David Ortiz is not boycotting the press, although he does not want to talk about the AL MVP award.
"There's no boycott. I won't stop talking to my people," said Ortiz in reference to the regular Red Sox reporters.
Ortiz, who leads the American League with 49 home runs and 129 RBI, did not talk to the press during the four-game series between the Red Sox and the Yankees played last weekend in New York.
"I just didn't want to talk to the New York reporters so as not to create a big thing about an issue that's not important," Ortiz told ESPNdeportes.com from Boston.
The Red Sox will start a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
Ortiz was booed by the fans and criticized by the media in New York due to recent comments about the MVP award, in which he compared himself with Yankees' star, Derek Jeter.
"Don't misinterpret me. He is a great player and is having a great year, but there are lots of good players in that team," said Ortiz about Jeter. "From top to bottom, they have guys that can hurt you. Let's bring him here, so he can show us how good he is," Ortiz said, according to Boston newspapers.
"I'm not thinking about the MVP award right now. We are thinking about winning the division. We still have something to play for," answered Jeter.
After the Yankees swept the Red Sox in a five-games series in Boston to take the lead in the AL East, Jeter's odds to win the MVP award have increased dramatically.
The Yankees captain is second in the league in batting average (.340) and has 198 hits, 14 home runs, 95 RBI and 109 runs scored.
Ortiz is batting .283 and leads the league in home runs and RBI, while he is second in walks (107), thirds in OPS (1,031) and slugging (.625), fourth in runs scored (107) and seventh in on-base percentage (.405).
The Dominican designated hitter needs one more home run to tie the franchise record owned by Jimmie Foxx since 1938.
"Jeter is a horse on the field and a classy person. I would never say something to hurt him," said Ortiz.
"That's why I decided not to talk to the New York reporters last week. I think that they have misinterpreted my comments on purpose and they have exaggerated my words," he added.
Last season, Ortiz lost the MVP race to Alex Rodriguez, from the Yankees, in one of the closest votings ever.
"I'm not going to talk anymore about this award, because if I didn't win in 2005 and I don't deserve it in 2006, then I don't think I could ever win it," said Ortiz
