MLB Postseason: Top Ten Performers in Postseason History
By Keaton Moore
David Ortiz – “Big Papi”
This year David Ortiz got his final chance to face postseason pitching and add to his impressive playoff success. After 20 years in the major leagues, six with the Minnesota Twins and 14 with the Boston Red Sox, Ortiz is retiring at the end the 2016 season.
During his career, he held a .286 batting average and finished with 541 home runs. He is a three-time world champion, 2013 World Series MVP and 10-time All-Star. While he batted .290 with 17 home runs and 60 RBI in 18 postseason series, his most impressive postseason performance came in 2004.
Every Boston fan remembers the 85-year curse set on them when they traded away Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919. Every Bostonian also remembers how Ortiz and the 2004 Red Sox dramatically battled a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS to eventually become World Series champions.
During that ALCS against the Yankees, Ortiz batted .387 with three home runs, including a walk-off homer and walk-off single. His success against the Yankees earned him the ALCS MVP honors and he went on to bat .308 with one home run in the World Series.
That year started, what became, a very impressive World Series resume for Ortiz. In three World Series appearances, Ortiz earned a .455 batting average with three home runs, 14 RBI and 14 runs.