【eroticism in pompeii (hardcover) by antonio varone】

David Ortiz,eroticism in pompeii (hardcover) by antonio varone the Red Sox star designated hitter who propelled his team to three World Series titles in ten years, made it official last November that this season would be his last.

Baseball has been bidding farewell to "Big Papi" all season. The 40-year-old has spent 20 of those years in the big leagues, racking up 10 All-Star nods, six Silver Slugger Awards and plenty of memories along way.

As the Red Sox embark on their eighth and final playoff appearance with Ortiz, let's take a look at some of the biggest Big Papi moments.

1. Big Papi's first career home run

If you can believe it, there was once a time when Ortiz was relatively unknown.

In fact, he was listed as David Arias (his mother's last name) at the beginning of his career. That changed whenl he told the Minnesota Twins he preferred to be called David Ortiz, his paternal last name.

Ortiz stuck. Here's the first of his noe 541 career home runs, hit in September 1997 when he was still with the Twins.

2. The hit that sent the Red Sox to the 2004 ALCS

Ortiz's clutch performances, particularly in the playoffs, have come to define his career. He's notched 17 home runs and 60 RBIs in 82 postseason games.

One of those home runs came in Game 3 of the 2004 American League Division Series, when Ortiz drilled one over the Green Monster to send the Red Sox to the next round.

3. Pretty much every time Ortiz went yard

When you're as clutch as Ortiz, it's OK to have a little swagger.

Ortiz has a lot of swagger.

The type of swagger that says, "yeah, that one's outta here," at the crack of the bat. Here are two prime examples -- but rest assured, there are plenty more.

4. Ortiz's MVP performance in the 2004 ALCS

Speaking of clutch hitting, let's talk about the 2004 American League Championship Series, which pitted Boston against its archrival New York Yankees.

In the best-of-seven matchup, New York won the first three games, and looked all but ready to clinch the series in Game 4.

With the game tied in the 12th inning and the Red Sox season on the line, Big Papi delivered.

A walk-off to extend the series -- it doesn't get more clutch than that, does it?

Just ask Ortiz.

Not even 24 hours later, in the 14th inning of Game 5, he did it again.

Ortiz smacked another one in Game 7, and the Red Sox became the first team to rally from a 0-3 deficit and win a seven-game series.

A week later, Boston brought home its first World Series title since 1918.

5. 'This is our f*cking city'

The 2013 Boston Marathon bombing dealt a big blow to the city, physically and emotionally.

Ortiz, the heart and soul of the Red Sox -- and, in a sense, Boston -- let fans know everything was going to be OK. In true Big Papi fashion, he didn't hold back.

Moments like these show Ortiz's significance to the city. He is so much more than a baseball player in Boston.

6. Big Papi's grand slam in the 2013 ALCS

Six months after Ortiz's words gave Boston faith, he used his bat to do the same.

Down 5-1 in ALCS Game 2 against Detroit, Big Papi did what Big Papi does best.

Later that month, Big Papi won his third World Series championship with the Red Sox.

7. The time Ortiz took a selfie with Obama

In 2013, Barack Obama honored the World Series champions in a ceremony at the White House, as the president does every year.

After presenting Obama with a commemorative Red Sox jersey, Ortiz asked the president to join him in what appeared to be a harmless selfie. It was later revealed, though, that Ortiz had a marketing deal with Samsung to take the photo. The White House doesn't allow the president to be used for commercial purposes, and was understandably not pleased.

Just another example of Big Papi transcending his role as a baseball player -- in Boston, in baseball and in pop culture, he is a bona fide celebrity.

8. Smashing bats, dugout phones and opposing pitchers' heads

Ortiz has been known to get a little angry.

He's been ejected. He's been suspended. He's been at the center of brawls.

He's been spotted destroying a dugout phone in Baltimore.

A great caveat to that moment -- R.I.P. Camden Yards dugout phone -- is that the Orioles didn't forget.

Ortiz's final season has been a victory lap around baseball. Opposing teams have honored him with various gifts and memorabilia, and the Orioles presented Ortiz with the exact phone he smashed in 2013.

Our gift to David Ortiz, the exact authenticated visiting dugout phone he smashed on July 27, 2013. #Birdland pic.twitter.com/QygTYmW13m

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 22, 2016

Just in case he forgot.

9. Big Papi doesn't have time for intentional walks

Because Ortiz is so formidable in the batter's box, he gets intentionally walked a lot.

And of course, he does it with a lot of laughs and a lot of bravado.

10. Ortiz' incredible, improbable 2016 season

We've spent a lot of time talking about the past, as if Ortiz is washed up and on his last legs as a ballplayer this year.

In 2016, he's been anything but.

He finished the regular season batting .315 -- his best mark since 2007 -- and hit 38 home runs, the most since 2005. He'll look to add on to those numbers when the Red Sox face the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the ALDS this week.

Ortiz's retirement has put him in the limelight all season. All the fanfare, pomp and circumstance have focused on his past accomplishments, where Ortiz has been.

Let's not forget where he is now : A stage he's familiar with, a place he dominates and a spotlight he thrives in.

Big Papi is back in the playoffs.