New York Yankees Fans Should Absolutely Give David Ortiz a Standing Ovation in Final Game

When the 2016 baseball season is over and done with, the 40-year old David Ortiz would have been a thorn in the New York Yankees side for a total of 14 straight seasons.

The same David Ortiz who was Manny Ramirez‘ evil twin when the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry was at its pinnacle. The same David Ortiz who broke the heart of the entire New York Yankees fan base during the historic 2004 ALCS comeback to lift the curse of the ‘Great Bambino’. The same ‘Big Papi’ who owns a career .306 batting average with 47 home runs, 158 RBI and a .960 OPS (not including 2016) against the Yankees. And the same David Ortiz who watched his very own Boston Red Sox honor Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera during their final games at Fenway Park.

So with 2016 being his final season in the MLB, the 40-year old David Ortiz wants to make his final appearance in the always-hostile Yankees Stadium on September 29th in front of a standing ovation.

"“You know what I want most of all?’’ Big Papi told Kevin Kernan of The Post on Tuesday at JetBlue Park. “I would love it if the fans at Yankee Stadium gave me a standing ovation.’’"

The question now becomes whether or not he deserves it?

Call me crazy, but if I’m lucky enough to be at the ball park on September 29th, I’ll be standing up in my seat giving David Ortiz a proper send-off, and don’t worry Lonn Trost, I probably won’t be sitting in the premium section.

Sure David Ortiz had his flaws, including his ‘over-the-counter’ press conference in New York dating back to 2003 following allegations that had him tied to steroids as well as his obnoxiously slow home-run trots…especially when rounding the bases in the Bronx. And yes, Ortiz tended to argue a bit too much with umpires on called strike three, but at the end of the day, David Ortiz helped define the modern era of baseball.

By no means is he Derek Jeter or Mariano Rivera, but when the big-bellied, back-foot-swinging number 34 was at the plate over the course of the past 15 years, he was always a threat to make something happen. Opposing pitchers knew it, everyone in the ball park knew it, and Yankee fans absolutely knew it.

He redefined the controversial position in baseball they call the designated hitter, and he did it in grand fashion.

As a Yankee fan, the thing that I’ll remember most about David Ortiz are his heroics in October. His dramatic game-winning walk-off hits in extra innings during the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees – most notably the walk-off home run in the 12th inning of Game 4 and his walk-off single in the 14th inning of Game 5. His monstrous playoff performance in 2013 when he averaged .688 against the St. Louis Cardinals that propelled the Red Sox to their third World Series Title under his tenure and the mere fact that he averaged .455 with 20 hits, 14 RBI and an insane 1.372 OPS in 14 career World Series Games. If that doesn’t define clutch hitting, than I’m not sure it exists.

Love him or hate him, think that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame or not, the fact is David Ortiz was a wonderful part of the storied Yankees and Red Sox rivalry, and for that, I’m thankful to have grown up rooting against David Ortiz.

He is one of the more famous players of his generation. He came up with big hits in the postseason, especially against the Yankees. And he made sure we hated the Red Sox more and more with every single one of his home run trots.

And after watching him play the game we all love for the past 20-years and propelling the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry to another level, I believe Yankee fans should give him the respect he deserves and the ultimate honor of sending him out in front of a standing ovation.

What do you think Yankee fans? Would you cheer for David Ortiz prior to his final at-bat in Yankee Stadium? Let us know in the comments below.

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