David Ortiz: “Playing here used to be fun ... it’s starting to become the s***hole it used to be”

There hasn’t been any huge drama in Red Sox land in, like, hours, so David Ortiz went off on a big anti-media rant in the clubhouse before today’s game.

CSNNE.com has the details (and video), starting with Ortiz being asked if he was having fun this season:

Not really. Too much s***, man. People need to leave us alone and let us play baseball. It’s starting to become the s***hole it used to be. Playing here used to be so much fun. Now, every day is something new, not related to baseball. People need to leave us alone. Every day is something new, some drama, some more s***. I’m tired of that, man. I’m here to play baseball, man.

Well then.

For much of this week multiple Red Sox players, including Ortiz, have denied various reports that the clubhouse environment has turned toxic.

His comments aren’t likely to go over well with fans or the media, but it’s easy to see why Ortiz is frustrated. Not only are the Red Sox above .500 despite an ugly 4-10 start, going 31-23 since then, but he’s hitting .313 with 18 homers and a 1.012 OPS in 68 games for his best production since 2007. He’s playing amazingly well, the team is on a 93-win pace since a terrible first two weeks despite an incredible number of key injuries, and all anyone wants to talk about are off-field issues, real or imagined.

(For a lot more on the entire situation, read Sean McAdam’s full write-up here.)