Was David Ortiz a better postseason player than Derek Jeter? A closer look at the playoff history between the iconic rivals

Both Derek Jeter and David Ortiz have enjoyed successful careers in Major League Baseball. The two combined to make 24 All-Star game appearances and secured eight World Series titles.

Each player was vital to their team taking home a World Series as the pair have impressive postseason stats. But, who was the better player in the postseason?

For Ortiz, he hit .289 with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs and 51 runs scored in 85 games. Jeter, on the other hand, hit .308 with 20 home runs, 61 RBIs and 111 runs scored in 158 games.

While Jeter's statistics stand out, he did play 73 more postseason games than Ortiz did. You also cannot forget the impact Ortiz had on the Red Sox during his time. He was at the forefront of the club's turnaround.

This is a hard comparison for even die-hards to make. Both players were such integral parts of their team's success, and it was a joy to watch them play ball.

While rivals, David Ortiz had nothing but respect for Derek Jeter

MLB - David Ortiz and Derek Jeter (Image via USA Today)

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees had and still have an intense rivalry. Both Jeter and Ortiz saw their teams get into a scuffle on more than just a few occasions.

While the two clubs are not too fond of each other, Ortiz has nothing but respect for Jeter. He went on "Foul Territory TV" last year to talk about how much he respected Jeter:

"I always respected Derek. Derek, to me, is the type of player you want to come and watch," Ortiz said.

Now, the two work closely together as analysts for FOX, and the duo are hilarious. It is great to see two legends of the game still working closely around the league.