David Ortiz, with three World Series rings and 541 career homers against his name, is hoping to get a call to the Hall of Fame. The Boston Red Sox slugger is among 13 first-year additions and 30 total players on the ballot for the class of 2022.

The Hall of Fame class will be announced on January 25. Ortiz admitted that all through his career he thought about the moment he would get inducted into the elite list of players. 

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“This is something that I don’t even know how to describe it, to be honest with you. I was never expecting this. I was a guy that, I was encouraged by my dad and some other friends to have the discipline to play the game so I could help my family. But if I tell you I was thinking about the Hall of Fame while I was playing, I’d be lying,” Ortiz told WBZ-TV’s Dan Roche at Fenway Park on Wednesday.

“This is like the next level thing, a very elite group — the greatest players to ever play the game. As a kid, you’d hear those names and say ‘Wow.’ I’m very grateful and thankful for everything that is going on right now. If it happens, it will be an honor. A real honor.”

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The likes of Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Pedro Martinez, Jim Rice and Wade Boggs were some Red Sox players who made it to the Hall of Fame. Ortiz said it would be an honour to join the franchise’s legends. 

“Man, those guys are legends. I have a lot of respect for all of them. Jim Rice is like a father to me. I’m not even going to mention Pedro.” He and Pedro Martinez spent two years together in Boston. 

 “I got to know Mr. Yaz — he’s unbelievable. Such a great human being. I never got to meet Ted Williams personally, but I’ve heard his story and how his career was. It was something I don’t think any other human being could have done.”

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Ortiz had tested positive for a banned substance in 2003. A New York Times report in 2009 said that the results were intended to remain private and 104 players tested positive. 

David Ortiz maintained that he never took steroids or Performance Enhancement Drugs. 

“I never failed a test, so that should answer your question. I don’t know why people continue to mention that. When you did that test [in 2003], it was positive for anything; stuff you were buying over the counter, the supermarket,” he said of the 2009 report.