There was some doubt as to whether David Ortiz would be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame last night. Because of a somewhat iffy report in 2009 he’d tested positive for PEDs as part of the (supposedly classified) testing as part of the Mitchell Report. And because he was a DH, and some people think that’s too specialized. Frankly, I never doubted it. He’s a Boston legend, for being part of the team that ended the Red Sox title drought, for his role on three championship teams, for his powerful R-rated speech after the Boston Marathon Bombing. Everyone loves him. And like it or not, baseball is a sport of narratives. His narrative is not that of a grumpy self-centered slugger, but of Big Papi. I think he earned his place in the Hall based on what he did on the field, but who he was off the field matters too.
Elsewhere…
- Have you caught your breath after that insane weekend of football? If you want to know why someone like me who would like to see the sport go away still cares about football, it’s weekends like that, making me want more.
- New GMs begin arriving in the NFL, even as Sean Payton leaves the Big Easy.
- Trade deadline is getting closer in the NBA. Ben Simmons is still a Sixer.
- Grayson Allen really should have been suspended more than one game.
- Are the two best hockey teams both from Florida?
As ever, all sports subjects welcome.