Ortiz reiterates retirement plan: 'My playing time has expired'

David Ortiz continues to attest that he's going through with his retirement, even after a blank tweet to the Boston Globe sent from his account last week caused a stir that the 41-year-old could be plotting a return.

"My playing time has already expired," Ortiz told Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. "Baseball is not something that you wake up today and you say, 'I'll play tomorrow.' Baseball is something that carries a lot of sacrifice, a lot of preparation, and there is a reason why we train the entire year to play it, practice every day, especially during the season, because it is a sport of consistency."

Ortiz has continuously had to answer questions about the authenticity of his retirement after putting together one of the finest final seasons in major league history. The slugger hit .315/.401/.620 with 38 home runs, 48 doubles, and 127 RBIs in 151 games, finishing sixth in AL MVP voting.

Though his bat may still be among the game's elite, his body has broken down to the point that Ortiz was forced to concede that his playing days were finished. There was some optimism he might return to play for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic in March, before general manager Moises Alou stated that Ortiz has not expressed any interest.

While his time away from baseball has only been in its infant stage, Ortiz said he's beginning to adjust to the retirement life that has already included a cameo in a TurboTax commercial.

"It's early, but I'm in the process," Ortiz said.