So, why again, if his knee is hurting his quads and causing his lack of homers, did he decide to fly out to the west coast to play the field in an exhibition game rather than spend 3 days resting and getting treatment and therapy in Boston?
 

That's why he skipped the derby.


*Former* exhibition game....
 

Ortiz took being voted in by the fans very seriously and felt it would be disrespectful to not go and represent their vote.

Jesus, get off his back.
 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
David, you can loaf it...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You can keep calling it "loafing," but it's just not.
 

Let's review. I said he's pretty much stopped running out ground balls. Which is true. He does it all the time. Watch any game. Any at bat where he grounds to an infielder. I just didn't see why people got on Manny for it and let Ortiz have a pass.

Then the news comes out that he hurt the knee last season. Which makes sense, because for a while now, he's been favoring it.

So I'm saying now I realize why he's so quick to give up on a grounder is to not injure himself, and am therefore telling him to keep doing that, until he can get him some surj in the offseaze.

Call it what you will, but it is him not running as hard as he can. You saw that play in the All-Star Game, right? Are you telling me that's as fast as he can run? I've seen plays where he never even makes it to the bag. I'm not making this up.
 

//Ortiz took being voted in by the fans very seriously and felt it would be disrespectful to not go and represent their vote.

Jesus, get off his back.//

I'm not on his back...that would only cause his knees and quads to hurt more. But seriously folks...

Look, I love the guy, but it just seems pretty clear to me that he used really poor judgement here. Watching him over the last several weeks, it's clear he's not been the same hitter for power, as his 7 homers over the last two and a half months and declining slg % attest. His priority should be in getting in the best physical condition that he can to help the Sox win as many games as possible in the 2nd hald and (hopefully) in the postseason, and not in playing in an exhibition game, no matter how many on-line votes he received. And you can't convince me that flying round-trip cross country, playing in the field for a few innings, and spending the rest of his waking hours likely doing promotional work for mlb and partying isn't an incremental negative for his legs vs. staying in Boston and resting.

And yes, Jere, I still say it's an exhibition game...that WS home field is meaningless if the Sox don't get there because Ortiz is too worn down in August and September.
 

I would think that part of the reason they get on Manny and not DO about dogging it to first is the vast monetary gulf between the two.