Papi talks retirement, future work with Red Sox

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — It has been 53 days since David Ortiz swung his bat for the final time in a Major League game. At least at this stage, the slugger is basking in retirement while at the same time staying in-tuned with the game he loves so much.

Sure, it is going to feel strange for Big Papi when his former teammates and friends throughout the game start reporting to Spring Training. In a way, however, it will be liberating.

“I’m going to start not planning things,” said Ortiz. “I’m just going to do things — I don’t know where. I’ve been planning things my whole life. So now I’m going to do a little bit of not planning things, see how that works. And I’m not complaining, but I have a lot of things going on right now and hopefully I can clear out my schedule a little bit, especially when the summer kicks in, so I can do summer things with the family.”

Ortiz’s schedule is filled this weekend as he hosts his ninth annual charity golf tournament in the Dominican Republic. And unlike his playing career, he doesn’t see his charitable endeavors coming to an end any time soon. The David Ortiz Children’s Fund has raised millions for kids in the Dominican Republic and Boston area in need of open heart surgery.

“I went to the hospital two days ago, and trust me, every time I walk into the hospital it’s like a new experience,” said Ortiz. “We have so many kids going through situations. The heart doesn’t play around. You have to make sure everything is OK, and that’s what we do here. It’s like a challenge for me every year, and a motivation at the same time, because there’s people who really need what we do. I’m up to the challenge.”

At some point, Ortiz acknowledges, he …

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