Coming off a season in which he stumbled dramatically out of the gate, hitting .185 with one home run through May, David Ortiz was hearing whispers again as he began spring training in a 1-for-19 hole.
In the Red Sox clubhouse for the last couple of days, the designated hitter has been heard saying that in 14 years, he has never had his spring training numbers called into question. And just in case media members didn’t get the hint that he wasn’t interested in discussing a March slump, Ortiz took matters into his own hands, hammering a two-run homer and a hard single in the Red Sox’ 8-4 loss to Baltimore on Monday.
After that effort, the questions were a bit easier to take.
“I’m feeling better,” Ortiz said. “I’m feeling like I jump less. When I jump, I just move forward too fast.”
That was especially evident on the home run, as Ortiz held back just enough on a 3-1 slider to rocket it over the wall in right. It was a pitch from Orioles starter Brad Bergesen which took Ortiz by surprise, making the result that much sweeter.
“I think my good swing was hitting that slider 3-1, hitter's count, out of the park,” said Ortiz, who also walked in three plate appearances. “That’s not a pitch you’re expecting to see, [so] you gotta put a good swing on it.”
Red Sox manager Terry Francona was more pleased with the next at-bat, when Ortiz lined an ear-piercing single to right off Chris Tillman. Francona said it was the best swing he has seen Ortiz take all spring.
“He was right on time and took a good swing, a line drive through the infield,” Francona said. “I think he was pleased. I think we all were.”
Ortiz called the line drive “a bullet” and jokingly questioned whether one reporter who missed the hit had in ear plugs, for the sound of the bat hitting the ball was hard to ignore.
For a change this spring, Ortiz was the one doing the questioning.
