ther clean sheet would be welcomed by both custodians, but | Forum

BOSTON -- The Mariners traded him. Gary Sheffield Jersey . The Twins released him. And even the Boston fans gave up on David Ortiz a couple of times after he struggled to start the spring or limped away before the year was over.But when this Red Sox season is done and Ortizs career ends along with it, it will be by his choice. The 10-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion -- with a chance for a fourth, if all goes well -- is having one of his best seasons and one of the best finales in baseball history.So the question becomes: Is it Ortiz, this time, who is giving up on himself too early?They wanted him to retire seven years ago. And now that he wants to retire, nobody wants him to retire, former Twins teammate Torii Hunter said when Ortiz passed through Minnesota this summer for the last time. I definitely think to go out on top, thats the way to go.Ortiz insists this is really it, saying his feet hurt too much and it is too difficult already at 40 years old to consider grinding through another season.A look at some of the times people gave up on Bostons big slugger or otherwise doubted him:THE TRADESeattle signed Ortiz, who was then known as David Arias, as a 16-year-old in the Dominican Republic in 1992. He was batting .322 with 18 homers and 93 RBI in his first year of full-season Single-A ball a few years later when the organization looked around, saw that it already had a pretty good designated hitter in Edgar Martinez, a pitching ace in Randy Johnson and a couple of rising stars in Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez.The Mariners lost in the ALCS in 1995 and decided to go for it the following season. Sitting five games out in the division on Aug. 29, they acquired infielder Dave Hollins from Minnesota for a player to be named. Seattle closed to within one game of first place with a week to go but finished third, behind the Yankees and Orioles, and missed the postseason. Hollins batted .351 in 28 games for the Mariners and became a free agent after the season.On Sept. 13, 1996, Ortiz was sent to the Twins to complete the trade.RELEASEDOrtiz climbed through the minors the next season and made his major-league debut as a September call-up. In 2002, he hit .272 with 20 homers and 75 RBI in 125 games.After the season, the Twins had a decision to make.Looking at Ortizs injury history, his defensive shortcomings and the fact that he was expected to get a raise in arbitration to about $2 million for 2003, general manager Terry Ryan released him to free up a roster spot for a recently drafted infielder named Jose Morban. The Red Sox signed Ortiz about a month later for $1.25 million, with a plan to let him compete for at-bats at first base and designated hitter with Jeremy Giambi and Kevin Millar.By June, Ortiz was an everyday player in Boston. He hit eight home runs in July and 11 in August, ending the season with 31 homers in 128 games and placing fifth in the AL MVP voting -- the first of five straight top five finishes.Obviously, it was a mistake on my behalf, Ryan said this year, and Ive owned up to it way too many times.POSTSEASON STRUGGLESEveryone in baseball remembers Ortizs postseason heroics, but it didnt start out that way.He went hitless in his first 16 playoff at-bats for Boston in the 2003 ALDS before a two-run double in the eighth inning of Game 4 helped the Red Sox avoid elimination. They went on to lose to the New York Yankees in the ALCS in seven games.It was the following season that Ortiz became the Big Papi who carried the team to its greatest success. He had four hits and three RBI in Game 3 against Anaheim in the ALDS, hitting a two-run, walkoff homer in the 10th inning to eliminate the Angels. Then came the ALCS rematch against the Yankees, who won the first three games of the best-of-seven series to put Boston on the brink of elimination.In Game 4, Ortiz erased a 2-1 deficit in the fifth with a two-run single, then he hit a two-run, game-ending homer in the 12th. Less than 24 hours later, Ortiz had an RBI single, a solo homer and another walkoff hit -- this time a 14th-inning single. The Red Sox won Games 6 and 7 -- Ortiz had a two-run homer in the first inning of the clincher -- to become the first team to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series.Ortiz was the ALCS MVP.SLUMPINGOrtiz was batting below .200 in the second week of June in 2009, and well into May the following season.In 2012, he played just one game in the last 10 weeks of the season because of a right Achilles tendon injury; without him, the Red Sox finished last with their worst record in almost half a century. In 2014, the year after he won his third title in Boston and a World Series MVP award, the Red Sox stumbled home in last place and Ortiz missed most of the last week of the season because of a sore wrist.On June 9, 2015, he was batting .219 with six homers and 21 RBI. After finishing with 37 homers with 108 RBI -- both the most for him in almost a decade -- Ortiz reflected on the need to repeatedly prove himself to the fans in a city where he had accomplished so much.They forgot about just about everything I have done here. They just throw that in the garbage. Its not like theyre talking about somebody that just got here, he said before the home finale last year. It seems like they wait for me to struggle so they can start talking trash. Whenever this time of year shows up, I just laugh.A month later, on his 40th birthday, Ortiz announced that the 2016 season would be his last .GOING OUT ON TOPStill, no one could have expected this.Entering the final weekend of this season, Ortiz was leading the league in doubles, slugging percentage and OPS. He has already hit more homers in his final year than any other player in baseball history.And the Red Sox, after two straight last-place finishes, are back in the playoffs.More doubts. This time: Will he really walk away?I dont think `Big Papi is going to retire. I keep telling him that, Angels outfielder Mike Trout said at the All-Star Game. With those numbers, I wouldnt.---Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jgolen Jedd Gyorko Jersey . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Los Angeles Dodgers Gear . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. https:///...-jersey-dodgers.html . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days.The Manchester derby on Super Sunday may not be as pivotal in the title race as in previous seasons, but it still remains one of the biggest games in the Premier League calendar with both teams keen to get one over their city rivals. The key to who comes out on top in the 171st derby in all competitions could be the form of the two goalkeepers, who have become mainstays of this fixture in recent seasons.Since joining Manchester United in the summer of 2011, only David De Gea and his Man City counterpart, Joe Hart, have played every minute of all nine Premier League meetings. In those games, it is clearly the England international who comes out on top with more clean sheets and fewer goals conceded than his opposite number. Last nine Manchester derbies (Premier League only) Stat Joe Hart David de Gea Goals conceded 10 21 Clean sheets 4 1 Saves 20 20 Save percentage 66.7% 48.8% In general, Hart has an excellent record in Manchester derbies having won six of those nine meetings, and no City player has won more Manchester Premier League derbies than Hart. Premier League wins in Manchester derbies Man City player Wins Joe Hart 7 Vincent Kompany 6 James Milner 6 Samir Nasri 6 Yaya Toure 6 Across the Premier League, Hart is also having another good season. The 28-year-old, who has won the Golden Glove award for most clean sheets a record four times, again tops that ranking, with De Gea joint-third. 2015/16 Premier League clean sheets Player Team Clean sheets Joe Hart Man City 13 Petr Cech Arsenal 12 Jack Butland Stoke 10 David de Gea Man Utd 10 Heurelho Gomes Watford 10 Hugo Lloris Tottenham 10 Kasper Schmeichel Leicester 10 While the importance of Hart to Manuel Pellegrinis team cannot be underestimated, the same is true for De Geas importance to United. Keibert Ruiz Jersey. Since returning to the side after signing a new deal with the club in September, the 25-year-old is the only United player to start every Premier League game. Its quite some statistic given Louis van Gaal has used a league high 33 different players this season. Premier League starts for Man Utd since September 11 Player Starts David de Gea 25 Daley Blind 23 Chris Smalling 23 Anthony Martial 22 Juan Mata 22 The Spaniard has been an important part of the Premier Leagues second tightest defence this season and has kept the third most clean sheets in Premier League history for United. Manchester United goalkeeper comparison (Premier League only) Player Clean sheets Completed games Games per clean sheet Peter Schmeichel 112 247 2.21 Edwin van der Sar 90 183 2.03 David de Gea 56 155 2.77 Fabien Barthez 30 84 2.80 rOY cARROLL 24 46 1.92 De Geas first league involvement in the Manchester derby was the infamous 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford in October 2011 and although their noisy neighbours have had the better of recent meetings, winning six of the last nine in the League, Uniteds No 1 will be hoping to build on his first clean sheet in this fixture in the goalless draw at Old Trafford in October.However, he is likely to be up against an in-form Sergio Aguero, who has scored eight goals in eight appearances in Manchester derbies. Indeed, no player has scored more Premier League goals against De Gea than the Argentina international (seven). Joe Hart of Manchester City and David De Gea of Manchester United By contrast, Hart will be happy Wayne Rooney is absent with a knee injury as no player has scored more league goals against him than the England captain (six).Both Manchester teams have been involved in a Premier League high five goalless draws this season, due in no small part to the form of their respective goalkeepers. Another clean sheet would be welcomed by both custodians, but the viewing public will be hoping at least one of the goalkeepers will be beaten on to extend a run of no consecutive goalless draws in this fixture that has stood since 1973-74.Watch the Manchester derby live on Sky Sports 1HD from 3.30pm on Super Sunday Also See: Stats show Kompany concern 2016 Premier League table ' ' '