By no means am I suggesting that David Ortiz is about to dial it back to 2007. But the man does have a 1.095 OPS in May so far.

Yes, it's only six games and 21 at-bats. But if people were willing to throw dirt on him in early April, it's only fair to praise him in early May.

That one-hop double into the right-field stands off A.J. Burnett was actual good hitting. Ortiz turned around a 95-mph heater on a 3-2 count and lashed it deep to right. He kept his hands back, stayed on the pitch and pulled it nicely.

I don't know that anybody — the Sox, Ortiz or Mike Lowell — is happy with having a $24.5 million platoon DH. But that is what they have and they need to make the best of it.

Here's an interesting question. Let's say the Sox decide at some point that the season is lost and they need to get ready for 2011. Would they release Ortiz and risk the Yankees picking him up?

With the perennially injured Nick Johnson back on the disabled list with a wrist injury, the Yankees could use a DH and it would cost them nothing to give Ortiz a few cracks at that right-field porch.

I think we're weeks away from that even becoming a consideration. If the man keeps hitting the way he has lately, it won't be a consideration at all.

What's your take?