Amazing really!!
Burks signed his first pro contract with the Red Sox in 1983.......YAZ's last year!!
ELLIS BURKS RETURNS TO BOSTON
The expected addition of Ellis Burks and the desire of David Ortiz to play first base should bring a new look to the designated hitter spot for the Boston Red Sox.
Burks, who left Boston in 1992 after six seasons, took a physical and is expected to sign a one-year deal and be used primarily as a right-handed DH. Ortiz, a lefty hitter, was the team's full-time DH last year.
The team had no official announcement, but Burks' agent, Jim Turner, confirmed Wednesday that his client took a physical. Turner said he wanted to wait for the results before publicly discussing his client's talks with the Red Sox.
Burks was with Cleveland last season but didn't play after June because of an elbow injury that required surgery.
Burks, 39, was Boston's No. 1 draft pick in 1983. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder in 1990, three years after making his big league debut. He left the Red Sox when they declined to re-sign him because of concerns about his back.
He then played with the Chicago White Sox, Colorado, San Francisco and Cleveland. He became a free agent after the Indians declined to exercise a $5 million option.
Burks batted .301 with 32 home runs and 91 RBI in 2002, his last full season.
Ortiz hit 31 homers last year and now he wants to show he can be a good fielder.
"I'm preparing myself because I want to play more at first base. I don't want to be, at 28 years old, a DH full-time," he said Wednesday after the team officially announced his one-year contract. "I'm going to ask for more opportunity at first base."
Last season, Ortiz appeared in 73 games as Boston's DH and 45 at first base. Kevin Millar played the position for most of the year. Honing his first-base skills at spring training, which starts Feb. 20 in Fort Myers, Fla., may increase Ortiz's opportunities.
"I always get my work in," Ortiz said. "I know what it takes to be around the bag."
Ortiz, speaking on a conference call from the Dominican Republic, had his best season last year, his first with Boston, and would like a longer term deal.
"I would like to be (in Boston) for a while," he said. "I just want to avoid arbitration for now and we'll keep talking."
The contract the team announced was agreed to last Friday and avoided a salary arbitration hearing. It is worth $4,587,500, compared to his $1.25 million salary last season. He had asked for $5 million in arbitration and had been offered $4.2 million. In addition to his salary, he could earn $50,000 bonuses for 525 and 600 plate appearances.
Ortiz finished fifth in the AL voting for MVP and was third in the league with a .592 slugging percentage. He hit .288 with 39 doubles and 101 RBI in 128 games after signing as a free agent. He had spent all or parts of the previous six seasons with Minnesota.
Burks signed his first pro contract with the Red Sox in 1983.......YAZ's last year!!
ELLIS BURKS RETURNS TO BOSTON
The expected addition of Ellis Burks and the desire of David Ortiz to play first base should bring a new look to the designated hitter spot for the Boston Red Sox.
Burks, who left Boston in 1992 after six seasons, took a physical and is expected to sign a one-year deal and be used primarily as a right-handed DH. Ortiz, a lefty hitter, was the team's full-time DH last year.
The team had no official announcement, but Burks' agent, Jim Turner, confirmed Wednesday that his client took a physical. Turner said he wanted to wait for the results before publicly discussing his client's talks with the Red Sox.
Burks was with Cleveland last season but didn't play after June because of an elbow injury that required surgery.
Burks, 39, was Boston's No. 1 draft pick in 1983. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder in 1990, three years after making his big league debut. He left the Red Sox when they declined to re-sign him because of concerns about his back.
He then played with the Chicago White Sox, Colorado, San Francisco and Cleveland. He became a free agent after the Indians declined to exercise a $5 million option.
Burks batted .301 with 32 home runs and 91 RBI in 2002, his last full season.
Ortiz hit 31 homers last year and now he wants to show he can be a good fielder.
"I'm preparing myself because I want to play more at first base. I don't want to be, at 28 years old, a DH full-time," he said Wednesday after the team officially announced his one-year contract. "I'm going to ask for more opportunity at first base."
Last season, Ortiz appeared in 73 games as Boston's DH and 45 at first base. Kevin Millar played the position for most of the year. Honing his first-base skills at spring training, which starts Feb. 20 in Fort Myers, Fla., may increase Ortiz's opportunities.
"I always get my work in," Ortiz said. "I know what it takes to be around the bag."
Ortiz, speaking on a conference call from the Dominican Republic, had his best season last year, his first with Boston, and would like a longer term deal.
"I would like to be (in Boston) for a while," he said. "I just want to avoid arbitration for now and we'll keep talking."
The contract the team announced was agreed to last Friday and avoided a salary arbitration hearing. It is worth $4,587,500, compared to his $1.25 million salary last season. He had asked for $5 million in arbitration and had been offered $4.2 million. In addition to his salary, he could earn $50,000 bonuses for 525 and 600 plate appearances.
Ortiz finished fifth in the AL voting for MVP and was third in the league with a .592 slugging percentage. He hit .288 with 39 doubles and 101 RBI in 128 games after signing as a free agent. He had spent all or parts of the previous six seasons with Minnesota.
