Now, Sox fans. Before you jump down my throat, know that I am also a Sox fan, and after the 2004 postseason I never even considered the possibility that someday I’d be writing this about David Ortiz, but I know that I’m not the only one who is finding it increasingly difficult to watch Papi struggle at the plate.
I tried to be optimistic about it and hoped that he would eventually find his stride much like Dustin Pedroia did in 2007 when he struggled through April, but after watching Papi lay an egg with the bases loaded in the 12th against the Angels in a tie game today, I’ve decided enough is enough. Ortiz went 0-for-7 in the game; the same game that Julio Lugo, who nobody expects much out of, managed five hits. The Angels won the game 5-4 in the bottom of the 12th, so Papi’s failure to produce was huge. Pedroia struck out in the same situation right before Ortiz came to bat, but he at least had four hits and was a big part of the Red Sox offense earlier in the game. Ortiz hit a check-swing dribbler out in front of home plate on a pitch that was right in his wheelhouse to end the inning and strand three more baserunners.
I’m not suggesting benching Papi, because I have faith that he will eventually come around. Anyone who says this “decline” is because he is coming off steroids is just looking for any excuse to tie him to performance enhancing drugs; something he so passionately spoke out against in the off-season. Even if he was on the juice, he wouldn’t go from 35 home runs two years ago to none in his first 130-or-so at-bats from coming off of it. What I suggest is taking him out of the 3-spot since that is creating pressure he doesn’t need right now. That’s the spot in the line-up where you need someone who can move runners and get on base. That’s much easier said than done since Terry Francona will require a great deal of coaxing to drop Ortiz down to a 5 or 6 spot, which is where I’d like to see him, especially once Kevin Youkilis returns to the line-up. Here’s a line-up that could benefit Ortiz and help him get back on the right track: Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay, David Ortiz,
Mike Lowell, J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, Julio Lugo/Nick Green. While Youk was doin’ work in the clean-up spot before he went on the DL, hes shown he can hit anywhere in the line-up, and I’d rather see Bay stay there since he’s really started to come alive since moving up there. By putting Ortiz in the 5-spot, he has great hitting ahead of him and a solid hitter in Lowell behind him. More importantly, he doesn’t have to deal with the pressure of batting third. The Yankees have done this with A-Rod before and it worked for him. If A-Rod can get dropped down in the line-up, then Ortiz can too.
When you get suspended 50 games for testing positive for a female fertility drug; that’s how. While he’s still gonna be laughing all the way to the bank at the end of the season, at least it’s demoralizing, if Manny even has morals…
Looking back at the past decade of sluggers, the most notable are Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Mark Teixiera, and more recently, younger players like Adam Dunn, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard, and Carlos Pena. In the late 90s, everyone got caught up with McGwire and Sosa racing to see who could inject more steroids in to their ass and translate that in to home runs. That was great. People couldn’t get enough of it. And then Bonds comes along and breaks both of their records, and Hank Aaron’s 755 career home runs. Now, nobody cares. Those three players who were once so much fun to watch will be remembered for deceiving fans who thought they were witnessing something genuine. 
So who was on deck? A-Rod. A-Rod was supposed to be the greatest player of his era, and possibly ever. Hits for power, hits for average, plays great defense. His only problem? He was on the Rangers, who finished last in their division every year was with them. So what happened then? In 2004 he signs the largest contract in sports history at the time to play for the most storied franchise in sports history, the Yankees. He was the missing piece to the Yankees $200-million puzzle. After five years, one slap of Bronson Arroyo’s glove, a face-full of Jason Varitek’s glove, a scandal with Madonna, a spread in Details magazine, and a steroid allegation, A-Rod is nowhere close to where many imagined he’d be. He’s still ring-less and his Cooperstown status has been severely jeopardized.
So now that A-Rod can be classified in the same category as Bonds, McGwire, or any other juiced up slugger, please make way for the undisputed king of the MLB. In his first eight years in the league, Pujols has accomplished more than any of the active players listed above will probably ever do. And what makes him so special is, in a time where it seems like a great player tests positive for steroids every few months, Pujols is yet to have his name remotely associated with any type of performance enhancing drug. In his young career of eight seasons he has won the National League MVP award twice, won a Gold Glove, has a career .344 average, averages 42 home runs per season, and reached 1000 RBIs faster than any player in history besides A-Roid. And he has a ring. Barring a positive steroid test, a serious injury or decline, nothing stands in Pujols’ way of cementing himself as one of the greatest to every play the game. Also, don’t be surprised to see his name above Hank Aaron’s on a certain list for a certain record. He is the complete package.
A Slice of Steve 