Francona on Ortiz

Manager Terry Francona talked, in his session with the media, about the decision to sit David Ortiz today, even against the Yankees.

"I just think it's the right thing to do," Francona said. "I don't know if you guys were in the room when he came in, but he came in kind of with a little bounce to his step, a little more light-hearted than he's been.

"He needed a break, that's the best way to put it. I think he woke up this morning knowing he wasn't going to play and he can go get his work done. It's never a lot of fun to not have his presence in the lineup, but I think it's the best thing to do."

Ortiz also talked, in the clubhouse: “This game is very mental. Your mind takes over. I can tell you myself, I know that in my situation, my mind works more than everything else because it’s been like that my whole career. I think, mentally, the percentage is more of what you use in the game than physically. I will tell you, and it’s because this game, after you get prepared physically, you let the mind take over. Sometimes when you’re fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, this is the time when the mind gets some time off and regroups and goes back to normal. If you just keep on hitting and keep on hitting and keep on hitting, it takes longer for you to recover or whatever. I guess that’s why managers make those kind of decisions with their players. You can see the results later on.”

When asked if his legs were bothering him, Ortiz said, "Yeah. I’m fine. I’m not like I would like to be but I’m OK. I’m just going to really appreciate Manny and Mikey Lowell start hitting homers, that way I don’t have to score from first base. That ... hurts. No, everything is fine. I’ve just got to regroup and pull myself together and stop thinking so much and fighting with myself. I’ve been there before, that’s why I know I’m going to be out of it at one point. It happens to all of us, man.”