Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Given his tendency to misspell the name of recently deceased conservative firebrand Phyllis Schlafly as "Phillies Schlafly", Donald Trump may be a baseball fan at least on a subconscious level. But that doesn't necessarily mean all baseball players are fans of the Republican presidential nominee.You can count legendary Red Sox slugger David Ortiz among Trump's detractors, particularly when it comes to his stance on immigration. The Dominican-born Big Papi, who became a U.S. citizen back in 2008, did not mince words when discussing Trump's comments on Latinos in an interview with USA TODAY:"When you speak like that about us, it's a slap in the face. I walk around sometimes, and I see Mexican people trying to earn a living in an honest way. And to hear somebody make those kinds of comments, it hits you. I think as Latin people we deserve better. Things have gotten much better in that regard. … As Latin people we deserve respect, no matter where you're from. And especially our Mexican brothers, who come here willing to do all the dirty work."Latin people here in the United States are the spark plug of the country's economy. Whoever opposes that is going to lose. And not just Latin people but immigrants. I'm talking about people who come from Africa, from Asia, other places. All those people come here with one goal, to realize the American dream, and you have to include them in our group."Ortiz's retirement tour has certainly been a sparkplug for the economy, as he has been receiving gifts in every road ballpark: wine in Oakland, salmon in Seattle, cigars in Chicago. As for his adopted hometown of Boston, well they probably weren't going to be too welcoming for any Republican nominee—the G.O.P. hasn't carried Massachusetts in a presidential election since Ronald Reagan—but it certainly doesn't help that Trump has pissed off such a revered sports figure. Ortiz has delivered three World Series titles to Beantown, and his impassioned speech after the Boston Marathon bombing is the stuff of legend.Oh well, Donald. You'll always have Curt Schilling on your side.[USA Today]
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