David Ortiz strained his right Achilles tendon on July 16 and played only one other game, on Aug. 24, before the season ended.
In an interview with Bob Costas of NBC Sports that aired Tuesday night, former manager Bobby Valentine suggested Ortiz could have played.
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The nation is getting a good taste of just how poisonous the Boston media is. Anyone who saw the nationally televised interview with Bobby V knows that Valentine did not throw Big Papi under the bus. This is how it was for Valentine from day one here in Boston, every word he spoke was put under the microscope and then "spun" into a controversy. Boston media is agenda driven and ugly. Good that the nation finally gets to see how they operate. It ain't pretty.
Its not only the Boston media its nationwide. The poisonous media forms the news to their liking and then report it!
"David Ortiz came back after spending about six weeks on the disabled list and we thought it was only going to be a week," Valentine said in an interview on Costas Tonight on NBC Sports Network. "He got two hits the first two times up, drove in a couple runs; we were off to the races. Then he realized that this trade meant that we're not going to run this race and we're not even going to finish the race properly and he decided not to play anymore. I think at that time it was all downhill from there." How was this taken out of context? "decided not to play anymore" means he quit.
It's apparent from everything that happenened this year that Bobby Valentine is mentally ill.
Mr. Vaentine may go down history as the worst manger in history. However, he was successful in stimulating a team to start their winter training season in July.
Who around here listens to Valentine anymore anyway? Why bother?
Proof positive that Bobby V is a complete jerk. First of all, Achilles heel injuries are serious, especially when you're talking about a guy Ortiz' size and age. Even if it had gotten better, why would the Sox want him to come back with the possibility of further damaging it when it was clearly a lost season? But the biggest issue I have is that Ortiz was supposedly one of the few in the clubhouse who had Bobby's back. Bobby had nothing to gain by making this comment, it was obvious to everyone after the trade that the Sox were waiving the white flag. That he would basically call Ortiz a quitter only proves what a disloyal person he is. Why would anyone want to play for him?
The players may change under Farrell, I doubt it, but the sportswriter covering the Red Sox will continue to equivicate and kiss the players bums. I am of the opinion that Ortiz quit, because he has always been about himself (Lying about using steroids, the Terry Francona press conference over ONE HIT, the several mid season salary disputes that distract the team, complaints about playing time, doing nothing in September 2011 about the beer and chicken crowd.) Real leaders like Rodney Harrison, Tom Brady, Teddy Bruschi would never have allowed beer and chicken. And you call Pedroia and Ortiz leaders. In your dreams, Cafardo, and Abraham, in your dreams.
In my opinion Bobby Valentine is the strangest manager/coach I have ever seen associated with a professional sports team . I quite frankly do not know what to make of this guy - and I really doubt he takes himself - or took this job seriously . Its more than simply trying to thrust himself into the spotlight at every chance , although its true - he does. He creates controversy where there is none to begin with (The Youkilis comments) - and on others he throws gas onto the fire and makes matters worse . Keeping things "in house" has never been his area of expertise - but this guys seems to go out of his way to stir the pot for no apparent reason other than to put himself out there in the press , having people wonder out loud what Bobby is thinking or why is Bobby doing this. Being the smartest guy in the room is of utmost importance, and he wants everyone within earshot to know he is big stuff. I think he is just odd ... very, very odd. This whole thing about Middlebrooks ... Bobby was the one that told everyone the story to begin with , that never came from Middlebrooks ... it came from Bobby the next day to one of the beat writers who put it in the paper. .. now he is saying someone made that up . I also look at some of the baseball moves he made this year - and I question if he is the smart baseball guru he is reputed to be ... several people that know the game a whole lot better than me - tv guys/ the radio guys openly questioned a ton of his moves this year but hitting for iglesias in the middle of an at bat , in a meaningless end of season game - 10 games behind - the season already down the tubes, was possibly the stupidest managerial move I have ever seen. Hmmm ... lets see, the kid is struggling , his confidance is completely shot at the plate ... i Know ... (says the smartest guy in the room) ... I know what would work, I will pull him in the middle of an at bat , that embarressment should do wonders for his confidance levels / what possible reason would he have to do that to the kid in that situation ? to appear ... Brilliant ??? ... weird - weird guy . You never knew if he was joking or not , and it confused people. I still to this day do not understand his response to the "why is Posednik hitting third" question..he replied, "I don;t know is he ? ... should he be ? .. maybe he will do alright there , should we change it " ... don't know the exact words , but I am not far off .. so is he saying he did not know that Posednik was hitting third ? ...he just found out and is wondering if he should change it ???? HUH ??? anyway , Farrell does not have huge shoes to fill - and is a breath of fresh air after this bozo ...