Updates, updates, updates
There are a few tid-bits from pregame to get to today, and we'll start a handful of health/rehab updates:
-Rocco Baldelli will play designated hitter in a minor league rehab game "Monday-ish," manager Terry Francona said. Baldelli has done "pretty much everything," he said, and "I'm happy with how I'm feeling." The Sox just need to pin down a schedule and a spot for him to play. Triple A Pawtucket has a home game Monday. If Baldelli plays at McCoy Stadium, it'll be his first game there since the final game of his high school career, when he led Bisop Hendricken to a victory with two home runs.
-Daisuke Matsuzaka will throw a side session Saturday, and he is scheduled to pitch in Pawtucket on Tuesday. He'll throw three innings and/or 45-50 pitches. He'll throw at least two rehab games, and probably more, before he is ready to return to the Red Sox. "He tested out really well with arm strength today," Francona said. "He is starting to throw the ball with some velocity."
-Mark Kotsay will DH tomorrow with Pawtucket and play outfield the next day. Kotsay is close to rejoining the team roughly on schedule. The best hope in spring training was that he'd come back by around May 1, and barring unforseen complications in Triple A, he will.
-John Smoltz will join the Sox in Tampa Bay tomorrow. He'll rehab with the team after experiencing a setback in extended spring training.
Aside from the various updates on the walking wounded, the primary topic was that May had dawned and David Ortiz is still stuck on zero home runs. Ortiz has not hit a home run in 101 regular-season at-bats dating back to last season, and he's 0 for 87 at-bats this year in 24 games.
Just to put that further in perspective, there are 259 players who have hit a home run in the majors this year, and David Ortiz is not one of them.
"What I don't want to get stuck on is, it's the number zero," Francona said. "You know, what he doesn't need do is -- I'm sure he probably does think about it. I'm sure he gets reminded about it. I don't want to be adding to that. I firmly believe if he has really good at-bats, I think when you look up at the end, he'll be somewhere he's supposed to be."
Ortiz is batting .230 with 12 RBIs. His .623 OPS ranks 90th in the American League.
Comment
Permalink
Email
Big Papi misses Manny.
Look at what Manny has done for the Dodger's young players..........Eitheir and Kemp having career years with Manny in the lineup.
"Look at what Manny has done for the Dodger's young players..........Eitheir and Kemp having career years with Manny in the lineup."
Please for the love of god stop with the ignorance. Youk is having a great year behind ortiz. Ortiz is simply not hitting. This drivel about missing manny needs to stop.
If Kevin Youkilis can't protect you, you have a problem. It's not Manny.
Let's get a handle on what stinks right now.
* Paps - Random "Delivery Tweaking" my butt. Hmm, why wasn't a deal done?
* Lugo - Most overpaid player... $9 Mill for what? Sub par SS, Strike outs and errors
* Big Papi - Love the guy but his best years are gone. Trade him before it's too late
* Becket - Something is not right. No movement on fastballs for one. Needs Sleep
* Lester - Burned out already?
* Penny - needs to rehab in the minors not majors.
It's only one month, but something iswrong. Tradee Ortiz, Paps, Lugo 4 Hanley!
For the first time in my history of watching the Red Sox, this is the only season I can think of where I expected this number of players to be injured: Drew (though not on the DL, has needed to sit out a couple games in the last few days), Baladelli, and Smoltz. And further still, we sit around wondering if Lowell and Penny are going to get themselves healthy. I believe that the Sox realized this getting started and they have the appropriate depths in the rotation and the outfield especially, but I guess my question is: was the anticipation of injuries from players, and the ensuing injuries, really now to be just a big headache for Francona and the Sox team when they start getting on a role? And yeah, I left Dice-K out of this discussion before, I'm just too annoyed that he is broken down this early in the season. I guess it could have been foreseen after he was overworked in the WBC, but I don't think anyone really had counted on it the way they have for other players.
Posted by LA Dodgers: Big Papi misses Manny.
Ahhh, do you live in New England? That's old news big guy/girl. He may miss his friendship, camaraderie, latin connection etc. MANNY IS GONE! THANK GOD! Yes sure, we all miss his production, but not his antics and his inability to play hurt. But Papi needs to put that or whatever is bothering him aside and hit for power, drive in runners, and get back to his clutch ways. Now, unless he's still battling his wrist or some other ailment that we don't know about. He seems fine, so let it rip and start producing Papi!!! the signs are encouraging though.
I'm tired of hearing Papi misses Manny. He has better protection than he has ever had. MVP in front of him and the best hitter in the AL in April hitting behind him. Which also happened to be third in the MVP last year.
Tito is such an enabler.... Manny did whatever he wanted to... Time to face the facts about Papi, thanks for 10/18/04. This is how the Sox aren't the Pats.
Wow, fair weather fans are unbelievable. One blow out loss and giving up Prescient? Ellsbury steals home, Pedroia looks like an MVP candidate again, except Youk looks even better. Bay is making us forget Manny and Wake went through a time machine and is pitching like he is 25. Still too early to write off Big Papi... Lugo was a waste but so what, it isn't my money. SS isn't hurting this team right now and the team is in the thick of it. And by the way, why in the world would the Marlins trade Hanley for anything, let alone, high priced question marks. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Papi's problem simply stated and observed:
1. Not comfortable with strike zone any longer. Swing and fouling and missing lots of balls. Used to have the patience and take walks.
2. i don't why the hitting coaches don't see this, but he is dropping is back shoulder and is swinging up at the ball versus across the plate. Look at old YouTube videos of him. Different swing.
3. His is turning his head. He needs to quiet his neck and shoulders down.
This is all because he is trying to hard. And perhaps he is older than what the Sox think? But that is speculation, not facts like the above points.
Good insight Tom. I also think his swing is just plain slowed down a bit, so he's having to hedge a bet on what's being pitched rather than laying back. So he'soften early or late as a result cuz he has to guess. Alas, it reminds me of Rice at the end of the line.
I hate to say it, but doesn't Ortiz fit the profile of a player coming off the juice? Rapid increase in production in 2003, building to an apex in 2005. Now that testing and strict punishments are in place, we see a steady decline in numbers. Not to mention the break down of his body in recent years. I don't want to believe it, but it sure seems to fit. I know I would be devastated if he was on that list with A-Rod. People keep saying that he is just past his prime, but if that is the case, it was one of the shortest primes ever. He isn't that old. What is he 33 or 34? There are much older guys still producing at a higher level.
Big Poopie just hasn't found his stroke since his wrist injury,he is a liability in the line up and until he can start hitting he should be batting down in the line up,but where do you put him we already have I ain't going to swing Drew batting 6th so that spots taken unless you move Poopie into the 6th hole and move I ain't swinging Drew into the 8 hole...27 million dollars between the 2 of them and I'm here to tell you drew ain't worth 50cents.He personally has been the biggest rally killer since the days of Joe Foy....
Sorry to say this as I have long admired Big Papi. But I think his best days are behind him. He may have some solid moments this year and next, but the days of him hitting a ton of HR's and being the David we love to watch are clearly fading away. Theo knows this as well as anyone. It does them no good to publicly talk about it. I will not bash the Big Papi, he has been a tremendous face to the franchise and a thrill to watch. But please, it has nothing to do with Manny. Youk is as good as it gets. Its just time. Big players get old quick. Theo will assess David during this season and make some decisions regarding 2010 and 2011when the time is appropriate.
No way Papi's problems are a result of No- Manny....This is all on Ortiz....He has real good hitters behind him, and frankly no one is pitching around him..They are going right after him...He is getting ate up by 88MPH fastballs...He is SLOW thru the strike zone..so much that just about all of his fouls are off to the left....I am surprised that the other teams are still shifting on him......Something has to change for the benefit of the team...... Please!
No way Papi's problems are a result of No- Manny....This is all on Ortiz....He has real good hitters behind him, and frankly no one is pitching around him..They are going right after him...He is getting ate up by 88MPH fastballs...He is SLOW thru the strike zone..so much that just about all of his fouls are off to the left....I am surprised that the other teams are still shifting on him......Something has to change for the benefit of the team...... Please!
Tom Sox Fan and theejohno - I agree with the 2 of you.
It's a combination of him getting older, not having the bat speed anymore, trying to compensate to cover up the slow speed by cheating on inside pitches. Which in turn gives him a disadvantage on the outside stuff. He's too far off the plate and he's protecting inside.
The Sox need to hire Papa Jack as a personal htting coach for Big Sloppy and get him back on track.....if not, he needs to get dropped in the order and move Bay to the 3 hole, where he can further produce!
What stinks is "Hot Shot" manny using the Green monster for his own
personal urinal...Manny is not the great "Mesiah" of baseball...
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Red Sox Twitter
E-mail your question
browse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com