Big Papi finally dropped in the Sox order!

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Terry Francona and Theo Epstein finally decided to drop David Ortiz in the order. About time if you ask me. He's been an automatic out in the 3 hole so far this season.  He's dead last in average, hits, homers, on base percentage and slugging for designated hitters. Ouch! They tried sitting him down, but that didn't help. Neither will dropping him in the order. Of course it's the natural progression to put him down in the order, but what will they do next. I am of the opinion that David Ortiz is done as a productive major league player. I don't think dropping him to the 6th or 7th spot in the order will do any good. He's swinging and missing by at least a foot right now. 

So, what happened to the beloved Big Papi? Is this a result of stopping a regimen of steroids or other performance enhancing drugs? We don't know. Is it because of personal problems? We don't know. Does he have an eye sight condition similar to the one that ended Jim Rice's career? We don't know. What we do know is that his lack of production is hurting the Boston Red Sox. What we do know is that he looks so lost and mechanically wrong at the plate it's almost sad. He's being blown away by 88 mph fastballs and waving at off speed pitches in the dirt. 

When he goes another 2-4 weeks without increasing his production, what can the Red Sox do? They could send him back to Florida to spend time alone with a hitting instructor. That "seemed" to work when the Yankees did that with Jason Giambi. I doubt this will happen, but it could come to the Red Sox granting him his outright release, or looking at potential trades. The Red Sox have such a surplus of good, young pitching. They could dangle a Clay Bucholtz, or Michael Bowden, to the struggling Cleveland Indians and trade for Victor Martinez. He'd solve the immediate problem of a DH, and be the one to replace Varitek behind the plate in a 2010 or 2011. 

Whatever happens, Red Sox fans will be waiting and hoping for a triumphant return of the good ol' David Ortiz. Unfortunately for you Sox fans, you'll be waiting a very, very long time.