What’s wrong with David Ortiz and how long will the Boston Red Sox put up with his shit?
It’s no secret that Big Papi’s 2009 season is off to a painful start.
After 178 at bats, David Ortiz simply hasn’t come up big this 2009 MLB baseball season yet. He only has one home run to his credit this year and to say that the Red Sox clean-up man has been unproductive is an understatement.
David Ortiz has been a great player for the Boston Red Sox organization, but as a designated hitter, Ortiz needs to hit. That is, after all, his value to this team. The question is, how patient are the Red Sox going to be with their star? Will Ortiz go the way of Roger Clemens, Mo Vaughn, and Nomar Garciaparra, former Red Sox players who were fan favorites and yet, were sent packing?
Since coming over from the Twins, David Ortiz has been an invaluable member of the Red Sox team. With the exception of last season, where he spent time on the DL, Ortiz has hit 30 or more homers and driven in over 100 RBIs annually.
This season however, is different. Last month, the Boston Red Sox actually benched their slumping slugger. Manager Terry Francona left the five-time All-Star out of the lineup for the series opener at Seattle, a day after he went 0-for-7 and stranded 12 base runners, tying a team record, in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Ortiz is only batting .208. He is without a home run in 144 at-bats. His only longer homerless streak was 145 at-bats from Sept. 9, 1998 to June 9, 2000, and that was an over partial season coming up with Minnesota.
Ortiz hit 112 home runs from 2006-08 but has not hit one since Sept. 22 against Cleveland’s Zach Jackson at Fenway Park. His slugging percentage of .300 was 52 points lower than Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston’s speedy leadoff batter. Ortiz’s lowest slugging percentage for a full season in the major leagues is .446, in 2000 with the Twins.
It’s always a tough call when a team is dealing with a popular star player who’s struggling. Do the Red Sox deal Ortiz, or do they stand by him and give him the benefit of the doubt, based on past performances?
One thing’s for sure though, Ortiz needs to hit something, ANYTHING, before it’s too late.
Which team will win the 2009 MLB World Series? SPORTSBETTING.COM has the odds.
Tampa Bay Rays 10-1
Boston Red Sox 8-1
New York Yankees 5-2
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