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So will Cooperstown come calling? Ortiz knows as well as anyone he has the PED taint on his resume, even if he and we never learned what he allegedly tested positive for in 2003. He also knows there¡¯s a stigma against designated hitters, with Edgar Martinez holding steady at about 36 percent of the vote, and no DH currently enshrined.

But at some point, the body of work becomes too much to ignore. And this World Series is clinching it — one day, David Ortiz will end up in the Hall of Fame.

Pitcher Ryan Dempster seconded that emotion, sounding not even slightly surprised that Ortiz is doing so well under the brightest lights.

¡°It¡¯s kind of no stranger to him,¡± Dempster said. ¡°I think he has a unique ability — people talk about clutch and guys being clutch. I think it¡¯s almost the opposite. He has the ability to slow things down and just try to not do too much. . . . His heart rate is probably the same now as it was middle of the season, just go out and put a good swing on the ball. Balls are falling in. He¡¯s hitting them over the fence, to the fence, everywhere. It¡¯s good for us, that¡¯s for sure.¡±