Wednesday night, Big Papi was back in the lineup and made the most of his opportunity. One night after a horrific 0-for-4, two double-play night, Ortiz went 2-for-3 with a single, home run and walk.
In the midst of constant scrutiny, with much of Red Sox Nation calling for Mike Lowell to become the everyday designated hitter, Ortiz just happened to hit his third homer in five days. A stay of execution? Perhaps. But it was a clear reminder that Ortiz can still feast on fair-to-middling AL pitchers. And, as of last check, there are still plenty of them kicking around these days.
Ortiz now has four homers on the season. That’s four more than he had at this point last season. No question, he’s still struggling at the plate. A .171 batting average doesn’t mean you’re ready to reclaim your old spot as the No. 3 hitter in the lineup.
It is, however, a reminder that giving up on Ortiz means potentially giving up on a guy who led the American League with 27 homers from June 6 on last season.
The Red Sox are reportedly working with Ortiz to help him be more positive in his approach, helping him visualize success at the plate in an effort to create positive energy. Here’s an idea: Ortiz should visualize Joel Pineiro on the mound every time he steps to the plate. Ortiz is now hitting .440 with three homers and 12 RBIs in his career against Pineiro.
Before Wednesday's game, Terry Francona was asked if the constant analysis of Big Papi’s every move was becoming a distraction to the team. This came in the wake of Dustin Pedroia’s stirring rally cry of support for Ortiz on Tuesday night.
"I like the fact that there's some loyalty," Francona said. "You mentioned about Pedey saying something. Pedey is probably best friends with Mike Lowell, but this is his teammate, too. I guess I appreciate that part.
"I would prefer to talk about other things because if we're talking about it, that probably means it's not going the way we'd like it to," Francona said. "If it is a distraction, then we have to figure out a way for it not to be. There are all kinds of distractions, but he's one of our 25 guys, and he's been a valuable member of our team."
The value Ortiz has on the 2010 Red Sox remains to be seen. He undoubtedly won’t be in the lineup on Thursday with tough lefty Scott Kazmir on the mound. Lowell has four career homers against the former Ray, while Ortiz has a .176 career average against him.
With the Sox facing a righty every other day through the weekend, we might see Ortiz and Lowell in a true DH platoon. Lowell is red-hot, going 5-for-5 with four doubles and five RBIs on the homestand so far. He’ll get his chance on Thursday.
If Ortiz makes the most of his chances over the weekend, he’ll get more chances to prove he can still be a productive bat in this lineup, and Francona will once again be rewarded for hanging with a struggling player … much longer than his fans would’ve liked.
