The Red Sox know what I am, even knowing what happened last year, I’m a guy that, I put a lot of enthusiasm into what I do. And it’s up to them. I’m trying to say that I would like to end my career here, I would like to play three, four more years, and I would like to finish that with the Red Sox. It’s up to them. I can’t control that.
Thing is, the Red Sox are the team that probably puts less emphasis on things like enthusiasm than anyone else. If Ortiz puts up a strong season in 2010 -- and the baseline for that is something better than his 2008 line of .264/.369/.507, which he didn’t touch last year -- and if he is willing to take what will amount to a massive pay cut than, yes, the Sox may consider bringing him back after his contract expires.
If I were a betting man, however, I’d wager that 2010 will be Papi’s last season in Boston.