Red Sox Nation should heed the words of David Ortiz.
The Red Sox legend issued a new rallying cry for the team Wednesday during his appearance on the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. Ortiz was offering his upbeat assessment of the 2021 Red Sox, who have struggled in the second half of the season after storming through the first. The genius in Ortiz's words lies in his timing and tone, so it's necessary to read his full comments and even listen to them if and when you can.
"The team is good," Ortiz said as seen on NESN's coverage of the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. "There were so many things going in the right direction that it's hard to believe we're they're at right now and what they're going through. But sometimes, believe it or not, that is needed. Especially before walking into a playoff situation. It's good to experience those type of things before you walk into the playoff atmosphere because you learn from it. You learn from the mistakes you make, you learn your weakness, you learn what you need to get stronger at. And Once you walk into the playoffs, which is something that's going to happen pretty soon, I guess you are concerned about those things and you take care of them better than if it never happens.
"So I know the guys are going to bounce back. They're going to put themselves in the situation they were in before. But's It's a long season, and everything was going extremely well. When everything is going so well like that, this (downturn) is expected.
"I'm pretty sure (Red Sox manager) Alex (Cora) and the whole team are going to navigate through it. They're going to let things flow because the talent is there. The guys know how hard it is to play in that division, the American League East. … That division is the toughest division in Major League Baseball. And you don't get away with anything in that division. So keep it tight, people, keep it tight. Don't give up. Keep the faith. The guys are going to regroup soon."
You can hear Ortiz deliver his rallying cry, as only he can, in the above video around the 5:30 mark.
The Red Sox are 17-19 since the All-Star break and have fallen from first to third place in the AL East Standings. However, Boston has a two-game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the second wild card spot, so playoff baseball remains a strong possibility.
And if Red Sox Nation reaches that decisive stage of the season, that battle-hardening experience Ortiz references and the even-tempered mindset he demands will come in handy for players, staff and fans alike.
