David Ortiz Hall of Fame Top Whatever

The seemingly endless 2021-2022 MLB offseason has been quite a boon in adding more Minnesota Twins to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Since the MLB Owners told the Players Union to just go away for awhile, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, and now David Ortiz, have all been granted a spot in Cooperstown.

Obviously, Ortiz will not be going to Cooperstown wearing a Twins cap. 

But before we get into any of that, let’s go way far back. Before he ever put on a Twins cap, and was actually property of the Seattle Mariners. Ortiz signed with Seattle on November 28, 1992, 10 days after his 17th birthday. He made his professional debut in 1994, for the Arizona League Mariners, at age 19. Ortiz batted .246 with two home runs and 20 RBI, in his first year. The next season, his numbers improved to .332 with four home runs and 37 RBI. After two years of rookie ball, Ortiz spent 1996 with the Low-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. As a 20 year old, he developed into one of the Mariners' best hitting prospects, batting .322 / .390 / .511, with 18 home runs and 93 RBI, in 548 plate appearances. 

Baseball America named Ortiz the best defensive first baseman and most exciting player in the Midwest League, for 1996.

However, Seattle was growing desperate to win while they still had their stable of stars under contract. The nucleus of Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, and the rest were getting older and still hadn’t won. The Mariners were all-in on trading top prospects for anything that could get them over the hump, and bring a World Series to the Emerald City. (Coincidentally, that’s how the Red Sox got both Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek.) In Seattle’s attempt to duplicate 1995’s success a year later, this time the Minnesota Twins were the beneficiary.

1996 Fleer Update Dave Hollins

Before the 1996 season began, the Twins were under the assumption they were just a third baseman away from being a contender. Their lineup wasn’t all that bad, but still no one could pitch. Then Kirby Puckett’s right eye imploded and prematurely ended his career. Hollins played okay for Minnesota. He wasn’t a difference maker, but was generally solid. However, on August 29th, 1996, Hollins was traded to Seattle for a player to be named later. On September 13, 1996, David Ortiz was named as the player return to the Minnesota Twins. 

A spectacular overpay looking back on it, and one of (then Twins GM) Terry Ryan's smartest trades. I remember being shocked the Mariners would give up such a great hitting 21 year old prospect, for an absolutely average third baseman. But that spoke of Seattle’s desperation to win. Winning never did happen in Seattle, but they did get a new stadium out of their mid-1990's run.

Now that Ortiz was a Twin, let’s look at his 6 year Minnesota tenure, as I rank his Twins cards in my collection.

But first...

Honorable Mention: 2003 Playoff Prestige - David Ortiz

This card, while picturing Ortiz as a Twin, is disqualified since it lists him as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

And you know how we feel about the Boston Red Sox...

After the 2002 season, the Twins chose to release Ortiz on December 16. Well, he was paid $950,000 in 2002, and was due a raise. But rather than work out an acceptable new contract, or go to salary arbitration, management decided to simply give up on a 26 year old slugger with all star potential. Over 455 games, spread out between six seasons, Ortiz hit 58 home runs and had 238 RBI as a Twin. About a month later, Ortiz signed with the Boston Red Sox for $1.25 million. 

I'm sure Carl Pohlad made good use of that massive savings...

Now let’s not speak of David Ortiz -the Red Sock- again!

Instead, it's time for the...

Top 33 David Ortiz Twins Cards!

#33 - 1998 Topps - David Ortiz, Richie Sexson, Daryle Ward

Topps had a rather unfortunate love affair with brown mustard colored borders in the late 1990's. Using this hideous color for it's base set in 1998, 1999 and again in 2002. For this triple prospect card, Topps did a decent job of choosing the subjects. Sexson hit over 300 home runs in parts of 12 major league seasons. Ward didn't fair nearly as well, but logged major league service time over 11 seasons. 

I think David Ortiz did pretty well too...

#32 - 1998 Bowman International - David Ortiz

I really dislike foilboard cards. They scan like crap and they don't look all that visually appealing in pages. Bowman was making foilboard parallels for several years, with this year's version including a map showing where the player is from. Problem is, the image of the player blocks most of that map, making the whole thing rather pointless. Just give me another base card per pack.

#31 - 1998 SP Top Prospects - David Ortiz

My lone David Ortiz Minor League card. He breezed through the Twins system in 1997. Starting with the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, then Double-A New Britain, with the Rock Cats (?), and on to Triple-A, with the Salt Lake Buzz. (Is Utah really that well known for it's beekeeping?) Combined, Ortiz hit .317 / .372 / .568 at three levels in the minors, clubbing 31 home runs and driving in 124 runs. 

I remember buying a box of 1998 SP Top Prospects, from Mike's Sports Cards in Englewood, CO. I really wanted the two guaranteed autographs, as there were some big names available. I pulled a Ben Davis (Padres) and Scott Morgan (Cleveland) as my hits. I was pretty let down by them. Even for 1998 prospects. Still, they were very nice looking cards...

#30 - 1998 Topps Chrome - David Ortiz, Richie Sexson, Daryle Ward

Same as #33, ranked higher due to it's Chrominess. In the Summer of 1998, I traded for this card on the old Usenet rec.sports.baseball.cards group. Traded, bought and sold a few cards on there, back in 1997-98. But I lost interest in Usenet card shopping after finding ebay and buying stuff I wanted from there. It was never that much as far as online cards go, and still isn't today. I prefer to acquire cards in person, and rarely look to the internet. Though I should re-think that at some point. It would probably boost my Twins, Expos and Rockies collections quicker than in person searches.

Ortiz sure looks young in this photo...

#29 - 1998 Donruss Elite - David Ortiz

Another foilboard card...

NEXT!

#28 - 2002 Fleer Platinum - David Ortiz

2002 Fleer's salute to 1987 Fleer. This set interested me a lot back in 2002, but I never bought any. Much later, I picked up a complete set of it, for the unbelievable price of $5, at Mike's Sports Cards 2013 going out of business sale. I broke the set apart because I really wanted the Expos, Twins and Rockies cards for the team albums. At $1.67 per complete team set, this was a great deal when I didn't previously have any cards from it.

#27 - 2001 Fleer Platinum - David Ortiz

2001 Fleer's salute to 1981 Fleer. I bought a lot of this in the early 2000's. Picking up a complete series one set off ebay, then buying many packs of series 2, to try and complete the full set. I even bought a box of it, which was almost unheard of for me in those days. Ultimately, I gave up on the set because of all the short printed rookie cards. Including a ridiculous 100 short printed rookies at the end.

But I really liked this set. It was 1981 Fleer, only with bright color and sharp photographs.

Very unlike 1981 Fleer!

#26 - 2002 Topps Total - David Ortiz

Still planning my epic 2002 Topps Total Whatever at some point...

It'll be huge!

#25 - 1999 Upper Deck - David Ortiz

By 1999, Ortiz looked to be a steady presence in the Twins everyday lineup. Unfortunately, he reported to camp out of shape and only batted .137 in spring training. He was quickly optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake Buzz. Unhappy with Ortiz again, Twins manager Tom Kelly chose to give the first baseman's job to rookie Doug Mientkiewicz. One of the rare times a rookie impressed Kelly. Ortiz was fat old news apparently...

#24 - 1999 Stadium Club - David Ortiz

Another shot of the speedy Ortiz in a head first slide. 

Maybe becoming a base stealing threat would endear himself to Kelly?

#23 - 2003 Upper Deck First Pitch - David Ortiz

Who was much more in favor of the traditional feet-first slide.

Well, Ortiz was learning...

2001 - Topps - Tom Kelly

Longtime Twins manager Cranky Tom Kelly, greatly preferred veteran players who fit into the small-ball, good defense and pitch-to-contact mold. Ortiz's game wasn't one that favored by manager Tom Kelly at all. He wasn't great on defense, and was a power hitting slugger, not a flip-the-ball-over-shortstop-to-advance-the-runner type. He also tended to strike out a lot. A lot of these issues with Kelly were detailed in his 2016 book: "Papi: My Story". His feud with Cranky Tom Kelly lasts an entire chapter.

In 2001, the Twins had their best season (winning 85 games) in nearly a decade, but did not make the postseason. This was Minnesota's first winning season since 1992. For all the praise Kelly's tenure as Twins manager gets in Minnesota, he has two World Championships, and a whole lot of losing seasons. As the game evolved into the massive home runs of the steroid era, the Twins went from 1992-2006 without a single player hitting 30 home runs in a season. You can be as old school as you want, but you do need to adept to the game as it changes around you.

Or you go ten years without a winning season.

At the end of the 2001 season, longtime Twins manager Tom Kelly retired. He'd taken the job late in the 1986 season, and was the all time winningest manager in team history. He also finished with a career record well under .500, despite two World Series victories. Former third base coach under Kelly, Ron Gardenhire, took over the managers job (and Kelly's "Twins Way" mentality) until 2014. 

I was so happy the Twins were finally getting over the stale leadership that had stagnated the franchise since 1986.

Probably made David Ortiz smile as well...

#22 - 2002 Upper Deck Vintage - David Ortiz

Upper Deck basically took 1971 Topps design and swapped the photo and header. 

Funny they didn't get sued for this...

#21 - 2001 Fleer Tradition - David Ortiz

Much like how Fleer ripped off 1956 Topps for this design. I'd like this set a lot more if it weren't for that blobby Photoshop filter on the action photos. A clear shot would have been so much better.

#20 - 2002 Topps Chrome - David Ortiz

At least the silver Chrome color replaces Topps Brown Mustard for this design. 

Good shot of Ortiz's leg kick.

#19 - 1999 UD Choice - David Ortiz

Earlier shot of Ortiz's leg kick. 

Despite his terrible spring training stint of 1999, Ortiz mashed at AAA Salt Lake. Batting .315 / .412. / .590,  with 30 home runs and 110 RBI. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Twins first basemen would combine to hit only .245 with 11 homers and 69 RBI. Twins designated hitters batted a combined .259 with 14 home runs and 82 RBI. They may have been players more to Kelly's liking, but hitting that weak during the steroid era was one of the reasons why the Twins went ten seasons without a winning record. Minnesota still kept Ortiz in AAA all of 1999, until a September call-up. 

Which Ortiz failed miserably... 

Striking out 12 times in 20 at-bats, and not getting even one hit.

#18 - 1998 Upper Deck - David Ortiz

Guess he should work harder on defense...

#17 - 2016 Topps First MLB HR - David Ortiz

2016 Topps gave me a new Ortiz Twins card! I really liked the idea of a large insert set detailing the first home run hit by current Major League stars. In some cases, you got photos of players in uniforms you weren't used to seeing them wearing. In case you didn't know, Ortiz hit his first major league home run on September 14, 1997, off pitcher Julio Santana, against the Texas Rangers. 

#16 - 1998 Donruss - David Ortiz

In 1998, Ortiz opened the season as the starting first baseman for the Twins. He hit well, batting .306, before fracturing his wrist in early May. After a couple months on the disabled list, and a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake, he was back up with the Twins in late July. He did finish the season with the team. All told, he hit .277 / .371 / .446 over 86 games, with 9 home runs and 46 RBI. Ortiz did hit .360 in September, showing real promise for the 1999 season. 

Which didn't work out...

#15 - 1998 Circa - David Ortiz

One of my more recent pick ups, from another of Fleer's interestingly colorful sets of the late 1990's. 

#14 - 1999 Fleer Tradition - David Ortiz

I can't remember weather I completed this set, or if I'm still missing a couple of cards... 1999 Fleer Tradition was a set I really liked, and bought a lot of. Probably at least 4 boxes in trying to complete it. Fleer's efforts of late had been an aimless mess of forgettable designs and ideas that didn't catch on. But you can never go wrong with crisp color on quality full bleed photos. 1999 Fleer Tradition is more of an outlier though, Fleer didn't make another base set this clean and gimmick free again, until the company went bankrupt in 2005.

By the year 2000, the Twins were coming off three consecutive seasons of more than 90 losses. Running out of options, Ortiz's bat couldn't be stashed in the minor leagues while Kelly played his weaker hitting favorites. He rode the bench for the first two months, but by June 2000 he finally earned a regular role. Although it was at designated hitter, since Cranky Tom Kelly just had to play feared veteran slugger, Ron Coomer, at first base every day. 

And the Twins finished in last place again.

#13 - 1998 Bowman - David Ortiz

I was all in on 1998 Bowman when it was released. Dropping a bunch of precious pizza delivery money on two boxes, the day it was released at Mike's Sports Cards. Looking back on that set, 1998 Bowman had one of the weakest crops of rookies in recent years. Though I did pull three of his base rookie cards from those two boxes...

#12 - 2002 Fleer Focus - David Ortiz

Ortiz started the 2002 season as the designated hitter, playing every day. He started the year strong, batting .311 with six home runs and 18 RBI, before another wrist fracture cost him the next two months. Very unfortunate timing since Ortiz's hot start had boosted the Twins into contenders in the American League Central. His numbers cooled when he came back from the wrist injury, and he finished the 2002 season with a .272 / .339 / .500 line. Still good enough to place high amongst team leaders. He undoubtedly helped Minnesota win their division for the first time since 1991. Including knocking out the favored Oakland Athletics in the first round of the playoffs. They couldn't beat the eventual World Champion Anaheim Angels though. 

******

One of the attractions of TwinsFest (the Minnesota Twins annual January fan festival), was the silent auction. In addition to a large baseball card show, autograph signings and other team events, all held on the floor of the Metrodome. With the annual silent auction, you could bid on a variety of items put up by the team, with the money going to charity. I had gone every year since the first one in 1989, through 1996, when I moved out of state. My mom went to the 1998 TwinsFest without me, since I was living in Colorado. Where there was no RockiesFest...

She submitted the winning bid on a game-used autographed David Ortiz bat. Which would have come from a September 1997 game. Being a rookie that wasn't nearly as highly regarded as he should have been, she won the auction with an absolute steal of a bid.

Easily less than 10% of what this would sell for on the open market today.

She still has it, and it's not for sale.

Whatever...

#11 - 1998 Bowman's Best - David Ortiz

A much more fun Ortiz Bowman card than his regular base.

Or the card with an obscured map behind him...

#10 - 2003 Donruss - David Ortiz

2003 Donruss was another nice and clean set.

#9 - 2003 Leaf - David Ortiz

As was 2003 Leaf, though a little busier design.

#8 - 1998 Pinnacle Performers - David Ortiz

One of the last Pinnacle sets issued before they filed for bankruptcy. I bought very little Pinnacle product in it's last few years, their product was lackluster and gimmicky. But there were a few nice cards here and there.

#7 - 2001 Topps - David Ortiz

2001 Topps, with it's greenish-blue borders were a nice change from all of that brown mustard they've been using. Not that it was a great change, just nicer than what we'd been getting. However, those navy blue alternate Twins road jerseys of the early 2000's were very nice!

#6 - 1998 Fleer Promising Forecast - David Ortiz

There's something about that bit-mappy doplar radar map that's really appealing. I don't what David Ortiz has to do with a massive storm off the coast of South Carolina, but it's a cool idea! Maybe the current caused by all those strikeouts?

Hate to see the weather effects caused by a typical Miguel Sano season...

#5 - 1998 Pacific Omega - David Ortiz

A lot of Pacific's product in the late 1990's was ahead of it's time. Pacific wasn't afraid of innovation and all of those different foils and weird parallels would fit right in the with baseball card climate of today. But in the late 1990's their cards were just not that popular. 

#4 - 1997 Ultra - David Ortiz

He needs to tuck in that jersey... Cranky Tom Kelly hates disrespect to the uniform!

After the trade to Minnesota, he informed the Twins that he preferred to be listed as "David Ortiz". "Arias" was his maternal family name, and he wanted to be known by his paternal family name instead. One would assume this was a paperwork glitch with the Mariners, that he never got corrected while in the Seattle chain.

For whatever reason, Fleer was the only company that printed Ortiz -or Arias- cards in 2007. Even before he made his Major League Debut. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that for once a Minnesota Twins player got an early and highly desired rookie card, from only one of the 6 card producers of the day. 

Ortiz made his MLB debut for the Twins on September 2, 1997, as a 21 year old. He played in 15 games that September, batting .327 / .353 / .449, in 49 at bats. His first major league hit came in his second game, on September 3. An eighth-inning pinch-hit double against the Chicago Cubs. Before the year ended, Ortiz hit his first home run, but I covered that already.

Doubtful the bat that hit his first home run is in my mom's collection, but I guess it's possible?

#3 - 1998 Bowman Gold - David Ortiz

When I mentioned that I pulled 3 of David Ortiz base rookie cards from those two boxes of 1998 Bowman, I failed to mention that I also pulled the Gold parallel (and that crappy International), serial numbered to 50. At the time, Ortiz was just a developing prospect, so it was the Twins-ness that made me the happiest in finding that card. 23 years later, it's the Hall of Fame-ness of a low serial numbered rookie card that pleases me the most.

#2 - 1998 Donruss Signature Series Autograph - David Ortiz

My only David Ortiz autographed card did not come from a pack I bought, nor was it a single that I paid for. This was a promotional giveaway from the Pinnacle booth at the 1998 MLB All Star Game Fan Festival, held at the Colorado Convention Center.

Before the 1998 MLB All Star Game in Denver, the Colorado Convention Center was turned into a massive celebration of baseball. With exhibitions from the major card producers, artifacts on loan from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and pretty much everything baseball you could think of.

Being the main sponsor, Pinnacle had the largest presence on the showroom floor. Their booth was giving away a bunch of different cards and promotional items. Including stacks of 1998 Donruss Signature Series Autographs. All you had to do was choose the ones you wanted. I took Twins second base top prospect, Todd Walker. As 1998 Twins prospects go, I was higher on Walker's potential. He ended up having a decent career, just not at Hall of Fame level. Later in the day, my mom got an Ortiz autographed card and gave it to me. She already had one from earlier in the day, and didn't need a second one.

I still have the Todd Walker, but didn't feel like scanning it now...

Fun fact! The card I was trying to buy at the 1998 All Star Fan Fest was a 1997 Bowman Chrome Travis Lee Refractor. I found one for sale, and talked the dealer down to $95 for it. Until I looked at the card back and saw it was badly off-center. He wouldn't go any lower on his price and I decided not to buy the card. 

Guess with how things panned out, I made the right decision...

I'd still really like to own a 1997 Bowman Chrome Travis Lee Refractor. But I wont pay more than $10 for one. And the centering had better be pretty dead on to get my ten spot...

#1 - 1997 Fleer Tiffany - David Ortiz

Unlike the 1996 Fleer Tiffany parallel set, which were seeded at one per pack, the 1997 Fleer Tiffany cards were a considerably tougher pull. Now coming in at one in 20 packs, typically one or two per box. Mike's Sports Cards (in Englewood, CO) didn't get much for 1997 Fleer series 2 wax boxes in stock, and one afternoon in early 1998, I bought the last four or five packs he had left. I remember pulling this Ortiz (Arias) card from one of them, and just being happy to get a rare Twins parallel. 

As the years moved on, and Ortiz's stature in the league grew, this card became one of the more desired Ortiz cards ever made. There isn't a whole lot of 1997 Fleer out there, and a lot fewer of the Tiffany parallels. I knew this was a cool card when I opened the pack, but I had no idea how good it would be after all these years...

It's just too bad the Twins mismanaged David Ortiz throughout the Minnesota portion of his career. As the team went on a decent winning stretch of winning their division between 2002 to 2010, the addition of a DH like Ortiz could have been the missing piece we needed to go deeper in the playoffs. You can go down the list of players that Minnesota signed to fill that DH spot in the lineup, and none of them hit anywhere near the player we once had under contract... 

Matt LeCroy... Jose Offerman... Tony Batista... Rondell White... Jason Tyner... Craig Monroe... Jim Thome...

Well, Jim Thome was pretty good. And a Hall of Famer!

But benching and eventually outright releasing David Ortiz for the likes of Butch Huskey, Midre Cummings, Ron Coomer, Doug Mientkiewicz and Brian Buchanen is such a Twins thing to do.

Probably made Cranky Tom Kelly smile...

******

And when I think of Twins roster moves that have infuriated me over the years, one name that always came to mind, came to shock me last week...

Late in the afternoon of Sunday, Januray 30, 2022, I checked my phone and saw an update from MLB Trade Rumors that I was not expecting to read: "Jeff Innis passes away."

Well, that came out of nowhere. 

I paid tribute to "Wasted Quarter's favorite player" a few years ago, and that story says all that it needs to about his career and his cards and his coverage in the early years of my crappy little zine. So I don't need to get into any of that here. You can go read it there.

News of his passing broke on Sunday afternoon. Even before I read it, I'd noticed a little increased activity on my Jeff Innis story. Not enough to think something was up, but enough to notice. The next day, I set the DVR to record MLB Tonight on the MLB Network, thinking they would run some sort of piece on him. If so, I didn't want to miss it.

With the never-ending lockout ongoing indefinitely, MLB Tonight has little news it can cover. But tonight there was something to mention between all of the previously recorded programming, puff pieces and stock footage... Jeff Innis got a five minute segment! Which may be the first time he's ever been mentioned on MLB Network.

A plethora of Jeff Innis video highlights aired. Many clips of his submarine-sidearm delivery, whipping 83 mph fastballs and frisbee sliders to batters who had no chance of hitting his pitches. The video booth at MLB Network made Innis look like he was Cy Young. Maybe Walter Johnson? They had similar deliveries...

The stats department even came up a crazy obscure statistic to include his name with some of the Hall of Famers and legends on the game. Can't say that I'd ever imagined to see Jeff Innis name compared to anyone in this group... But, cool!

Let's watch him throw some more floating sliders!

Even the guy with the tacky sport coat had stuff to say about how great a guy Jeff Innis was. Pretty sure he (Tom Verducci) wrote for Sports Illustrated back in the early 1990's. So it's probably fair to say he covered the Mets at some point.

Oh look! Here's Jeff Innis pitching at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, against the Expos' Delino DeShields!

A mighty hack at the slider that was missed by a mile!

Don't worry Delino, I'll still buy your cards...

I found video of Jeff Innis talking about giving up Michael Jordan's first Spring Training hit, in 1994. He was in camp with the Twins, and was trying to make the Twins bullpen. Jordan hit a weak tapper off home plate and up the third base line. He was already at first by the time the third baseman picked i up. Innis siad he could have even been safe on that hit, admitting: "I was such a baby about it..."

Maybe that was the reason Cranky Tom Kelly cut Innis from the roster in March, 1994? I still believe Jeff Innis would have performed better than most of the retreads and hangers-on that the Twins employed in the 1994 season. You'll never convince me that Innis wouldn't have been a better reliever than any of: 

Carl Willis (5.92 ERA in 59.1 innings)

Mark Guthrie (6.14 ERA in 51.1 innings)

Mike Trombley (6.33 ERA in 48.1 innings)

Larry Casian (7.08 ERA in 40.2 innings)

Dave Stevens (6.80 ERA in 45 innings)

Brett Merriman (6.35 ERA in 17 innings)

And vaunted Rule V pick, Keith Garagozzo (9.64 ERA in 9.1 innings)

Yeah... Jeff Innis could've easily done better than that crew...

Perhaps it was the early 1990's mullet Innis sported an for a brief time, as most players of that era did. I could easily see that infuriating Cranky Tom Kelly to the point where it was more important than what he could do on the pitcher's mound.

After all, he could still strike out an Astro...

Here's Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza to tweet a few good words. Piazza was never a teammate of Innis, and likely only faced him a couple of times, at most. But it's nice to hear from one of his peers.

This video of One on One with Howie Rose, featuring an interview with Jeff Innis, appeared on YouTube the day after Innis' death. The 16 minute video is a complete interview conducted in 2019 (I think). I really enjoyed hearing him discuss his career, and look back on his experiences of being a New York Met, in the early 1990's.

Rest in peace Jeff Innis.

Wasted Quarter could not have had a better hero!