Robinson Cano stood solemnly at his locker to discuss the physical condition of a prominent opponent, but more importantly, a dear friend.
Red Sox legend and slugger David Ortiz sustained a gunshot wound late Sunday night in his hometown Dominican Republic that left him with damage to his liver, authorities said. Ortiz, 43, was listed in stable condition in the intensive care unit at Clinica Abel Gonzalez after surgery, but a Learjet was already dispatched to the D.R. to carry Ortiz to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for further treatment.
“For me, he’s like a big brother,” Cano said. “We still talk and keep in touch. We were just talking because he just got a new house two months ago. He said next time you come to Miami, come see the house. It’s really sad when stuff like that happens.
“Especially for ones that you care, that you love, that are part of your family. And this is really sad. Hopefully they find the guy and find out about the situation and hope this thing doesn’t happen not only to baseball players, but to anyone.”
Cano fielded questions on Big Papi in the familiar confines of Yankee Stadium, but this time down the hall in the less familiar territory of the visiting clubhouse. The Mets second baseman is sidelined with left quad tightness for the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, which was set to kick off Monday for the first time this season (and later postponed due to rain).
The 36-year-old Cano has competed in 181 games against the Red Sox, a majority of those contests with Big Papi in the opposing lineup. Both Cano And Ortiz went to high school in the D.R. before signing as amateur free agents with the Yankees and Mariners, respectively.
“It’s really sad that it had happened,” Cano said. “I saw the video. Someone came from behind. It’s sad that it’s happening in a country where, to not only him. Everyone. With friends and family. That’s something that now, we all have to be careful. Thank god that he’s stable. All I can say is I wish for a speedy recovery for him and all my prayers to him and his family.”
Ortiz survived a close-range bullet in the back that forced doctors to remove his gallbladder, colon and part of his intestines to control the bleeding from his liver. Before he was operated on, he told doctors: “Please don’t let me die, I’m a good man,” according to reports.
Mets outfielder, and the D.R. native, Carlos Gomez said Big Papi has been a huge influence on his baseball career. When a reporter asked if Ortiz still has an active presence the D.R., Gomez said, “In the world. Big Papi is Big Papi.”
“He’s an idol for us. Me and David are really good friends,” Gomez said. “We hope and pray that everything is alright. He’s a guy that any country would want him to represent. He’s a beautiful human being and he doesn’t deserve what he’s been through right now.”
Mets closer Edwin Diaz has faced Ortiz twice in his career, and the 25-year-old vividly remembered both encounters. Diaz walked Ortiz the first time he faced Big Papi and struck him out the second time in Seattle.
“Every time he saw me he told me, ‘You’re a good kid. Keep working hard,'” Diaz said. “I saw him in Miami during Spring Training. He’s a great guy.”
