NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 05: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates his home run against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 5, 2015 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 2-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
David Ortiz has been a thorn in the New York Yankees' side since joining the Boston Red Sox in 2003. But he has a special request for Yankees fans.
He will make his final regular-season trip to Yankee Stadium from Sept. 27-29, and he would like to remember it fondly. Not with a rocking chair or the home plate from the field.
"You know what I want most of all?'' Ortiz told the New York Post. "I would love it if the fans at Yankee Stadium gave me a standing ovation.''
Ortiz, who announced during the offseason that the 2016 season will be his last, has hit .306/.395/.565 with 47 homers and 158 RBI in 224 regular-season games against the Yankees. In 14 postseason games, it's .333/.415/.649 with five homers and 17 RBI, including two walk-off hits in Boston's improbable comeback in the 2004 ALCS after trailing 3-0 in the series.
The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry has cooled a bit in recent seasons, but it still will be tough for Yankees faithful to cheer for the enemy.
But, hey, Red Sox fans gave Yankees legends Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera similar sendoffs at Fenway Park during their final seasons.
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