BOSTON -- Three games in, and David Ortiz has made exactly one contribution to this American League Championship Series.
Yeah, Ortiz was the one who told us after Game 1 that the Rays had "a different look" on their faces. He was the one suggesting that the Rays were scared.
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| It's only a matter of time before the giant awakens from his slump. (AP) |
So what does that make him, 0-for-11 in this series? He has as many hits for the Red Sox in the last three games as Manny Ramirez, and as you may have heard, Manny isn't here anymore.
Maybe that's the problem. Or maybe it's still the wrist.
Or maybe, as Rays manager Joe Maddon said after his team's 9-1 Game 3 win, we should wait a while before we wonder what's wrong with Ortiz.
"I don't trust him," Maddon said.
Doesn't trust him to keep not hitting, Maddon meant.
In fact, Maddon said, he still feels the same way he always does every time Ortiz comes to the plate.
"Scared," he said. "All the time. Absolutely."
What Maddon knows is what we should all remember. As bad as Ortiz has been so far, he's also one of the biggest reasons to think that the Red Sox aren't yet done.
The Sox were down two games to one to the Indians last year (and three games to one, too). Ortiz didn't drive in a run in the first three games of last year's ALCS, either (and then drove in three runs in the next two games).
His six-game streak without an RBI is the longest of his postseason career. But it's worth remembering that after Ortiz began the 2003 Division Series against Oakland 0-for-16, he then had a game-winning double in the eighth inning of Game 4.
"I've been around David long enough to know that (his fortunes) can change with one swing of the bat," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
The Rays know that. Ortiz has hit more career home runs off them than he has off any other American League opponent. He hit three in a three-game series at Tropicana Field just a few weeks back, including one that Matt Garza will never forget.
"Off the back wall," Garza said.
But Ortiz had three chances against Garza Monday, each one with a man on base. Three chances, no hits, even though Garza challenged him each time (13 of the 16 pitches were fastballs).
Not only that, but as Garza discussed his Game 3 strategy, he inadvertently admitted that he didn't mind facing Ortiz with runners on.
"(Dustin) Pedroia's going to get his hits," Garza said. "I told myself I'll let him keep knocking on that (left-field) wall, but you ain't coming home. I'll let you keep knocking on that wall, but you ain't scoring."
Sure enough, Pedroia reached base three straight times against Garza, with two hits and a walk. Sure enough, Pedroia didn't score.
This was a big game for Garza, a 24-year-old right-hander who felt more than a little overshadowed by Jon Lester, the 24-year-old Red Sox lefty.
"Lester had a great year this year," Garza told the Tampa Tribune on Sunday. "But my year wasn't bad, either, you know? You're kind of downplaying me."
Perhaps Garza should get more credit. Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey compares him to a young John Smoltz, and says, "This is a guy who could be Cy Young-caliber, year-in and year-out."
Perhaps all the Rays should get more credit. B.J. Upton hit another big home run Monday, and so did Evan Longoria.
But even Longoria's success had Maddon thinking about Ortiz.
"They were saying the same thing about Evan a couple of nights ago," Maddon said, when someone asked him about Ortiz's struggles. "What was he, 1-for-16 with eight strikeouts?"
Yes, as a matter of fact he was. Now, in two games since, Longoria has gone 4-for-7, with three home runs.
Now it's Ortiz who can't hit a thing. It's Ortiz, and Jacoby Ellsbury (hitless in his last 20 at-bats), and Jason Varitek (3-for-24 in the postseason). Ortiz, Ellsbury and Varitek are a combined 0-for-34 in the ALCS, which makes you wonder why the Red Sox aren't on their way to getting swept.
Instead, they're down two games to one. They may be in some trouble, but they're definitely not dead.
Sure, they have Tim Wakefield starting Game 4, and you never know what you're going to get from him. Sure, they have Josh Beckett going in Game 6, if they even get that far, and at this point you have no idea what you're going to get from him.
But they also have Ortiz, one of the best postseason hitters any of us has ever seen. They have Ortiz, who so far in this postseason has looked more like Alex Rodriguez.
"I don't trust him," Maddon said. "I don't trust him."
The Red Sox have to hope they can trust him. They have no other choice.
