Peter Abraham notes the large difference in money between what David Ortiz wants and what the Red Sox would like to pay him:

My guess is that the sides settle somewhere in the middle. The last thing the Red Sox want to do is get in a hearing room with Ortiz and make a presentation why they don’t want to pay him as much as he wants.

For all his outward mirth and merriment, Ortiz is sensitive when it comes to financial issues. Going to a hearing could cause issues the Red Sox do not need going into spring training.

Like most players, Ortiz is highly competitive. That competitive streak helped him become a great hitter, but it also tends to cause players like Ortiz to overvalue themselves.

I could see David winning, however, if an arbitrator decides the small raise from the Red Sox is simply too low.