Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez broke down in tears Monday as he paid tribute to former Red Sox teammate David Ortiz, who is recovering from wounds suffered in a drive-by shooting in the Dominican Republic.
“I don’t have enough words to describe who David is, what David means to baseball,” Martinez said on MLB Network. “But I’m so disappointed to know that someone like David, who saved so many lives, can have someone after his life… It hurts me, it hurts me.”
Ortiz, 43, the former slugger affectionately known as Big Papi, was ambushed at a Santo Domingo bar Sunday by a gunman, who fired a shot that led doctors to remove his gallbladder and part of his intestine.
Authorities believe he was shot in a plot involving a cop hired as a hit man. Officials have a suspect in custody, Eddy Feliz Garcia, 25, and are looking for more.
Ortiz was flown back to Boston on an air ambulance owned by his former team and was hospitalized at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“Whoever works, whoever gets to any job, wants to get to where David got,” Martinez continued.
“To success in life. To be a role model. To be that person everyone wants to see and wants to hug. And to see someone want to take his life away in such a coward way, it bothers me. It brothers me deeply,” the three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star said.
Martinez, who pitched for the Red Sox from 1998-2004, played with Big Papi in his final two seasons with the team, including Boston’s 2004 World Series victory.
Meanwhile, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora also discussed Ortiz before the team took on the Texas Rangers on Monday night at Fenway Park.
“One thing about David, he’s strong, he has no fear, he never shows weaknesses,” Cora said, according to the Boston Herald. “So because of that reason, the Lord will be with him. For us that believe, just pray for him. Keep your positive vibes.”
Cora said he spoke to the players in the locker room before the game along with team President Sam Kennedy and owner John Henry.
“I always said that he’s bigger than life, David,” Cora said. “He’ll give you a hug, a big smile, he does it with everybody. He does it with my daughter and my kids. So it’s been a tough one. I just hope when he gets here everything is fine and we can see the big man again with us filling a room with joy.”
Former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said he “didn’t sleep very well last night.”
“I don’t think anybody did. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was going on. Still don’t know that much but everybody has seen and heard,” he said.
Kennedy said he’s been in touch with Ortiz’s family and told them the team is ready to help.
“I love David Ortiz,” he told reporters. “We all love David Ortiz. Telling my kids last night what happened was really difficult. It’s hard to express what David Ortiz means to the Boston Red Sox.”
Kennedy added: “We all remember that in 2013 when we needed David Ortiz the most, he was there for us in late April. And so it’s appropriate and expected that this community would rally around David when he needs us the most.”
On Monday night, the team asked the fans to stand for a moment of “reflection, thought and prayer” for Big Papi, who led the Red Sox to three World Series championships, was a 10-time All-Star and hit 541 home runs.
“He’s on the Mount Rushmore of Boston sports,” said Eddie Romero, the team’s assistant general manager.
With Post Wires
https://nypost.com/2019/06/11/pedro-martinez-breaks-down-during-emotional-interview-about-david-ortiz/
2019-06-11 11:52:00Z
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