The Ortiz Dilemma

[yankees228]

Beckett and Lester both s*** the bed to start the season last year and both of their starts were iffy at best. Where's the freakout for them?

 

I'm not saying I think Ortiz is done, but you have to see the difference. For obvious reasons, there is going to be more concern about Ortiz than there was for Beckett and Lester last year.

[Keeper]

Oh My god' date=' Mark Teixiera is 0-9 on the season, Yankees better trade or bench him asap!![/quote']

 

Teixeira is notorious for slow starts, and he's significantly better than Ortiz at this point in their respective careers. Ortiz has shown serious signs of decline. Get it?

[BoSox21]

I'm not saying I think Ortiz is done' date=' but you have to see the difference. For obvious reasons, there is going to be more concern about Ortiz than there was for Beckett and Lester last year.[/quote']

 

Why? Cause Beckett and Lester straightened out alright? If I recall, Ortiz was pretty damn productive as of July 1st. And Beckett/Lester matter a lot more to the pitching staff than Ortiz does to the lineup.

[silky kitten]

Teixeira is notorious for slow starts' date=' and he's significantly better than Ortiz at this point in their respective careers. Ortiz has shown serious signs of decline. Get it?[/quote']

Ortiz always starts out slow too. GET IT?

[yankees228]

Why? Cause Beckett and Lester straightened out alright? If I recall' date=' Ortiz was pretty damn productive as of July 1st. And Beckett/Lester matter a lot more to the pitching staff than Ortiz does to the lineup.[/quote']

 

While all that is true, Beckett and Lester are young, and are either in or entering the prime of their careers. Ortiz is in his mid-30s, may or may not be a former PED user, and is coming off an up and down year. I'd say it's much more likely to see a down year from Ortiz this year, than it would have been to see down years from Beckett and/or Lester last year.

[BoSox21]

I agree with you but I'm just pointing out the absurdity of raising doubts about Ortiz after 8 ABs

[Paradisecity]

Is there a stat that someone can dig up that shows Otriz's production against quality (i know, subjective) pitching over previous years, last year, and league averages? I'd be interested in seeing what that shows.

[yeszir]

I agree with you but I'm just pointing out the absurdity of raising doubts about Ortiz after 8 ABs

 

I think the doubts are based on more than 8 ABs though

[example1]

The question isn't whether Ortiz can be the Ortiz of old. He just needs to have good ABs, a decent OBP and the ability to hurt bad pitches. So far we've seen him hitting against CC (arguably the best LHP in the league), AJ Burnett (someone Ortiz should hit decently, but who is still potentially overpowering) and some RPs, including situational lefties.

 

If he continues to struggle when the Sox run into the rest of the AL then we will probably have a problem on our hands. Until then he deserves the short-sample-size defense.

[TedWilliams101]

I'm not worried, our backup plan is in SD.

[BoSox21]

I think the doubts are based on more than 8 ABs though

 

I think if the doubts are raised by anything that happened prior to the previous 2 games, then whoever is raising those doubts should be of the opinion that the FO should've dumped Ortiz in the off-season or at the very least started him on the bench and Lowell at DH

[a700hitter]

I can't believe how many people are jumping on the 'Ortiz is Toast' bandwagon after 2 games.

[Spudboy]

I can't believe how many people are jumping on the 'Ortiz is Toast' bandwagon after 2 games.

 

X2.

[ORS]

I can't believe how many people are jumping on the 'Ortiz is Toast' bandwagon after 2 games.

I can believe it. I don't agree with it, but I can believe it. Last years cold start opened the door for the knee jerk reaction.

[WhiskeyBreath]

I can believe it. I don't agree with it' date=' but I can believe it. Last years cold start opened the door for the knee jerk reaction.[/quote']

 

I'm with you.

 

We all know he won't get the long leash that he was given last season though.

[boomer]

The guy just needs some space... and some confidence and the media will never let him have any of that, Hopefully some big Hits tonight he is 9 for 27 against Andy P.

[WhiskeyBreath]

The guy just needs some space... and some confidence and the media will never let him have any of that' date=' Hopefully some big Hits tonight he is 9 for 27 against Andy P.[/quote']

 

 

He's actually 18-49 with only 1 HR. I'm sure most of the damage was done when he was an MVP caliber hitter though.

[boomer]

He's actually 18-49 with only 1 HR. I'm sure most of the damage was done when he was an MVP caliber hitter though.

 

I was just looking at the last 5 years against him ... he is 9 for 27, its on mlb.com if you want to check it

[PWNdroia]

Start Lowell at DH. Ortiz is finished.

[jacksonianmarch]

he drove in your only run tonight

[WhiskeyBreath]

I was just looking at the last 5 years against him ... he is 9 for 27' date=' its on mlb.com if you want to check it[/quote']

 

Why would you go back that far. Ortiz was actually good 5 years ago.

[SoxSport]

I doubt it's Francona's call to platoon Ortiz and Lowell--though it would seem to be the sensible thing to do.That most likely is a FO decision. He's bound to hit better against lefties, though he wouldn't have been much of an option against CC the other night. Pettite, I don't know. But Lowell is making $12 mil, and he should have been platooned against lefties in this series. It's not about loyalty, it's about winning. Playing the percentages. Besides, there is loyalty to Lowell, too.

 

What disturbs me is the pattern of pitching these days. They pay starters $16-17 million to go 6 innings and 100 pitches, then they bring in some crap pitchers making $400K to finish out the game--one per inning. Something wrong with the logic there. You throw in 3 or 4 guys, the other team is bound to find somebody they can hit. Note how Girardi used Park for 3 innings tonite, so he had Rivera to finish. Tito wouldn't do that. Is Tito worried about Pap? I would be.

 

Here's an idea: why don't they start the game with those crap relievers, then bring the starter in for the last 6 innings? The late innings are more crucial, anyways. Or at least keep a starter in for 120 pitches--good for 7 innings. Any well-conditioned starter can go 120 pitches--at the same salary. You get more for your money.

[TheMino007]

Lowell will never start, the FO is trying to wash their hands of him at any costs. They don't want him, they would bee too embarrassed to crawl back to Lowell and have him start after they tried all off season to trade the guy.

[SCM33]

This situation will get worse, before it gets better. If Ortiz continues like this, it will make for an uncomfortable clubhouse with Lowell riding the pine. The public outcry will be a distraction to the team. If Ortiz does not start hitting to justify his spot in the lineup, Lowell will have to be considered an option. If they would ave somehow rid themselves of Lowell, we would not have the same issues. We would be instead saying, "I wonder if Hermidia could provide a little more offense than Ortiz" rather than "Lowell can produce more offense than Ortiz".

[Gom]

Holy s***...RSN is complaining about Ortiz after one series! Three games, to open the season?

 

Wow...aweseome.

[SCM33]

Holy s***...RSN is complaining about Ortiz after one series! Three games, to open the season?

 

Wow...aweseome.

 

Really not complaining, just stating the obvious facts that Mike Lowell on the roster could/will effect Ortiz and his comfort level. The heat is on him, and it maybe could have been different.

[Divinity]

Yeah Ortiz will feel pressure every at bat knowing Lowell is on the bench ready to take his spot.

[boomer]

Why would you go back that far. Ortiz was actually good 5 years ago.

 

Because He's still David Oritz, its not like he didnt hit 99 Rbi's last year... and he did get another hit on him last night, Why Isnt anyone talking about Mark Teixeira hes 0 for 12 on the season? Well we are the Red Sox it's understandable why He didnt get a hit in the series.

[VA Sox Fan]

Start Lowell at DH. Ortiz is finished.

 

Once again, stick to making your gay ass videos.:thumbdown

[TheMino007]

Because He's still David Oritz' date=' its not like he didnt hit 99 Rbi's last year... and he did get another hit on him last night, Why Isnt anyone talking about Mark Teixeira hes 0 for 12 on the season? Well we are the Red Sox it's understandable why He didnt get a hit in the series.[/quote']

 

Teixeria doesn't suck, Ortiz does. Pretty much ends the story