David Ortiz Inspires AL Teammates With Speech Before MLB All-Star Game

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz gave one final pre-game speech before his last Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Diego Tuesday night.

David Ortiz Inspires AL Teammates With Speech Before MLB All-Star Game

The 10-time All-Star and three-time World Series Champion has a .332 batting average and 22 home runs, so it came as no surprise that all eyes and ears were trained on him as he delivered his speech in the American League clubhouse at Petco Park.

“The one thing I can tell you guys about having a great career at this level is the fact that everyday, everyday you got to bring something to the table for your ballclub,” Ortiz said prior to the Midsummer Classic, his final appearance. “It doesn’t matter how you feel — sometimes you’re not gonna feel 100 percent to do it, but the most important thing is the mindset. Those days that your mind tells you, ‘Hey, you can’t go,’ you say, ‘Yes I can.’ That’s what makes the difference.”

Here is the full speech by Ortiz, aka ‘Big Papi.’

“Tonight, let’s go out there and whoop some ass,” Ortiz said at the end of his spiel.

The 40-year-old Dominican, who will retire after the season, recalled seeing legendary players like Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter make pre-game speeches in years past and how it made him emotional.

Ortiz has been known for giving several inspiring speeches himself, including one at Fenway Park just days after the Boston marathon bombings in April 2013.

“It’s extremely hard to get here. You don’t get to the All-Star Game just because you have a good name,” Ortiz said Tuesday. “That’s not how it works. You look at the stats on the board; everybody has pretty good numbers.

“You have to look at your career. It’s a wonderful career but it takes a lot of work.”

He and fellow Red Sox Jackie Bradley Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts all contributed to the American League’s 4-2 victory over the National League on Tuesday night, the fourth straight win for the AL.

If the Red Sox advance to the World Series, they’ll benefit by having home-field advantage.

“It was special. It was from the heart. It had a lot of passion,” said Bradley. “I’ve seen him talk like that before. He shared that he wants the game to get better. He wants the torch passed down.”

 Ortiz has been with the Red Sox since 2003. Before that, he spent five years with the Minnesota Twins, with whom he made his Major League debut on September 2, 1997. He won all three of his World Series (2004, 2007, 2013) with Boston, and was also the World Series MVP in 2013.

BOSTON, MA – JULY 06: David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during the game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on July 6, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)