Red Sox dump 'offensive,' 'racially insensitive' David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway just hours before game

The Red Sox canceled a David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway at Fenway Park five hours before their game against the Yankees on Tuesday night because the figurines were considered "offensive" and "racially offensive" by the team’s president.

Batting next in the #SoxPromos lineup: The Papi Bobblehead! 💪
Be there this Tuesday: https://t.co/uQuufOJ7ez pic.twitter.com/ayeZvGw9Ym

— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) August 7, 2016

The bobblehead was a likeness of Ortiz holding a microphone, a tribute to the emotional speech he made at Fenway five days after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 where he famously proclaimed, "This is our f-ucking city."

"It was an inaccurate portrayal of David,”  Sam Kennedy said after approving of the giveaways months earlier. “It doesn’t really look like David. Number two, I personally thought it seemed to be an offensive portrayal of him and racially insensitive.

"If I was feeling this way, certainly other people would," Kennedy added. "So we pulled the plug."

Kennedy said the 15,000 bobbleheads would be returned to the manufacturer, BDA Inc., of Woodville, Wash., and a new model shipped out. Now all ticketed fans for Tuesday’s game will receive the new bobbleheads in the mail, not just the first 15,000.

“Everybody will receive one,” Kennedy said.

Ok I can see why they cancelled Ortiz bobblehead night pic.twitter.com/3E9AtWgxOy

— Connor #2019Champs (@connortheOGfam) August 9, 2016

Before the game, Ortiz said he was unaware of the situation.

“That’s supposed to be me?” he said after looking at a photo of the bobblehead with the odd white lips.

Ortiz went on to say he agreed with the team’s decision.

David Ortiz goes berserk after strike three call against Yankees (VIDEO)

If there is any spark left in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, it basically all comes down to one player still linking the bitter hatred between the two teams to the past.

And on Friday night, David Ortiz brought that blaze back to the Bronx.

Ortiz began chirping after Andrew Miller got a called strike two from home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa on a 3-1 count with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth inning — a slider that prompted Sox manager John Farrell to run out, hold Ortiz off and get ejected.

Then Ortiz took another slider for a called strike three before walking toward the dugout, then returning, and unleashing his full fury at the ump.

DAVID ORTIZ IS PISSED https://t.co/OStZOsWqeF

— Tyler Sullivan (@TylerSully) May 7, 2016

Big Papi needed to be restrained before Miller struck out Hanley Ramirez swinging for the final out of a 3-2 win Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

“One I can understand, one time. But not two,” Ortiz said after his explosion. “Both of them pitches were bad, though. (Kulpa’s) looking at me like I screwed up. I didn’t screw up. Know what I’m saying?

“Everything was a ball,” added Ortiz, who said Miller doesn’t need any help. “Even the one I swung at was a ball.”

It wasn't exactly the Core Four years, but something tells me Miller would have fit in pretty good back on those old Yankees teams — at least as Mariano Rivera's set-up guy.

David Ortiz calls Jacoby Ellsbury a 'rich bitch' on national TV (VIDEO)

Besides scouting reports on the opposing team's starting pitchers, David Ortiz might want to meet with the television techies to discuss microphone hot spots the next time he prepares for a game.

Live ESPN mics embedded in Yankee Stadium's second base caught Big Papi calling Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury a "rich bitch" for his ex-teammate's impressive $153-million contract during Sunday night's game.

Ortiz was obviously joking around with Ellsbury, who was his teammate with the Red Sox for eight years. 

Hall and Oates would be proud.

Did Red Sox fan possibly rob David Ortiz of a home run? (VIDEO)

At Saturday's Red Sox-Rays game, a Boston-rooting fan at Tropicana Field potentially took away a home run off the bat of slugger David Ortiz.

Ortiz thought it was out of the old park, but the Sox fan's sno-cone catch seemed to give the ball a little assist over the wall.

So after the umpire review, Big Papi got a double via fan interference instead of a dinger.

Best part was the fan's reaction to the umpire's ruling and attempt to sway the call.

Jackie Bradley Jr. throws a baseball over the outfield wall ... from home plate (VIDEO)

Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is known as an excellent fielder but wanted to show everyone that he has a pretty good arm as well.

During Saturdays' batting practice, the Boston centerfielder took a short hop behind home plate and threw a ball over the Fenway Park center-field wall just to prove it.

That's a heave of about 400 feet from the plate as the crow flies — or as a Big Papi home run sails.

Don't believe it? Well check out the video below:

White House considering selfie ban after David Ortiz tweet: Report

David Ortiz might have taken the last White House selfie ever — or at least while President Obama is in office.

Obama is considering a ban on the phone pics with White House guests after Big Papi reportedly used the opportunity to plug a corporate sponsor.

Ortiz took the controversial selfie with a smiling Obama Tuesday afternoon during the Boston Red Sox team's visit to the White House. The photo appeared to be a spontaneous moment, until it was revealed the toothy slugger has a deal with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 phone to perform promotional stunts —  just like the Obama photo op.

The White House already scolded Ortiz for tweeting the photo — before Samsung blasted it out to over 5 million followers.

“Maybe this will be the end of all selfies,” White House Senior Adviser Dan Pfeiffer said about the incident Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “(Obama) obviously didn’t know anything about Samsung’s connection to this.”

“Someone who uses the President’s likeness to promote a product… that’s a problem with the White House,” Pfeiffer added. “We’ve had conversations with Samsung about this and have expressed our concerns.”

What an honor! Thanks for the #selfie, @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/y5Ww74sEID
— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) April 1, 2014

After the opportunistic stunt, Samsung revealed it had a marketing deal with Ortiz and admitted that company officials had “worked with David and the team on how to share images with fans.”

Ortiz insisted he took the photo on a whim and "it had nothing to do with deals."

Now if that selfie promoted Obamacare. . .

White House scolds David Ortiz for opportunistic selfie: Report

The White House is calling foul on Red Sox slugger David Ortiz taking a shameless selfie with President Obama — which is turning out to be a opportunistic promotional plug for corporate sponsor Samsung.

The situation created after “Big Papi” took the cell phone photo in the middle of a televised event with the president for a paycheck has become hairier than Madonna's armpits and almost as gross.

The Boston DH took the self-serving selfie just one day after he inked a sponsorship deal with
Samsung, according to The New York Post.

After Ortiz tweeted out the photo on his account, Samsung blasted it to its more than 5 million followers.

“As the rule the White House objects to attempts to use the president’s likeness
for commercial purposes,” said White House press secretary Jay Carney – who is
such a devoted Red Sox fan that he sported a team cap at the event this week.

“We object in this case,” Carney told reporters Thursday.

Carney dodged questions about whether the White House counsel’s office would put
forward an official objection to the team or the company.

According to The Post, after Ortiz handed Obama a Red Sox jersey emblazoned with the number 44, Obama smiled for the camera and asked an array of photographers to make sure they got a good picture.

“Do you mind if I take another one, with my own?” Ortiz asked the president. “He
wants to do a selfie. It’s the Big Papi selfie,” Obama agreed.

Immediately after he took the picture, someone — later believed to be Ortiz —
yelled out “cha-ching,” in the universal synonym for cash.

What an honor! Thanks for the #selfie, @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/y5Ww74sEID
— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) April 1, 2014

Even team manager John Farrell didn't have a clue about the commercial snapshot.

 “At the time I didn’t know it,” he told Boston radio station WEEI Wednesday. “I read about it this morning that this was maybe a little brought along by Samsung … That didn’t take away from a pretty special day.”

Ortiz told the Boston Globe he decided to take the picture on a whim at the last second and it had “nothing to do with deals.”

Samsung confirmed it had a “relationship with David and the Red Sox,” but dodged

direct questions from The Post about whether the company put him up to the
stunt. The company later told the Globe it didn’t know what images Ortiz would
capture.

David Ortiz on Cano contract: I would give him $500 million

Big Papi thinks Robinson Cano deserves a big payday.

"I would give him 500 million," David Ortiz said with a smile Thursday of the rumored $300 million-plus the Yankees second baseman is seeking. "He deserves it."

The Red Sox slugger, a friend of Cano's, was joking. Wasn't he?

The Boston designated hitter believes Cano, who will turn 31 Oct. 22, should cash in big on the free-agent market while the going is good

"Good players deserve to get paid," Ortiz said after his team's workout at Fenway Park. "He's one of the top three players in the game, so somebody's going to have to."

Asked if he can picture Cano in a different uniform, Ortiz said "it might happen," but he believes the Yankees will ante up for their only real All-Star.

"Every team needs a player like him," Ortiz said. "I definitely believe the Yankees are going to come through. You don't let players like that go. That's a keeper. But you never know. The game is crazy. There's a lot of teams out there with money chasing players like that."

Cano is believed to be looking for a contract of eight to 10 years. The Yankees, already burdened with long-term deals with old and injured stars like Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia, want to avoid that kind of commitment.

Ortiz said Cano is worth both the money and the years.

"At the end of the day, can you expect production from Cano for the next 10 years?" asked Ortiz. 

"Yes. Cano makes the game look too easy. I hit the ball so hard toward him this year, and it was like he was expecting it. He anticipates the way you are going to hit, he knows the hitter's swings. He is an extremely smart player. I have never seen a ground ball go by him."

Ortiz's teammate, Dustin Pedroia, signed an eight-year, $110-million extension in July, the kind of deal the Yankees would do with Cano in a second. Pedroia and Cano are widely considered to be the top second basemen in the American League, but Cano is looking for far more money.

"Those are two different players," said Ortiz, who declined to speculate how Pedroia's contract might impact Cano's. "I don't think you can compare them [to each other]. They're good at what they do individually."

Cano hit .314 with 27 homers and 107 RBIs with a .383 OBP and .899 OPS in 160 games. He hit .329 against righthanders and .291 against lefthanders.

"I wouldn't be surprised if next year if the whole Yankee lineup is healthy, he ends up being the batting title champ," Ortiz said. "It wouldn't surprise me because that's him, he can hit against anybody. Lefty, righty, he has no weakness."

I think I just heard Hal Steinbrenner say Shut up.

David Ortiz nitpicks Mike Napoli's beard after home run

Mike Napoli hit a game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning of Wednesday's Red Sox game against the Blue Jays and — in what could possibly be the most disgusting dugout celebration ever — David Ortiz decided to check the first baseman's beard for something.

Whether or not Big Papi's nitpicking turned up any lice, treasure or remnants of Napoli's lunch isn't clear but at least we know the Sox players take their grooming seriously.

Big Papi cradles toddler during National Anthem

When he's not wreaking havoc on opposing pitchers or dugout telephones, David Ortiz can be quite the gentle giant he's always described as.

Case in point.  Last night, during a cute moment before Thursday's Boston Red Sox game in which Big Papi was signing an autograph for a fan, who then asked Ortiz to pose for a picture with his baby. That's when Ortiz took the child and cradled him like his own during the National Anthem.

Here's Nice Papi:




Now let's flashback to last week and Bad Papi:

All is forgiven — just pay the $5,000 fine for busting up the phone already.

David Ortiz selling bats branded with his infamous quote for charity

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Big Papi: Boston is 'becoming the ----hole it used to be'

An expletive-laced question-and-answer with reporters on Thursday led Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz to blame the media for causing clubhouse drama and say that Boston is "becoming the -----hole it used to be."

Ortiz, affectionately known as Big Papi told reporters surrounding his locker that there's "more drama, more s---" and implied he wasn't happy how the local media treats the team.

"I'm just tired of dealing with the drama here," Ortiz said.  "This is baseball, man.  It seems like everything that goes on around here is like one of those Congress decisions that will affect the whole nation.  It ain't like that, man.  This is baseball.  We're supposed to have fun, to have  our performance out there at the highest level.  Every day is something new, some drama, some more [expletive].  I'm tired of that, man."

The Red Sox (35-33) have been struggling this season and— after last year's epic collapse, locker room antics and the firing of manager Terry Francona— all eyes are focused on the team and new manager Bobby Valentine.  They are still in fourth place — only one game out of the American League East cellar.

Ortiz, on the other hand, is having a grand season batting .313 with a team-high 18 home runs and 49 RBIs.

The Red Sox DH took exception to an ESPN report earlier this week that said the Sox clubhouse had a "toxic" envioronment— a claim disputed by the players.

Valentine tried to lighten the tension by telling reporters, "You might have caught [Ortiz] on a bad day."

"He's really pretty good with drama, like ninth-inning drama," he joked.

Ortiz wasn't exactly smiling when he ended the locker room chat by saying," It's becoming the ----hole it used to be.  Look around bro.  Look around.  Playing here used to be so much fun.  Now, every day is something new, not related to baseball.  People need to leave us alone, [let us] play ball and do what we know how to do."

VIDEO OF FULL INTERVIEW

Here's A Few More R-Words For Yankees A.J. Burnett

A.J. Burnett continued losing another game, 11-6, to the Boston Red Sox as a New York Yankees starter, and was asked after the game why he seemed top have more success against the Sox when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Burnett's partial answer to the pertinent question, "it's retarded."

For the record, as a Blue Jay,  Burnett was 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA against the Sox but in eight starts as a Yankee, he is 0-4 in eight starts and has given up 40 earned runs in 41 1/3 innings for an ERA of 8.71 against the same ballclub.

The losing pitcher later apologized for his politically incorrect reply and it got me thinking about some R-words which could be used to describe Burnett.  Let's start with repulsive to describe the relapsing starter's answer last night.

Let's continue with red, as in Red Sox and red-faced.  Burnett seems to revert back to his rattled self every time he faces the Boston line-up.  Last night was rocked by the Sox for seven earned runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings.   Repugnant comes to mind.