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David Ortiz: A Future Tampa Bay Ray?

It might sound like a pipe dream, but trust me, it's not as crazy as it sounds. Just listen to this quote from David Ortiz:

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"There's too much drama, man," Ortiz told Dominguez in reference to the Red Sox. "There's too much drama. I have been thinking about a lot of things. I don't know if I want to be part of this drama for next year."

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Big Papi will be a free agent this offseason -- unless he accepts arbitration from the Red Sox, which seems unlikely in this context -- and in light of this quote, many people have pointed to the Yankees as a potential landing spot for him. But....really? New York has less drama than the Red Sox? Maybe if you're only talking about the 2011 season, but New York isn't exactly a quiet town. There's just as much of a media presence there as there is in Boston, if not more.

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Not to mention, the Yankees don't have many openings on their 2012 roster. Ortiz could fit in at DH, but then the Yankees would be marginalizing top prospect Jesus Montero yet again. And the Yankees need pitching first and foremost, so I imagine Ortiz will be well down on their list of priorities.

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And so, I'd like to present Ortiz with another option: Tampa Bay. Looking to play competitive AL East baseball without all the hassle? Would you like a clubhouse that has a positive, youth-oriented vibe and little media presence? If you're looking to play for a contender but don't want to deal with drama, Tampa Bay is easily the best choice available.

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The Rays could badly use to add an impact bat to their lineup, and they have $7 million coming off the books now that Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez are gone. As crazy as it may sound, this could be a match made in heaven.

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Photographs by cstreet.us, thelastminute, turtlemom nancy , fesek, kthypryn, justinwright, sue_elias, pointnshoot, and scrapstothefuture used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.