Ortiz doubles pleasure

David Ortiz leads the American League with 18 doubles, but not because of his speed on the bases.

"I kind of look like Johnny Damon . . . in slow motion," joked the Red Sox first baseman/DH after yesterday's 3-for-5 performance against the Blue Jays that included a pair of doubles and three runs batted in to pace Boston's sweep of the three-game series. "I know I'm not the fastest guy on my team, so I have to put out a little extra, especially when I know I have a chance. Sometimes you take it for granted and by the time you want to hurry to get to second base you've got the throw right there and you're out."

Ortiz, who signed a two-year contract extension Friday with a club option for 2007, said he was embarrassed a couple of times last season when he was tagged out at second, and that he's made an effort this season to avoid those situations. "Every time I hit the Green Monster or whatever, I try to take off when I hit it, and that way I get to second on time," he said.

Asked who on the Red Sox has cast aspersions on his speed, Ortiz laughed and replied, "A lot of guys." But when it comes to production and the timing of his hits, said yesterday's winning pitcher, Tim Wakefield, Ortiz is the perfect fit. "He's a huge asset for us," said Wakefield. "I told him yesterday I am glad that I am going to be your teammate for a couple more years."

Ortiz, who improved his average to .273 with his fourth three-hit game of the year, has driven in at least one run in five consecutive games and has 12 RBIs in his last 10 games. And whether he bats just ahead of Manny Ramirez (as he did yesterday) or just behind him (as he did much of last season), Ortiz is happy either way. He said if Nomar Garciaparra bats third when he returns to the lineup and Ortiz is dropped to fifth, so be it.

Ortiz, who also leads the league with 36 RBIs and 28 extra-base hits, said that contract talks between his agent and the Red Sox had not affected his approach to the game or been a distraction, but hitting coach Ron Jackson thought Ortiz appeared more relaxed during batting practice yesterday. "He looked real comfortable at the plate," said Jackson. "You could see on his face that he was going to have a good day."

Indeed, Ortiz made the work of table-setters Damon and Mark Bellhorn pay off, and according to Jackson, it has a lot to do with patience at the plate.

"Most of the good hitters see the ball a little longer, and he's a guy who takes what they give him," said Jackson. "When you've got a big guy like that, who can hit to all fields, you've got something special."

Using all of Fenway Park's nooks and crannies isn't an accident, because Ortiz said one of his favorite players was former Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn, who took the same approach.

"There are similarities," said Jackson. "David uses the whole ballpark. He can hit that Wall. And he really just took off today. He got good pitches to hit and he drove them. Maybe he had the contract on his mind the last two or three weeks; to me it seems he was happy that's over with."

All of Ortiz's hits yesterday came off Toronto starter Miguel Batista. The first was a ground-rule double to right field that plated Damon. Ortiz singled in the second and added another double to right in Boston's four-run third that scored Damon and Bellhorn.

"It was one of those good days," said the lefthanded-hitting Ortiz. "You know, Miguel, he's got some good stuff and you've got to take what he gives you. Today was great. This is a winning ball club, and when you've got a guy like Wakefield pitching that way, you've got to try to get some runs for him."

Wakfield had no complaints. "David's just a great guy to have in the clubhouse," he said. "He seems to always get the big hits when we need him to."