FORT MYERS, Fla. Walter Payton . -- David Ortiz hopes to get a one-year contract extension "pretty soon" and Boston Red Sox owner John Henry would like to fulfil his designated hitters desire to retire as a member of the team. Whether a new deal will be completed during spring training remains uncertain. "I think its going to be OK," Ortiz said Wednesday. "Conversations are good. My bosses are more than happy to talk about what were talking about. Theyre trying to get this out of the way so it doesnt begin to be a distraction. "The contract situation thing is going to be taken care of at some point. When, I dont really know. Hopefully, pretty soon." About 90 minutes later, Henry was more restrained when asked if he expects a speedy resolution. "I dont know that it will get done, but I think its good to have the conversation at the beginning of spring training," he said. "The sooner its resolved, in one way or another, the better it is for everyone." Henry said he and other Red Sox owners would be in town by Thursday. Fernando Cuza, Ortizs agent, has been in Fort Myers this week. Ortiz, 38, is in the final year of a $26 million, two-year contract as he enters his 12th season with the Red Sox. He began last spring training with a heel injury that hobbled him early in the season. But he finished with a .309 batting average, 30 homers and 103 RBIs. In the six-game World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, he batted .688 and was the MVP. "Hes meant so much to this franchise, to New England, for so long," Henry said. "He has helped carry us to three world championships, so I know where hes coming from. He wants to finish his career here and we should try to make that happen." The Red Sox could be wary of Ortiz having problems with his health or production at his age. But hes looking forward to another outstanding season. "Last year was a tough year for me and I survived through it and now I feel great," he said. "I feel way better than last year." In 11 seasons with the Red Sox, Ortiz is batting .292 with 373 homers and 1,191 RBIs. That averages out to 34 homers and 108 RBIs per season. "I think Im one of the greatest ever to wear this uniform," he said. "I dont like to talk about it, like to sound like that, but sometime you got to let em know. And I think its very disrespectful for someone out there to be saying that Im greedy, that all I want to talk about is contract. When am I going to talk about contract? When I retire?" Hes more upset with people who criticize him, citing "haters" who "talk trash" on radio -- than he is with the Red Sox. He said he doesnt bring up his desire for an extension, but responds to questions asked by reporters. And one of those questions is how long hell continue playing. "I get that question asked all the time," Ortiz said. "And I have a question for everyone. What am I doing so bad that people want me to retire? Can anybody give me an answer to that?" Ortizs desire for a one-year extension "is certainly something we should listen to and consider," Henry said. Can Ortiz imagine playing for another team? "It can happen," he said. "Hopefully not." After slumping in the AL championship series against the Detroit Tigers, Ortiz went 11 for 16 with two homers and six RBIs in the World Series. His .688 batting average and .760 on-base percentage were the second highest in Series history. "People sometimes want to make a big deal about a guy like me asking for another year extension when some others are asking for a 10-year extension," he said. "If it doesnt get done, it doesnt get done. Ive got to come in and get my job done like I normally do. "Im not going to shut it down. Thats not going to get me another contract." Ryan Mundy . 1 seed. James and Chris Bosh took the night off Monday, and the Heat were beaten 114-93 by the Washington Wizards in a no-contest game that guaranteed the Eastern Conferences top seed for the Indiana Pacers. So, no disappointment at all? "There would be no disappointment," said Dwyane Wade, who played because he needed some minutes after his recent nine-game layoff with a hamstring injury. Dick Butkus . - After publicly asking management to trade him a few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.German favourite Eric Frenzel won the Nordic combined normal hill event on Wednesday, landing the longest jump of the day and then mastering a slushy cross-country course to beat Japans Akito Watabe. The two men started about 30 seconds ahead of the pack on the cross-country leg and never looked to be in trouble. They exchanged places several times before Frenzel broke away about 300 metres from the finish to win by 4.2 seconds. The 26-year-old world number one, who is a member of Germanys armed forces, raised his arms in triumph as he slid across the line in 23 minutes 50.2 seconds. It was the first Olympic gold for Frenzel, who is the world champion on the large hill. He won a bronze in the team event at the 2010 Games. Magnus Krog of Norway, who sstarted the cross-country section more than a minute behind Frenzel, skied magnificently in increasingly difficult conditions to win the bronze. Jordan Mills. He ended 8.1 seconds behind the German. Frenzel landed the longest jump of the day, soaring 103 metres. Watabe came second with a leap of 100.5 metres to start just six seconds behind the German. Organizers, acting on complaints that the warm weather was making the course slushy, added plenty of salt to harden it up. Even so, parts of the track was clearly cutting up badly in the latter stages of the race. Defending Olympic champion Jason Lamy Chappuis of France, who was eighth in the jump and started 31 seconds behind Frenzel, ended in 35th place after tiring badly on the course. ' ' '
