VIDEO: Pedro Martinez Delivers Teary Tribute to David Ortiz

Few people know David Ortiz better than Pedro Martinez. The two were teammates on the Boston Red Sox and both are natives of the Dominican Republic, where Ortiz was shot on Sunday night in a cowardly attack. Martinez paid tribute to his friend on MLB Network on Monday, understandably breaking into tears while speaking about what the former slugger means to his country, Martinez, and fans everywhere.

“I don’t have enough words to describe who David is, what David means to baseball,” he said. “But I’m so disappointed to know that someone like David, who saved so many lives, can have someone after his life. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But it hurts me. It hurts me.”

Ortiz is back in Boston receiving treatment. It is good news that he was stable enough to get on a plane, but all indications are that he’ll face a prolonged road to recovery.

The outpouring from Martinez and others has really driven home how respected Oritz is for what he did on and off the field.