All-Aughts Team of the Decade DH: David Ortiz

The beginning of the 2000s saw saw such names as Dante Bichette, Brian Daubach and Carlos Baerga man the designated hitter position. Beginning in 2003, a new name was added to these ranks: David Ortiz. Once Shea Hillenbrand was ousted to Arizona in May, Ortiz took over the full-time DH job and carved his place in Red Sox lore as the greatest clutch hitter in Boston history (commemorated with a plaque given by John Henry in 2004) and a major reason why Boston won two titles.

Ortiz finished fifth in the MVP voting in 2003, topping 100 RBI for the first time in his career. He had a quiet ALDS against the Athletics save for his rousing double in Game 4, but gave us a hint of what was to come in the ALCS against New York, cranking two home runs. Ortiz then avoided arbitration by signing a one year deal worth $4.5875 million a year after earning $1.25 million. Such cheap production for such valuable output, much to George Steinbrenner's anger as he reportedly encouraged GM Brian Cashman to ink Ortiz as a free agent, which Cashman nixed.