Whether Ortiz’s numbers will be extraordinary enough when all is said and done becomes the issue.

He will likely fall short of 500 home runs (unless he plays beyond the two years he claims he’ll play), and even then, 500 guarantees nothing, especially if you have been associated with steroids (i.e. Mark McGwire).

Ortiz, who didn’t have his first 500-at-bat season until he was 28, knows what he wants for the rest of his career. He wants his legacy to be one of a guy who played the game with dignity and left it with respect.

After spending about a half-hour on the Red Sox bench with Ortiz the other day, I could see the passion he still has for playing baseball and playing it right.

He has become a huge supporter of manager Bobby Valentine, telling him early this season, “I’ll help you every way I can getting these guys to play hard for you.”

And Ortiz has succeeded. He called an early-season team meeting in which he lit into teammates for their poor attitude and challenged every one of them to look within himself to make a difference.

In addition to that kind of leadership, he has been a very good hitter. He swings at strikes, takes his walks, and hangs in against lefthanded pitchers as well as any lefthanded hitter in baseball.

When he has had to play first base, he has played very well — to the point where scouts from National League teams are starting to believe that if things don’t work out with the Red Sox, they would no longer view Ortiz as strictly a DH.

“I just want to do the right things,” Ortiz said. “I want to play the game and have respect for the game. I want to play hard, help this team win, and help this organization. That’s all I want to do.

“I get frustrated with things sometimes but I’ve always loved being with this organization. I would love to stay here until I decide to hang it up.”