The Hot Corner: Is Ortiz’s Career Comparable to Mantle’s?

BY MICK TIDROW | BALL STATE SPORTS LINK
All sports careers eventually come to an end. For David Ortiz that time will come after the 2016 season concludes.

A career likely landing him in Cooperstown when it is all said and done as one of the greatest designated hitters of all time.

The comparison of Ortiz’s career to other players in the Hall of Fame has begun, and Mickey Mantle’s name has been one frequently associated with Ortiz.

For a player who has been primarily a DH his entire career, the comparison is a bold one. But the numbers say Ortiz is worth the debate.

The intangibles and athleticism Mantle possessed are two things he has on Ortiz. Ortiz counters with more homers and hits than Mantle. But he has played two more years than Mantle did.

MLB Photos Archive — BRONX, NY: Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York circa 1960. Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees from 1951 – 1968. (Photo by Louis Requena /MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Mantle was a kid from Oklahoma, a farm boy who had a love for the game of baseball.

From Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Ortiz is one of the reasons for the success of international baseball players.

Both players bring their own unique skill set to the game of baseball, but who was the more polished, all-around player? The argument sides with Mantle.

Baseball is a numbers game, and both players have not disappointed with flare and love for the game.

Sports are filled with the “what if” situation. Mantle’s career is defined by them, starting with an injured knee in his rookie season. A sprinkler head took the knee of Mantle, but he came back the next year and started a legendary career.

This week we break down the careers of Mantle and Ortiz. Two power bats head-to-head on The Hot Corner.