David Ortiz

Today is David Ortiz's 40th birthday - Happy Birthday Big Papi! Ortiz is also in the news because he's rumored to be retiring after this season. 2016 will mark Ortiz's 20th year in MLB and over that career he will have made over $160 million on the field. I'd say that's a nice career.

I'd even say that's a Hall of Fame career. Ortiz is just one of four players all-time to have over 500 HR and 3 World Series rings - the others are Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson. That's some pretty good company right there. Ortiz also just needs 16 more doubles this season to become just the third player in MLB history to have over 500 HR and 600 plus doubles - the other two are Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. Again that's some pretty good company.

If for whatever reason you're on the fence about Ortiz being a Hall of Fame player consider that most in Boston - the people who have seen him play the most - would generally consider Ortiz the greatest living Red Sox player. Sure some might prefer Carl Yastrzemski or Pedro Martinez and I understand those arguments but once again - look at the company Ortiz is keeping in this argument. And nobody I think would even argue that Jim Rice was greater and Rice is also in the Hall of Fame.

In making Ortiz's Hall of Fame argument I haven't even brought up his otherworldly heroics in helping Boston win 3 World Series. Or how much he meant to the City after the Boston Marathon bombings.

So happy birthday Big Papi and I hope you enjoy your final season as much as we've enjoyed watching you. And six years from now we will see you in Cooperstown where you belong.