Boston Red Sox: David Ortiz Will Need to Value Legacy over Millions

The Boston Red Sox and designated hitter David Ortiz have some talking to do after an arbitration offer was released by the club. 

It's clear that the value the Red Sox put on star slugger Ortiz is not nearly as much as Ortiz values himself at. 

CBS Jon Heyman reports the latest in arbitration discussions between Ortiz and the Red Sox. 

Ortiz chose to gamble on arbitration rather than free agency. Now he has to value the Red Sox legacy and continue to entrench his name into Boston folklore. 

There is a very good point that was made by Maureen Mullen of CSNNE. Basically, the Red Sox are the only team that weighs what Ortiz has done in the past when they consider paying him. 

You have to expect that he would have garnered less than the Red Sox offered in free agency. Any other team will only care what he will deliver nest season, not what he has provided for his career. 

Mullen spoke with Tal Smith, the founder of Tal Smith Enterprises, which has handled more than 150 arbitration cases since 1974 for teams. He discusses what occurs in cases like this between club and long-time star. 

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If it’s a free agent without arbitration, clubs don’t bid or negotiate on the basis of what you have done. They’re going to negotiate on what value they think you’re going to have for the club in the coming season or seasons.  And I would, frankly, take that approach in arbitration. In Ortiz’s case his 2011 is going to be, I think, more indicative of what his value should be, given age and so on and the fact that he was a free agent. 

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And it seems that is exactly what has happened in this case. Age may have been more of a factor instead of a solid season that saw Ortiz bat .309 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI. 

The fact is Ortiz is asking for too much, but the Red Sox are going to have to raise their offer, one that is not indicative of a player that just had a great year. 

A middle ground will be found and that means Big Papi will have to settle for a bit less in money, but a great deal more adoration from the home crowd that appreciates everything he has done in his career. 

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