Boston Red Sox veteran David Ortiz takes a swipe at Alex Rodriguez: "I’m a Hall of Famer and Alex isn’t"
In a recent appearance on the Dominican podcast "Abriendo El Juego," or "Opening the Game," former Red Sox player David Ortiz took shots at his Fox Sports colleague and supposed friend, Alex Rodriguez.
The conversation revolved around the frustration of being compared to one another and the desire for people to mold them into what they want.
Ortiz expressed his disagreement with such expectations, emphasizing the importance of accepting and loving people as they are.
"Why can't Alex Rodriguez be like me?" Ortiz questioned. He continued by pointing out that he has certain qualities that surpass Rodriguez's while acknowledging that Rodriguez possesses strengths of his own.
However, Ortiz confidently stated, "I'm a Hall of Famer, and Alex isn't."
“People often want you to be what they want and I don’t agree with that, because not even the fingers on your hands are the same,” he said in Spanish. “You have to love people as they are. People always want to be comparing, ‘Ah, David Ortiz has to be like Alex Rodríguez’. Why can’t Alex Rodríguez be like me? I have some things that are better than Alex Rodriguez, and Alex Rodriguez has more some things better than me.”
What does Ortiz have that is better than Rodriguez, the host asked. Without hesitation, Ortiz responded,“I’m a Hall of Famer and Alex isn’t.”
Ortiz and Rodriguez have been co-analysts for Fox Sports since 2017 and have cultivated a friendly rapport on air. Their chemistry is often evident, and they frequently engage in playful banter and gags.
Their friendship dates back decades, with Rodriguez even attending Ortiz's Hall of Fame induction ceremony despite his absence from the ceremonies of former Yankees teammates Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.
While Rodriguez has faced his fair share of controversies, admitting to using steroids and falling short of Hall of Fame induction in recent years, Ortiz has also been dogged by steroid accusations, but he has vehemently denied them.
The stark contrast in their Hall of Fame statuses seems to be a point of contention for Ortiz, who doesn't shy away from highlighting this difference.
Why Alex Rodriguez is not in the Hall of Fame
Former MLB player Alex Rodriguez, who admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during his career, experienced a slight improvement in his Hall of Fame voting numbers in his second year on the ballot.
However, the increase does not indicate a significant shift in the opinions of voters.
Rodriguez received 35.7 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) on this year's ballot, up from 34.3 percent in his rookie year.
While any increase might be seen as a positive sign, Rodriguez's current percentage is still well below the 75 percent threshold required for induction into the Hall of Fame.
The three-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) was suspended for the entire 2014 season due to his involvement with the Biogenesis scandal, which involved a South Florida-based lab providing banned substances to players.
Rodriguez's admission of PED use during his time with the Texas Rangers further tainted his reputation and cast a shadow over his achievements on the field.
Despite his impressive career statistics, including over 600 career home runs, Rodriguez's association with performance-enhancing substances has polarized voters.
Many members of the BBWAA have taken a firm stance against electing players with a history of PED use to the Hall of Fame, citing a need to uphold the integrity of the game.
Rodriguez's modest increase in voting support suggests that some voters may be reconsidering their initial stance on his candidacy. However, it remains to be seen whether he can garner the necessary support to reach the 75 percent threshold in future years.