David Ortiz plans to accept the offer of salary arbitration that the Red Sox extended to him, meaning that he will return to Boston for the 2012 season, a source told ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com on Tuesday.
Tonight at midnight is the deadline that players have to accept arbitration. David earned $12.5 million in 2011 and could get around $15 million in arbitration, was seeking a pay raise, a league source told ESPNBoston.com earlier Tuesday. A two-year, $25 million deal would also have kept him in Boston, according to the source, but prior to offering arbitration, the Red Sox put a two-year, $18 million deal on the table. ESPN
To me it seems that the Red Sox don't want Ortiz and were expecting him to decline arbitration and certainly turn down the 2 year 18 million dollar deal he was offered. Obviously, the best case scenario is him accepting arbitration and getting a 1 year deal, which looks to be the case.
I was really hoping that the Red Sox would go bold and look to go after Prince Fielder or at least Aramis Ramirez and move Youk to full time DH. I like David Ortiz, he has been one of my favorite Red Sox players of all time, but much like Beckett and Papelbon, I am starting to wear thin of his stupid comments and attitude.