David Ortiz News: Pro Sports Daily

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June 27

Boston Globe

columnist Tony Massarotti

"Plopped in a love seat, wearing a white polo shirt and jeans with his hair closely cropped, a relaxed David Ortiz suddenly looks like the picture of summer. And as the Red Sox methodically march through the soft middle of their schedule, maybe it is more than a coincidence that some thump has returned to the heart of their lineup. "It all depends on how Papi is swinging,'' Ortiz said last night when asked about a solo home run that opened the scoring in a 4-1 Sox win over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. A pitch he had trouble with early in the season, perhaps? "Everything was tough to hit early in the year,'' Ortiz cracked. But here we are, in the final days of June, and a funny thing ..."

Keep an eye on David Ortiz

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June 24

Boston Herald

columnist Michael Silverman

"Sure, Dave Magadan thinks the worst is over for David Ortiz after his April-May slump. But the Red Sox hitting coach has not exactly crossed Ortiz' name off his worry list. "No, I don't do that with anybody," Magadan said before Ortiz sat out last night's 11-3 win against the Nationals. "Success in this game, no matter who you are, is so fleeting, you have to stay on top of everybody. The goal is to nip stuff in the bud. "It's why it's so important to know every guy and what guys are doing when they're going well, and, when they kind of get away from it, to step in there before an 0-for-6 turns into an 0-for-20." Ortiz' struggles were beyond comprehension. Without a home run until May 20 ..."

Ortiz starting to look like his old self

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June 23

Boston Globe

"With swirling winds, mist, and the heavy air, even David Ortiz doubted he could hit a ball out of Fenway Park Sunday against the Braves. But after depositing a Jair Jurrjens pitch into the Monster Seats, teammates say the Red Sox designated hitter is starting to look more like himself. "I think the start was, you get behind the 8-ball so bad that it's going to take an amazing run to get to where he wants to be numbers-wise,'' Jason Bay said Sunday. "But over the last couple weeks to us he's that guy that we thought he was at the beginning of the year. He's that guy that no one's going to pitch around guys to get to him. None of that stuff. "Like I said, it's always going to be tough for ..."

No more worries

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June 22

Boston Herald

columnist Michael Silverman

"This will be hard for some people to read, but all of a sudden there is nothing major to complain, criticize or worry about when it comes to the Red Sox [team stats]. Just a couple of weeks ago, even as the Red Sox were moving into first place in the AL East, every bartender, barista or buddy you bumped into still wanted to gripe about how Julio Lugo [stats] was not a worthy shortstop, how David Ortiz [stats] was washed up and Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats] was unbearable to watch. Then you have a day like yesterday. Snap, problems solved. Shortstop Nick Green, the walkoff home-run hero in the Red Sox' 6-5 victory over the Braves, has made Lugo a $9 million afterthought who has not played in ..."

Quiet Ortiz carrying big stick

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June 17

Boston Globe

"There was no resurgent twinkle in David Ortiz's eye. No "I'm back!'' declared to an ebullient clubhouse. In fact, Ortiz left the park before most of his teammates showered. On what could be Ortiz's defining night - the potential turning point of a season in which he was dropped in the batting order and benched - there was no sign that anything was different at all. In the Red Sox' six-run fourth inning, Ortiz hit a home run to right field and drove in two runs with a hard bases-loaded single through a shift. "That's where I normally go when I'm swinging the bat good,'' he said after the Red Sox' 8-2 win over the Marlins last night. Then, hurriedly, he left. Ortiz now swings a big bat and ..."

David Ortiz feeling groovy

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June 17

Boston Herald

"Purely for late-inning matchup purposes, Red Sox manager Terry Francona moved David Ortiz from sixth in the lineup up to fifth last night, a step closer to his customary third spot. But if Ortiz continues to hit like he has the last 10 days, a return to the No. 3 hole could be in order. In the fourth inning alone in a 8-2 drubbing of the Florida Marlins at Fenway Park, Ortiz slammed a solo homer into the visitors bullpen and added a two-run single after the Sox batted around. The three RBI were half as many as Ortiz collected for the entire month of May, a measure of how far the designated hitter has come in recent weeks. Over the last 13 games, Ortiz is 13-for-41 and has lifted his ..."

Phillies' Ryan Howard a big fan of David Ortiz

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June 14

Boston Herald

"When Ryan Howard was rising through the minors, Latino teammates took to calling him "Little Papi." It's easy to see why. The Phillies slugger bears a striking resemblance to Red Sox star David Ortiz, on the field and off. They're both left-handed mashers with prodigious power, bulging biceps and toothy grins. "Oh man, a lot of people say that," Howard said. "We're both big guys that crouch a little. It's kind of cool to hear the comparisons." They're also fast friends who talk or text virtually every day. When Big Papi opened the season with the worst slump of his career, some of the most important words of encouragement he heard came from Howard. "That's my dawg right there," Ortiz said. ..."

Ortiz mans first base for Red Sox in Philly

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June 13

MLB.com

"His first baseman's mitt in storage since the World Baseball Classic, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was back in the field on Friday night, batting fifth in manager Terry Francona's lineup. For the first time this season, the Red Sox were playing under National League rules with the game being played at Citizens Bank Park against the defending World Series champion Phillies. Third baseman Mike Lowell got the night off, and Kevin Youkilis moved across the diamond to the hot corner to make way for Big Papi. With the Phillies starting left-handers Antonio Bastardo and J.A. Happ in the next two games, Friday night could be Ortiz's only start of the weekend. "Just try to mix and match this weekend ..."

Monster shot a positive sign

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June 12

Boston Globe

"To David Ortiz, the fact that CC Sabathia's arm is more or less a torch was a given. The Fenway Park gun had Sabathia's fastball running at 97 miles per hour last night, and when Ortiz saw one humming at him on the first pitch of his at-bat in the second inning, he immediately decided to take a chop at it. "CC's a hard ball thrower," Ortiz said. "So you've got to make sure that when he gives you those, you don't miss it." He didn't miss one bit of it. Ortiz smacked the fastball hard the other way, launching it over the Green Monster to put the Sox up, 1-0. For the five following frames, his long ball stood as the only offense either team could muster, before the Yankees put up three runs ..."

Home run to left good sign for David Ortiz

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June 12

Boston Herald

"And on the fourth home run, David Ortiz went opposite field. "When I hit the ball out like that, it's a sign that I'm waiting for the ball good, and that I'm trying to stay through the ball and not trying to just pull the ball. And I've been feeling a lot better at the plate," Ortiz said about his second-inning shot that sailed over the Green Monster. The home run was the second of Ortiz' career against CC Sabathia, one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game. And with his third homer of the homestand, there are increasing signs that the slugger has finally figured out how to end his season-long slump. Ortiz has yet to go long on the road, but he continues to take curtain calls at ..."

Ortiz may not face glove test in Philly

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June 10

Boston Globe

"It might not be a given that David Ortiz will break out his first baseman's glove over the weekend. When the Red Sox travel to Philadelphia for an interleague series, Ortiz could get a game at first, if the Sox choose to give Mike Lowell a rest and move Kevin Youkilis to third. But it's not assured. And it certainly wouldn't be as a way to take Ortiz's mind off hitting, as has been suggested as a remedy for a slump that might just be lifting. With Ortiz's third homer of the season coming in the second inning last night, he now has a seven-game hitting streak, and two homers in his last three games. "We're trying to win games," manager Terry Francona said. "We want to put our best hitters, ..."

At first, Big Papi is off base

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June 10

Boston Herald

columnist Steve Buckley

"If David Ortiz were a common, garden-variety journeyman, Red Sox fans would have long since lost interest in the big guy's offensive plight. The Red Sox would simply have jettisoned their Big Papi, and that would have been that. But because Ortiz is a Boston sports icon, what with all those game-winning hits, particularly the bunch that helped the Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2004, a lot of wonderful, well-meaning folks are stepping up to the plate with a solution or suggestion that magically can make everything good again. And solutions and suggestions are piling up on Terry Francona's doorstep, in his mailbox, in his email account. He hears it in elevators, in hotel lobbies. ..."

A Little Pop From Big Papi

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June 10

New York Post

"Big Papi, who is supposed to be nothing but a Big Popout these days, sure looked a lot better at the plate last night than Alex Rodriguez. Then again, David Oritz, who underwent an eye exam on Monday, always seems to get a good look at Yankees pitching. Ortiz crushed a two-run home run to dead center in the second inning of the Sawx' 7-0 wipeout of the Yankees and A.J. Burnett at Fenway Park. "It's was exciting," Francona said of the vintage Papi blast. "That's probably the best swing he has taken. When he swings the bat like that, I think we feel better about ourselves." Before the game, Ortiz was so frustrated by his struggles that he said he was not doing anymore interviews, at least ..."

David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury just fine

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June 9

Boston Herald

"The Red Sox got a double dose of good news on the injury front yesterday. First, the hullabaloo about David Ortiz' eyesight turned out to be much ado about nothing. The slugger was examined by the team's ophthalmologists, and his vision checked out "very well," according to a team spokesman. Ortiz had complained of dry eyes at the plate recently and didn't know if that was part of a larger problem, but he was prescribed eye drops and his vision is not expected to be an issue going forward. Before Friday's game against the Rangers, manager Terry Francona sounded a note of exasperation that Ortiz' eyes had even become a story at all. "Let's put this one to rest a little bit. I had a feeling ..."

Pokes prodding talk of slight improvement

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June 7

Boston Globe

"Another good game for David Ortiz. The slumping Sox slugger went 2 for 3 in last night's 8-1 win over the Rangers at Fenway Park, including his first home run in 57 at-bats and 13 games - since May 20 off Toronto's Brett Cecil. Ortiz, who will get his eyes examined tomorrow after recently complaining of dryness, wrapped a solo homer around the Pesky Pole in right in the sixth inning off Kris Benson. In the second inning against Derek Holland he broke the shift and singled to right after he fouled a ball off his foot, which forced trainer Paul Lessard out of the dugout. After the hit, Ortiz hustled down the line and took a big turn; he, and the team, seemed energized by the events. "Tonight ..."

Some think slump is all in Ortiz's head

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June 7

Boston Globe

"With shoulders slumped and lips pursed between mutton-chop sideburns, David Ortiz is a hulking picture of frustration after recent strikeouts. The familiar picture hints at the psychological toll his slump has taken. And Ortiz may need more than an eye doctor to cure what ails him at the plate. Batting .196 with two home runs, the Red Sox designated hitter is experiencing what sports psychologists call a performance block. Did Ortiz stumble into the perfect storm of outside distractions, physical decline, and bad luck at the plate? Did last season's wrist injury leave lingering doubts in his head or deficiencies in his swing? Just what is he thinking? "Just put down, 'Papi stinks,' " said ..."

Scout Says He's Finished, But Pal Damon Predicts Rebound

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June 7

New York Post

"The decline of David Ortiz has been so rapid and so jarring to Red Sox fans, it's as if they woke up one morning and discovered the left-field wall at Fenway had turned blue. Big Papi has been Big Floppy for Boston this season. As the Yankees head to Fenway this week, the biggest question about their rivals is: What has happened to the once-mighty Ortiz? Even after homering last night, Ortiz is batting .196 with two home runs. He is last among AL designated hitters in average and slugging and has the most strikeouts (52). For the first few weeks of the season, Red Sox nation waited patiently, confident its World Series hero would snap out of this slump. Now, one-third of the way through ..."

Big Papi's vision not an issue

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June 6

MLB.com

"When a slumping David Ortiz mentions -- even in a casual way -- that he is going to get his eyes checked, Red Sox Nation reacts with deep interest. However, Red Sox manager Terry Francona shed light on the situation on Friday afternoon, all but calling it a non-issue. It turns out it was a case of Ortiz's eyes drying out at times, rather than a problem with his vision. The lefty slugger will have a precautionary checkup on Monday, an off-day for the Red Sox. "Oh yeah, let's put this one to rest a little bit," Francona said. "I had a feeling this one would get some legs. First of all, I should have never not played him because he gets talkative when he's not playing. That was my fault." ..."

Dry eye in David Ortiz's house

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June 6

Boston Herald

"A day after slumping designated hitter David Ortiz said he planned to have his eyes checked to determine whether vision problems have led to his struggles at the plate, the Red Sox clarified his remarks and suggested they were overblown. "Let's put this one to rest a little bit," manager Terry Francona said prior to last night's 5-1 loss to Texas at Fenway Park. "I had a feeling this one would get some legs. First of all, I should have never not played him (Thursday in Detroit) because he gets talkative when he's not playing. "He had dry eyes on this last trip and was blinking on a couple of at-bats. So he went to the trainers. Rather than give a guy a thing of eyedrops, we have really ..."

Jones knows empty feeling

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June 5

Boston Globe

"David Ortiz, meet Andruw Jones. He's walked in your shoes. Jones is a 10-time Gold Glove center fielder who made his mark with the Atlanta Braves, flopped with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is now trying to resurrect his career at 32 with the exciting Texas Rangers, who will be at Fenway tonight for the start of a three-game series after dropping two of three to the Yankees, including yesterday's 8-6 setback. Jones lost his stroke in his final year in Atlanta in 2007, and last season in Los Angeles he hit .158 and battled weight problems and injuries after signing a two-year, $36.2 million deal with the Dodgers. Jones's agent, Scott Boras, negotiated an exit from Los Angeles, where the ..."

Ortiz still looking for an answer

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June 5

Boston Globe

"With David Ortiz taking a seat on the bench with lefthander Dontrelle Willis on the mound, the Red Sox' designated hitter was relaxed and in the mood to talk before yesterday's game against the Tigers. Not only did he tell a number of stories to the assembled media, but he admitted to considering unconventional methods to get out of his season-long slump - he's batting .187 with one home run and 20 RBIs. Step one, go to an eye doctor. "You know what? I've been thinking about getting my eyes checked, for real," said Ortiz, who occasionally wears glasses. "There have been some situations that something has happened to my eyes, my vision. But I'm planning on getting my eyes checked out ..."

David Ortiz plans to see eye doctor for help

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June 5

Boston Herald

"Although his batting average remained shriveled, David Ortiz was in an expansive mood yesterday at Comerica Park. Ortiz hit two balls solidly the night before, the last for a double that gave him something good to sleep on. So, too, did the fact he knew with a day game after a night game and a potentially nasty opposing pitcher like Dontrelle Willis, he would be given a respite from what has been perhaps the most challenging period of his career. With both the day and the pressure off, Ortiz was his usual engaging self, spending a lengthy bit of time joking with a gaggle of media types on a wide range of subjects before yesterday's 6-3 win over the Tigers closed the Red Sox' 10-game road ..."

Waiting on David Ortiz

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June 4

Boston Herald

columnist Ron Borges

"To say that David Ortiz is in a hole is like calling the Grand Canyon a hole. It's true but it's not exactly an accurate picture of the situation. To say that David Ortiz is the Red Sox designated hitter is like saying Matt Millen was the Detroit Lions general manager. It's true but it's not exactly an accurate picture of the situation either. To watch poor Ortiz with a bat in his hands these days is like watching Willie Mays with a glove in his hand with the Mets. What's the point? Self-defense? Watching Ortiz try to hit right now is like watching David Duval try to putt. It's mystifying and uncomfortable, sort of like watching Kate and Jon's family self-destruct on TV. A third of the ..."

Close calls for slumping Ortiz

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May 30

Boston Globe

"David Ortiz nearly hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw last night, a soaring fly ball that fell inches short of the wall and into an outfielder's glove. He blistered the next ball he hit so hard it nearly seared through the first baseman's mitt. Ortiz still finished 0 for 4 in a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Moving from third to sixth in the batting order did not extricate him from his season-long slog. Hitting the ball hard didn't help last night. So Ortiz found another recourse. "All I can do about myself right now is laugh," he said. "Because I ain't going to cry. Laugh. Keep on swinging. And wait for the good-luck charm to show up. There's nothing else I can do." Manager ..."

Ortiz giving his all in these trying times

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May 27

Boston Globe

"Before the game, I told David Ortiz, "Now don't forget. Don't get up in the first inning." He led out a howling laugh. Hitting sixth was something he hadn't done since May 11, 2004, against the Indians. If he considered it a demotion, you wouldn't have known it by his pregame demeanor, though after the game he had a different look. What was clear was that, with Ortiz below the Mendoza Line (.197), the Red Sox were willing to try something else. Sitting him didn't work. Managers, players, and even yours truly will tell you that where you hit in the order shouldn't have much to do with your hitting. During the course of a game, you're going to come up in pressure situations no matter where ..."

David Ortiz moves down to No. 6

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May 27

Boston Herald

"For the first time in more than five years, David Ortiz last night hit out of the No. 6 spot in the batting order instead of his usual No. 3 hole. Manager Terry Francona's decision reflected the team's deepening concern with the slumping designated hitter. Although Ortiz went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a strikeout in the 5-2 loss to the Twins, he's still only hitting .197 this season with a .305 on-base percentage and a .306 slugging percentage - figures far off his career norms. The lineup shift is designed to take pressure off Ortiz so he can return to his past production - and then move back up in the order. "We need David to hit," Francona said before the game. "Quite frankly, I ..."

David Ortiz good to last drop?

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May 27

Boston Herald

"Terry Francona acknowledged yesterday that he wrestled with his decision to drop David Ortiz to sixth in the Red Sox batting order - and for good reason. This isn't about a superstar's delicate ego or a manager afraid to make a potentially unpopular move. This is about the unintended consequences of such a move, and a troubling question: What's Plan B? Francona's thinking is sound enough. By moving Ortiz down from his usual No. 3 spot, the hope is that the Red Sox designated hitter will stop pressing, and in the process, stop clogging the middle of the lineup. "That would be the hope, that he doesn't feel like he's got to carry the team," Francona explained before last night's 5-2 loss to ..."

Big Papi move is likely

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May 26

Boston Herald

"The Red Sox still were undecided after yesterday's 6-5 win against the Minnesota Twins, but indications were they would drop slumping designated hitter David Ortiz in the batting order tonight, likely to the No. 5 or 6 spot. Ortiz said before leaving the Metrodome yesterday that he wasn't sure where he would be on the lineup card tonight. "No idea. (Manager Terry Francona) hasn't left yet right? Let's go and find out," said a smiling Ortiz, who sat out yesterday's opener against left-handed Minnesota starter Francisco Liriano. "He's the boss, I'm an employee, I follow orders, that's the way I always have been." Francona seldom announces batting order decisions - never mind who will be in ..."

Big Papi's 'Natural' descent

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May 26

Washington Times

columnist Dan Daly

"Every pitch looks like an aspirin tablet these days to David Ortiz - if not an apparition. As for the bat he's cocking behind his left ear, it might as well be a pick-up stick. Not so long ago, the sight of Ortiz hovering over the plate, particularly in a clutch situation, would be enough to give any pitcher sweaty palms. Lately, though, he's been hitting about one homer every equinox, and his slugging percentage (.299) has shrunk to where it's visible only through the Hubble telescope. He's like Roy Hobbs after Wonderboy broke. He needs somebody to stand up for him in the right-field bleachers - Glenn Close, anybody - and help him become Big Papi again. Alas, Big Papi may not be coming ..."

Yaz: I've been where Papi has been

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May 22

Boston Globe

"Look at it this way: During the 1971-72 seasons, Carl Yastrzemski went without a homer for nearly twice as many games as David Ortiz just did. "I know what Ortiz is going through" Yastrzemski said today by phone, one day after Ortiz ended his homerless drought at 38 games. "I went almost a year without hitting a home run." And he lived to tell about it. For the record, Yastrzemski's streak lasted precisely 71 games, from September 1971 to July 1972, a period during which he played with a wrist injury. Yastrzemski was 32 at the time. He finished the '72 season with 12 home runs, the second-lowest total he posted during the first 20 years of his career. If you're looking for Yaz to give ..."

Often powerless to stop a slide

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May 21

Boston Globe

columnist Tony Massarotti

"Nestled between his 33d and 34th birthdays, David Ortiz has been resting in a power hitter's purgatory. Ortiz has been behind the fastball and in front of the offspeed pitch, inconsistently shifting between his front foot and his back. He is, perhaps, caught in the transition from the prime of his career to the twilight. Even in the immediate aftermath of his first home run this season, whether Ortiz resurrects himself remains up for debate. More than a few careers have died in those same shadows. "There's evidence both ways," one longtime major league evaluator said yesterday when asked if Ortiz is in a nosedive that has signaled the demise of many a power hitter. "I think the weight and ..."

For Papi, big sigh of relief

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May 21

Boston Globe

columnist Dan Shaughnessy

"He was walking the line. Not like Johnny Cash. David Ortiz was walking the Mendoza Line. "I was about to hit righthanded," he admitted. Batting an even .200, homerless in 35 games, Big Papi finally found his mojo last night. In the bottom of the fifth inning of Red Sox game No. 40, Ortiz turned on a 1-1 pitch from Toronto southpaw Brett Cecil and swatted the ball into the camera triangle in center field. It was pretty much the same spot where Bob Gibson's homer landed in the seventh game of the 1967 World Series. Hallelujah. The planets are aligned. Order has been restored in the baseball universe. David Ortiz finally has a home run. "I feel like I got my confidence back," Ortiz said after ..."

Things come together for David Ortiz

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May 21

Boston Herald

"It is customary for David Ortiz to celebrate a home run by hoisting his arms skyward just before he crosses the plate, a salute to his maker that is played out in a very public forum. But after his long national longball nightmare ended last night, a hard swing delivering a 1-1 pitch from the Toronto Blue Jays' Brett Cecil into Fenway Park's center field camera well, Ortiz offered a second spiritual salute, this one after he had touched the dish. Indeed, Big Papi's prayers had been answered. On what turned out to be an outrageously festive night at the old ballyard - the Red Sox [team stats] rolled to an 8-3 win, Jacoby Ellsbury's 12 putouts tied a major league record for an outfielder, ..."

David Ortiz comes up Big

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May 21

Boston Herald

"After taking his sweet and excruciating time, David Ortiz finally put the "Big" back in Big Papi last night. Ortiz hit a two-run home run to the camera well in center field in the fifth inning, his first long ball in 149 at-bats, including 135 this season. The long-awaited homer off Blue Jays starter Brett Cecil helped fuel a four-homer, six-run inning and sent the Red Sox to an 8-3 win. Big Papi's blast may not have been the biggest of the inning - Jason Bay's hood-denting bomb into the parking lot across Ted Williams Way took that prize - but it was the most important for Ortiz and the team. He added a towering, Wall-scraping double in the eighth as the Sox rolled to their second win in ..."

No. 1 problem is in No. 3 spot

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May 20

Boston Globe

columnist Dan Shaughnessy

"Still bummed about the stunning, sudden departures of the Bruins and Celtics? Imagine how David Ortiz feels. No one needed the B's and C's to keep going more than Big Papi. The longer the playoffs ran, the longer eyes were averted from his pitiful numbers. As long as Zdeno Chara and Paul Pierce were still grasping for the grail, Papi had a chance to lie in the weeds and crawl back to his feet. Kendrick Perkins's dunks took our minds off Ortiz's funk. Hating on Scott Walker was easier than the cold reality of Papi's OPS. But last night, there was nowhere to hide. The Bruins and Celtics had cleaned out their lockers, and the Red Sox were back home from the West Coast, and we all returned to ..."

Time for Terry Francona to drop David Ortiz down

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May 20

Boston Herald

columnist Steve Buckley

"Red Sox fans have long memories, which is why David Ortiz was greeted so warmly when the big guy came to bat in the bottom of the first inning last night at Fenway Park. Fans cheered him for his postseason heroics in 2004. They cheered him for the 54 home runs in 2006. They cheered him for the five consecutive seasons of 100 or more RBI. And for so much more. As the night moved along, with Ortiz failing to deliver a hit in plate appearance after plate appearance after plate appearance - walk in the first, strikeout in the third, weak grounder to second in the fifth - the ovations just got louder. By the time he came to bat in the eighth, a runner on first, the Sox holding a one-run lead, ..."

As Tribe keeps laboring, the trade talks keep swirling

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May 20

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Seven weeks of bad baseball have made the Indians the subject of several trade rumors. Boston reportedly is interested in Victor Martinez to help carry the offensive load because of a slumping David Ortiz. It's been speculated that the Mets may go after Mark DeRosa to help replace injured first baseman Carlos Delgado. Cliff Lee, last year's Cy Young winner, is said to be on several contenders' radar in anticipation of a deal at the trading deadline. GM Mark Shapiro is talking to general managers, but it's not about subtracting players in preparation for next year. "We're doing everything we can to get better for this year," said Shapiro. Said manager Eric Wedge, "I've heard that talk ..."

Homerless David Ortiz doesn't bode well for Red Sox's Series hopes

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May 17

New York Daily News

"Thursday was a particularly bad day for Boston sports fans, as the top-seeded Bruins lost Game 7 of the NHL's Eastern Conference semifinals in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Celtics allowed the Orlando Magic to force a Game 7 in their conference semifinals and David Ortiz went 0-for-7 in the Red Sox's 12-inning loss in Anaheim, leaving the bases loaded in the top of the 12th with a dribbler in front of the plate. With the Bruins out and the Celtics' chances for a repeat of their NBA title hanging in the balance tonight, Beantown's full attention could soon turn (if it hasn't already) to the struggles of Ortiz, who entered the weekend homerless in 130 at-bats this season. On this ..."

Ortiz hits a new low by going 0 for 7 in defeat

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May 15

Boston Globe

"David Ortiz faced his locker and dressed slowly, putting on designer jeans and a blue shirt with a French collar as reporters gathered behind him. He turned around and saw them. His head dropped a little. Ortiz, for several seasons and countless playoff games, has injected Red Sox games with drama and fans with elation, his larger-than-life persona turning him into a near-cartoon hero. Yesterday, he was something else. More than at any point since he came to the Sox in 2003, Ortiz looked frail and human. "I'm sorry, guys," Oritz said. "I don't feel like talking right now. Just put down, 'Papi stinks.' " In a season chocked with frustration, Ortiz yesterday reached a nadir. He went 0 for 7 ..."

Nothing Big about Papi's production

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May 15

Boston Herald

"His back to a circle of reporters, David Ortiz packed his belongings and finished dressing before turning around to face the questions he surely knew were coming. "I'm sorry guys, I don't feel like talking now," said an obviously saddened Ortiz. "Just put down, 'Papi stinks.' " Yesterday, at least, it was hard to argue the point. In a season that has been filled with disappointment, Ortiz may have hit bottom - emotionally and at the plate. In the Red Sox' crushing 5-4, 12-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Ortiz was 0-for-7, and that was just the half of it. The at-bats were often feeble, marked with indecision and a tentative approach. He struck out three times - once ..."

Ortiz gets encouragement

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May 13

Boston Globe

"When David Ortiz checked his phone after Sunday night's game, he found "50 to 70 messages, text messages," from players around the league. They came from Ryan Howard in Philadelphia and Carlos Delgado and Alex Cora in New York, among others. The messages all had the same tone: Don't give up. "Everybody," Ortiz said. "Just telling me, you know how good you are and how good you can be. Things aren't always going to be flowers and roses. We learn from our mistakes and what doesn't break you makes you stronger. So don't listen to any of the crap that people have to say. You've done a whole bunch of things to get it done, and you're going to get it done again. "That was right after one at-bat, ..."

Mike Lowell, David Ortiz making difference as Red Sox push ahead of Yankees 4-0

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May 5

Trenton Times

"Before the Yankees faced the Red Sox on Monday night, there was plenty of chatter about David Ortiz's well-publicized home run drought. But manager Joe Girardi warned that even though Ortiz hasn't been himself lately, the Yankees had better make quality pitches against the slugger. Through four innings, Ortiz still doesn't have a homer this season. But he's got a pair of hard-hit doubles, one of which knocked in a run in the fourth that has lifted the Red Sox take a 4-0 lead on this cold, misty night at Yankee Stadium. Yankees starter Phil Hughes hasn't been as sharp as he was against Detroit. Instead, he has fallen behind in counts and the Red Sox have capitalized by waiting for good ..."

Terry Francona lends support to David Ortiz

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May 5

Boston Herald

"Red Sox manager Terry Francona wanted a slumping David Ortiz to know something - his manager is not going to bail on him. "I've been standing there for five years patting him on the fanny as he runs by, driving in all those runs and winning games for us. Now, when he needs a little help, I don't want to be the one who abandons him. I'm not going to do that," Francona said before last night's 6-4 win against the Yankees. "He's had a tough month, and he acknowledges that, and he's frustrated, and he wants to do better, and sure, we need him. Now is my time to be there for him. "By being impatient and giving up on somebody and running away from somebody, that's not the answer to what we ..."

Ortiz vows to keep swinging

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May 4

Boston Globe

"After Friday night's game, another game in which David Ortiz failed to hit a home run, the designated hitter walked out of the clubhouse without acknowledging reporters. Teammate Julio Lugo urged the media to give Ortiz some space, the slump obviously weighing heavily. But yesterday, standing in front of his locker, the usual music from his iPod silenced, Ortiz acknowledged he has not been the hitter the Red Sox have come to expect. He hasn't hit a homer this season, and has barely hit anything else, his batting average sitting at .208 after yesterday's 0-for-3 performance. His on-base percentage plus slugging began yesterday at .612, ranked 92d in the American League, and fell to .600. ..."

Frustrated David Ortiz confident he'll snap out

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May 4

Boston Herald

"In one important sense, David Ortiz is no different than the average Sox fan. He expects to see his name at or near the top of the home run, RBI and slugging percentage leaderboards every year. When it isn't, like right now, he is as upset as his followers. But Ortiz parts ways with those who think his poor start in 2009 means something worse, that he is too old and is done being a dominant hitter. "I'm not happy. Why should I be?" Ortiz said before yesterday's 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay, in which he was 0-for-3. "I'm going to just keep the flow, keep playing the game and not worry about too many things. I don't want to listen to all the negativity, all the (expletive) everybody's coming up ..."

Ortiz can't find power switch

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May 2

Boston Globe

"Through the first month of the season, there was one constant for David Ortiz - no home runs. To put that in perspective, 259 players had at least one homer this season entering yesterday's games, including pitchers Carlos Zambrano, Yovani Gallardo, and Chan Ho Park. Every position player on the Red Sox' roster, other than Ortiz, Julio Lugo, who was just activated, and backup catcher George Kottaras had at least one. Nineteen players across the majors had at least one homer as a designated hitter. Not Ortiz. Oh, and his .623 OPS entering last night's game against the Rays ranked 90th in the American League. "I think when you feel like you're getting beat by fastballs, you do one of two ..."

Tito not down on Papi

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May 2

Boston Herald

"Manager Terry Francona said last night that moving struggling designated hitter David Ortiz down from the No. 3 spot in the batting order would do "more harm than good." Ortiz went 0-for-4 in last night's 6-2 loss to the Rays, dropping his average to .220. He has yet to hit a home run this season, and his on-base and slugging percentages now stand at .286 and .319, respectively. "I guess I always consider doing what's in our team's best interest, I just think it does more harm than good," Francona said. "We've had pretty much a set lineup . . . I think the right thing to do is get everybody going on all cylinders, and then we have a chance to do what we're supposed to do." Ortiz didn't ..."

Big Papi glad to see poor April end

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May 1

Boston Herald

"April 2009 was the cruelest month ever for David Ortiz as a member of the Red Sox. With one game left in the month, Ortiz began last night's series opener against the Rays on the verge of hitting low-water marks never seen since he came to Boston in the 2003 season. The starkest stat was that Ortiz has never gone a month in a Sox uniform, while active, without hitting at least one home run. In his 35 previous months, he has hit at least one. Ortiz' .341 slugging percentage also represented a low from the 35 months that preceded it. So did his on-base percentage of .289. Not surprisingly, his walk total of seven matched the total he had in March and April in 2005, while he had four in June ..."

Ortiz starting to hit stride

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April 23

Boston Globe

"The ball missed the first row of the Monster seats by maybe a few feet. It would have been David Ortiz's first home run of the season. "The hitting my first homer thing, I don't want to let it get in my head because it just makes it worse, you know?" Ortiz said. "One's going to come, then the next one, then the next . . . next thing you know you're right there with everybody. That's something that you can't really control. You just got to keep on playing and swinging. Let things happen. "You guys might think us as a player has control over it, and we don't. We really don't. That's how it goes." Ortiz has gone the first 15 games without a homer, his longest season-opening drought with the ..."

Red Sox are glad to see plodding Ortiz hit the Wall

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April 21

Boston Globe

"Terry Francona briefly thought of removing David Ortiz from yesterday's lineup. The designated hitter was struggling, intensely, and facing a pitcher against whom he was 4 for 19. Batting just .170 with no home runs and 4 RBIs on the season, Ortiz was a mess. But Francona saw something, and said before the game, "I actually think it will be good for him" to face 6-foot-9-inch Baltimore lefthander Mark Hendrickson. " 'Cause it will force him to really stay on the ball. You hear lefties say it all the time: If you cheat a little bit, you don't just make an out, but they can embarrass you." There was no embarrassment. There were no timid ground outs to the right side. Sure, there was one ..."