Pop Again Gone From Big Papi’s Bat

Those who said the New York Times report outing David Ortiz as a performance-enhancing drug user would have an impact on the slugger's current performance were right. That, or the leaking of the 2003 positive test and his recent slump coming at the same time is just a huge coincidence.

Since the media first got a chance to ask Ortiz questions following the Red Sox' win over the A's on July 30, the Big Papi of April and May has returned.

Over the last 12 days, the Red Sox have gone 5-6 and have watched the Yankees take off with the AL East. In those 11 games, Ortiz has appeared in 10 and started nine and his numbers aren't exactly quieting his critics.

Ortiz is hitting .150 since reporters got their first crack at him and he has just one home run and four RBIs in that stretch. With just two extra-base hits in 40 at-bats, Ortiz's slugging percentage is at .250 during the slump that is nearing two weeks.

Big Papi has told the media time and time again to "just wait" until he gets hot. But aside from a few glimpses of the Ortiz of old, there has been little evidence that he will ever truly break out of his season-long slide.

With 50 games remaining in the Red Sox season time is running out on Ortiz to halt the drastic decline in his career, and it might already be too late.