Rieber: Red Sox hamstrung by age

Rarely has there been a more beloved athlete in a town than David Ortiz is in Boston.

Or is that "was"?

Rarely has there been a more important player on a team than Ortiz was with the Red Sox.

That's definitely "was."

Has Big Papi worn out his welcome in Boston? Once one of the most feared and clutch hitters in baseball, Ortiz is now a .178 platoon DH.

It's possible the only reason he's still on the Boston roster is his $12.5-million salary. Ortiz, 34, is in the last guaranteed year of his contract; there has been talk he could be released if he doesn't pick it up.

But don't gloat, Yankees fans. Ortiz's saga is a cautionary tale about what your team could be facing a few years in the future with five of its most beloved and productive players.

What if Derek Jeter re-signs in this offseason, as most expect he will, but is a liability in the field and at the plate in the final years of his contract? How many years at top dollar can the Yankees reasonably commit to the now- 35-year-old captain? Could Jeter ever wear out his welcome at Yankee Stadium?

The Yankees could face a similar, if slightly less emotional, situation with Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira.

Rivera, 40, is a free agent after this season, Posada, 38, after next. Neither is likely to view his own career mortality as accurately as the Yankees might.

But how does general manager Brian Cashman tell Rivera he doesn't want to, for example, give him three more years?

Posada's defensive skills have been eroding for years and the Yankees have a stable of young catchers behind him. Posada has enough bat to stick as a DH, but the team might want to keep that spot open for Jeter or Rodriguez or Teixeira one day.

A-Rod, 34, has eight years left on his 10-year, $300-million contract. He'll be 42 when it ends after the 2017 season. He already has had a serious hip problem.

A move to first base for any of the hitters isn't going to occur until Teixeira's contract runs out after the 2016 season. The youngest of the group at 30, Teixeira's signing went against Cashman's stated intention of not giving out super-long contracts. But he was willing to make an exception because of Teixeira's relative youth and superlative skills at bat and at first base.

Ortiz has always been a DH. The Red Sox have been platooning him with another highly paid veteran, 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell, who is getting $12 million in the final year of his deal. The Red Sox have tried to trade Lowell, 36, who had a hip problem similar to A-Rod's.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona has been managing egos as well as at-bats. He has lessened Ortiz's role as Boston got off to a slow start this season.

"There's times when you can be more patient than others," Francona said. "There's times when people on your team dictate doing some things."

Ortiz already has popped off once about the increased scrutiny his declining numbers have generated in Boston. As his playing time has decreased, so has his availability and willingness to use his considerable charm with the media.

"He's a big part of what we're doing, even if things have changed," Francona said. "I don't expect guys to jump up and down. Everyone wants to play. We try to make the best decisions for our team and then talk to the player."

Asked if a two-RBI game against the Yankees on Friday meant Ortiz was coming around, Francona said: "I hope so."