Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

[Armitage]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

PayRod is the face of everything that is wrong with Baseball's economics. Jeter is the face of Baseball.

I like my nickname of A-Rod: A-Clod

Anyway, Jeter is the guy that plays hard and is good in the clutch every night, injured or not, that most people want on their team. Whether or not you like his party guy personality is up to you, he just gives too much effort and is probably the best example of a 'face of baseball' in modern times.

A-Rod is a five tool player, considered the best in the sport. However, he doesn't really play with as much effort on the field as Jeter does. At the plate, there's a case for him.

I would consider Jeter the face of baseball before I'd consider A-Rod, all things considered.

SI'd also take Felix Fermin as the face of baseball over A-Rod, even though Fermin's been retired for years. Then again, I don't like A-Rod

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

I doubt that. The one thing that attracts people to the Red Sox is that they are a team. I'd wager that most people think of the Red Sox team as the face of that comeback rather than one player.

Some of these myopic New Englanders need to wake up and realize that the world doesn't revolve around their team just because they finally won a World Series after nearly a century.

Ortiz is just another good power hitter on another good team. Nothing too special about that.

Wake me up when he's accomplished something over a number of years, through numerous playoff series.

Ortiz has been clutch money over the last few years! No play is bigger than the walk-off hit or homer, and this guy makes a living off of them. Like the kid who started this said, Ortiz made the most votes in a fan's game, and Jeter didn't even make it. The world DOESNT revolve around our team, and excuse us if we're still happy that we broke the curse, and the league does revolve around us as the defending champions in my opinion. Same for every defending champ in every sport. Everyone was voting for the Sox to win and the Yankees to lose. The personality of Ortiz is also a huge factor into this, unlike Jeter who only smiles in his SNL bits.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Off of Ortiz though, I still dont get this.

People hate Yankees.
Jeter is the captain and face of Yankees.
Know how is he the face?

Like I said, I am not a Jeter *****, he's a favorite of mine, but still! And I aint a homer for Ortiz, ask anyone that knows me, I am the farthest from a homer you can get.

[DuffysCliff]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Wake me up when he's accomplished something over a number of years, through numerous playoff series.

That's what I was thinking too. Ultimately he isn't the face of baseball now, and probably won't be. Hes already 29, and he's a big guy, so he's probably not going to be able to sustain his numbers for the length it would take before he came to be the face of baseball. Plus as you said before, he's a DH, not quite as glamourous position as shortstop.

Personally, I think a combination of Miguel Tejada and David Ortiz would be a pretty good place to start selling baseball to the rest of the world.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Tejada needs more publicity, but I'd want him as the face over anyone.

[SportsTop]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Ortiz has been clutch money over the last few years! No play is bigger than the walk-off hit or homer, and this guy makes a living off of them. Like the kid who started this said, Ortiz made the most votes in a fan's game, and Jeter didn't even make it. The world DOESNT revolve around our team, and excuse us if we're still happy that we broke the curse, and the league does revolve around us as the defending champions in my opinion. Same for every defending champ in every sport. Everyone was voting for the Sox to win and the Yankees to lose. The personality of Ortiz is also a huge factor into this, unlike Jeter who only smiles in his SNL bits.

Ichiro was the leading vote-getter for three straight seasons and broke one of the oldest records in baseball last year.

Based off of your criteria, why shouldn't he qualify as the "face of baseball"?

I'll tell you why. Marketing. You can't market Ortiz. What national endorsments does he have?

Like the Yankees or not; like Jeter or not; the Yankees are the most marketed team in baseball and easily have the most national exposure. You are guys are referring to Ortiz as the face of baseball because:

A. You are on the east coast and get a heavy dose of him.

or

B. You are a die-hard Red Sox fan.

Either way you can't be objective on the subject. Think of the average baseball fan in midwestern America. Do you think young Johnny actually pretends to be David Ortiz when he is playing in his weekly little league game?

[SPTO]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

As i've said previously Barry Bonds is the face of baseball til he retires. He has gotten the most media attention of any baseball player in the last few years and while he doesn't represent every player in MLB he fits the stereotype that most non-fans have of baseball players.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Ichiro hit singles and played for the Mariners, that's why he wasn't the face. Plus, to be honest, I think comiong over from Japan at his age didn't help.

I didn't say Ortiz is the face, but I think u could make a respectable case for him. I don't see little Johnny stepping up to the plate hoping he'll hit a opposite field single like Jeter, I see him wanting to hit a mammoth homer with a memorable swing/pose. The only thing little Johnny would want is that play in the hole Jeter (used to) make, but a dozen shortstops make that play now, and probably a handful better than Jeter too.

[Blaxican8504]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

As i've said previously Barry Bonds is the face of baseball til he retires. He has gotten the most media attention of any baseball player in the last few years and while he doesn't represent every player in MLB he fits the stereotype that most non-fans have of baseball players.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[SportsTop]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Ichiro hit singles and played for the Mariners, that's why he wasn't the face. Plus, to be honest, I think comiong over from Japan at his age didn't help.

I didn't say Ortiz is the face, but I think u could make a respectable case for him. I don't see little Johnny stepping up to the plate hoping he'll hit a opposite field single like Jeter, I see him wanting to hit a mammoth homer with a memorable swing/pose. The only thing little Johnny would want is that play in the hole Jeter (used to) make, but a dozen shortstops make that play now, and probably a handful better than Jeter too.

You do realize that Ichiro and Ortiz both happened to have their first impact seasons at the age of 27, right? It just so happens that Ichiro was a rookie when he accomplished it.

Your second comment epitomizes the sad direction the sport is headed.

[glucklich]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

With Ortiz getting the most votes for the All Star game this year, and Derek Jeter not even in the All Star game, I think this is a question worth thinking about. He's on the defending World Champs, he's a great team mate who always carries a smile on his face, is probably the most clutch hitter in baseball today, and is part of the ever growing latin presense in the MLB.

Do I think he is? No, but there could be a case made that he is the new face of baseball.

...and from what I hear he makes 3 mil per season. Whats not to like?


Oh, and Jeter is the face of ESPN the magazine and every poster on Scott Van Pelts wall in his room.

[DuffysCliff]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

Ichiro was the leading vote-getter for three straight seasons and broke one of the oldest records in baseball last year.

Based off of your criteria, why shouldn't he qualify as the "face of baseball"?

I'll tell you why. Marketing. You can't market Ortiz. What national endorsments does he have?

Like the Yankees or not; like Jeter or not; the Yankees are the most marketed team in baseball and easily have the most national exposure. You are guys are referring to Ortiz as the face of baseball because:

A. You are on the east coast and get a heavy dose of him.

or

B. You are a die-hard Red Sox fan.

Either way you can't be objective on the subject. Think of the average baseball fan in midwestern America. Do you think young Johnny actually pretends to be David Ortiz when he is playing in his weekly little league game?

The thing is about the game today is that it isn't strictly an American sport anymore. Ichiro is the face of baseball... in Japan (or was when I went over there a couple years ago). Pedro Martinez is gigantic in the Dominican. I'm sure in a couple years Miguel Cabrera is going to be the face of baseball in Venezuela. So really (epiphany time!) there is no real one face of baseball. It's all about different markets and nationalities one could say.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

You do realize that Ichiro and Ortiz both happened to have their first impact seasons at the age of 27, right? It just so happens that Ichiro was a rookie when he accomplished it.

Your second comment epitomizes the sad direction the sport is headed.

Well your first comment kicked my arguement in the nuts and jammed its rectum with a pole. Nice coming up with that.

But like it or not, Ortiz is a power hitter with a huge smile and loves to have a good time on the field and plays for Boston. Ichiro is a small singles hitter with no personality and, again, plays for Seattle.

I would rather have 9 Ichiro's on my team than 9 Ortiz's, but talking about marketability, Ortiz over Ichiro no-contest.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

The thing is about the game today is that it isn't strictly an American sport anymore. Ichiro is the face of baseball... in Japan (or was when I went over there a couple years ago). Pedro Martinez is gigantic in the Dominican. I'm sure in a couple years Miguel Cabrera is going to be the face of baseball in Venezuela. So really (epiphany time!) there is no real one face of baseball. It's all about different markets and nationalities one could say.

Meh, I don't know about that. My list of personal faces of baseball would be quite a few guys deep before I found a 'white' one aside from Jeter. But America is more multi-ethnic than Venuzuela or Japan, so I don't really have the same perspective as someone from another country I suppose.

[mgoblue]

Re: Is David Ortiz the new face of baseball?

As i've said previously Barry Bonds is the face of baseball til he retires. He has gotten the most media attention of any baseball player in the last few years and while he doesn't represent every player in MLB he fits the stereotype that most non-fans have of baseball players.

I totally agree, while not what I think of when I think of as the face of baseball, I think the average fan thinks of Barry Bonds....by far