Award as the AL's outstanding player after leading the Majors in RBIs and ranking among AL leaders in extra-base hits (first with 88), home runs (second), slugging (second), walks (second), total bases (third), and runs (third).