Mixed Signals on Ortiz

"David knows that we want him to be here, we want him to be back with the Red Sox, we want him in our lineup, and we’ve had a lot of dialogue to see if there’s a way to do that," said general manager Ben Cherington. "I think that will continue.”

The Globe, today:

In the case of Ortiz, Cherington has held talks with the DH, but he is waiting for a market to develop. Is there a first base market? If the market is small for Ortiz then why commit to the 36-year-old for more than one season? The Yankees already indicated they have no interest in signing him. The Blue Jays have some interest, but they are also committed to Edwin Encarnacion. The Orioles could be an interesting candidate. Would a National League team take a shot that Ortiz could play first base regularly?

It's worth noticing this, in my opinion, because the Sox have stated more than once that other signings hinge on what happens with Big Papi. That argues for getting a deal done quickly (or deciding to move on quickly), not for waiting to see what the market says.

And one has to wonder what Ortiz thinks of all this.