David Ortiz in the World Classic

David Ortiz has his eyes set on the Cooperstown Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as multiple professional and personal projects, but that doesn’t take time away from thinking about being of help to the Dominican Baseball Team that will represent the country during the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC).

During the presentation of the “Cooperstown Dominican Latin Fest”, “Big Papi” was asked if he is interested in being the manager of the Dominican team for the World Baseball Classic or if he would support the team in any way if asked.

“I have always said that with my country to whatever and for whatever. I am a person who has the gift of learning fast, but at the same time teaching. In my area, which is baseball, I have that vision. It’s something you acquire with experience and when you talk about the Baseball Classic, there is not a single Dominican who is not involved with it,” said the former Boston Red Sox player.

“If they call me and tell me ‘look, we need you for this,’ it’s like you’re going to fight for your country wherever it is, I have to be there, because where I’m from,” Ortiz said with a chuckle.

He also revealed an interesting tidbit about the process of selecting the next manager of the Dominican Baseball Team for the WBC.

“Before the pandemic that was the (scheduled) Classic, I was contacted for that (to fill a role with the national team). Lately I have not been contacted for that, I don’t know what the ideals are, but always open, one always looks for a way, especially me being a player and I know the transcendence that has that (the CMB) and the connection that the tournament has with us Dominicans. A guy like me, involved in that, the only thing I’m going to do is to help. I’m going to share my experiences with the young people who pass through here and when they come to watch, it becomes a life experience for them,” he concluded.