This Laser Show will have a Part II by Jared Carrabis
Ortiz looks to build on prolific May


A lot can change in a month. For example: Every Boston media member's opinion of David Ortiz's "demise."

Just a month ago today, the Red Sox were in Baltimore, losing game one of an eventual sweep at the hands of the worst team in baseball. Ortiz, who had everyone calling for his head after starting the season hitless after just two games, was batting .143, with just one home run and 21 strikeouts in 16 games.

Things couldn't possibly have gotten any worse. But then, Ortiz's notoriously vocal teammate, Dustin Pedroia came to his side to defend him against the relentless Boston media.

The poll question on NESN.com for May 4 was asking if Mike Lowell should take over as the full-time DH for the Red Sox. On that same date, Ortiz had himself an 0-for-4 performance with two strikeouts in a 5-1 win over the Angels. The NESN.com voters relayed their opinion as followed: 74% wanted Mike Lowell in there every day, 16% were content with Ortiz batting against right-handers and Lowell batting against left-handers and 10% were in favor of trading Lowell to give Ortiz the full-time gig.

Coincidentally, two days after Pedroia's epic "laser show" quote, the Boston Phoenix came to Blogapalooza at the Baseball Tavern in Boston, and asked me why I thought my readers enjoyed SoxSpace. I replied by saying, "In my stuff, though, I’m known as more of an optimist — I’m always defending [David] Ortiz — and people appreciate that, too."



Nobody appreciated some positive support more than Ortiz himself, who told MLB.com's Ian Browne, "People started talking trash too early, man. That's what I blame it on."

Almost instantly after Pedroia's quote that went viral on blogs across New England, which resulted in a shirt that can be found on the SoxSpaceNews.com store, Ortiz turned his swag on and became Big Papi again.

In the month of May, Ortiz hit .363, belted 10 home runs, drove in 27 runs, and crushed his way to a 1.211 OPS. Only fellow countryman Vladimir Guerrero had more RBI in the American League for the month (31), as the two tied for second most homers in May (10), and his .363 average for the month was good for fifth in the American League.

From a historical standpoint, when asked if he could guess the last time he rocked 10 homers or more in a single month, Ortiz guessed, "Last year?" But the correct answer goes back to his record-breaking season of 2006, when Ortiz set the Red Sox single season record for home runs in a season with 54.

In August of 2006, Ortiz hit .276 with 10 long balls and 16 RBI. It would be the third month in which the lefty slugger hit 10 HR or more. Ortiz blasted 14 in July and 10 in April.

For those who think that his mammoth month of May was a fluke, take into consideration that May 2010 was just the second time in his entire career that Ortiz had finished a month batting .350, or better, with 10 or more home runs and 25+ RBIs. To find the first and only time Ortiz had accomplished this feat, look no further than June of 2004.

In the month of June, way back in that glorious year of 2004, Ortiz hit .365 with 10 big flies and 31 RBIs. He would finish the year batting .301 with 41 HR and 139 RBI. Not saying that he will come close to those numbers this year, but just a little food for thought.

Ortiz's thunderous May has convinced manager Terry Francona, not only to keep Big Papi in the lineup on a daily basis, but he has even moved his big slugger back to his custom number three spot in the batting order.

In the five games since returning back to the three-slot, Ortiz is hitting .375 with 2 homers and 6 RBI.

The Red Sox, and their fans, will get their goggles ready, as they look for the sequel to May's laser show, coming to a ballpark near you this June.

-Jared Carrabis

To order Jared's debut book, One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk, click HERE!





Published on May 31, 2010

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