David Ortiz mourns losses of Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte, two fellow Dominican players killed in car crashes
As the face of Dominican baseball, David Ortiz was hit particularly hard by the deaths of Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte, two Dominican MLB players killed in separate car accidents early Sunday morning in their native country.
“Every time I see things like this, it makes me real sad,” said the retired Red Sox slugger in an interview Sunday on MLB Network. Ortiz said he shared an agent with Ventura and knew both players very well.
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v1220748583
“My goal has been to make sure these kids are taken care of,” he said, adding that he tries to give young players advice. “We get the fame and we get the money at an early age. … We want to do things so fast and not be aware of the dangers that they can get.”
The Dominican Republic has the second-highest rate of traffic-related deaths in the world, per the Associated Press:
…officials there believe alcohol, speed and a blatant disregard for traffic laws is to blame. Oscar Taveras, Jose Oliva, Rufino Linares and Jose Uribe are among players who have died in crashes in the country.
Both Ventura and Marte were killed in early morning highway accidents. As of Sunday it was unclear whether alcohol was involved.
During Sunday’s interview, Ortiz admitted that driving in his home country could be dangerous, but said players needed to show more concern for their own lives.
“What has to do with this is the guy not being concerned about ‘Hey, if I’m at a place , having fun, drinking, let’s have a friend of mine drive for me in case I want to take the highway later on. Let’s be concerned about the good things before the bad things happen”
Ortiz said many accidents involve people from out of town. He also said he avoids driving on the highway at night when he’s in the Dominican Republic.
On Twitter, Ortiz shared photos of remembering Ventura, a 25-year-old pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, and Marte, a former Indian infielder and Red Sox prospect.
Good days….R.I.P kid pic.twitter.com/lbS9CWi3aF
— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) January 22, 2017
I have not words to describe this….R.I.O my boy pic.twitter.com/Zp1Lc52Fqd
— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) January 22, 2017
Both of the so young and talented….R.I.P
my friend pic.twitter.com/Eao7JOmC9o— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) January 22, 2017
Ortiz’s former teammate and fellow Dominican baseball player Pedro Martinez also posted on social media Sunday, mourning the loss of Ventura and Marte.
“Guys, the only way we can pay tribute to you, is by reflecting on the adjustments we all have to make in this game called life,” Martinez said in a tweet.
Too much pain and sadness in just a few hours as I mourn the death of these two great Dominican players @YordanoVentura #AndyMarte #rip pic.twitter.com/eqgoHjgsSP
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) January 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/45PedroMartinez/status/823259324927582208
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