Pedro Martinez thinks David Ortiz will return to Red Sox

David Ortiz is retired, at least for now, but a former Boston Red Sox teammate doesn’t think that will last.

Pedro Martinez told WEEI’s “Trenni & Tomase” that he won’t believe Ortiz is retired until he sees the slugger sit out an entire season.

“David says he’s retired,” Martinez said, via John Tomase of WEEI. “But I still believe David is going to give it another try. I don’t know why I have that feeling that David might want to do that. I just don’t see David, having the type of season that he had, and having the success that he was still having, sitting at home wasting it. David is too smart. I still believe David is going to feel the little itch of coming back to spring training.

“Because imagine, I’m one of his closest friends. And I’m going to have to come to spring training, so he’s going to be left in the Dominican alone. I know that he needs some time off. If he stays at home with his wife, his kids, it’s going to get boring sooner or later, and I believe he’s going to come over. I think the toughest thing is going to be when he finds himself with so much time, and not having a regimen to follow. That’s going to be really difficult for David, a man that’s used to swinging the bat 500 times a day, mingling with his friends and teammates and all that. It’s just going to be difficult.”

Ortiz has been very clear about being retired, but Martinez just isn’t buying it.

“No. No, I’m not,” Martinez said. “And I won’t. Until the year goes by, I won’t.”

Ortiz hasn’t done a lot to quiet that talk after being very firm about retirement during the season, citing his foot problems and demanding regimen as reasons to walk away. As long as he’s still of a reasonable playing age, the rumors won’t be going away.