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44 Comments
- tcquad, on 06/08/2009, -0/+14When you see ESPN.com titles like "Big Papi says struggles at plate eating him up", you start to worry about the possibility that his hitting struggles are psychological rather than physical. However, he may just be declining rapidly.
Since 2002 (his 2001 season was only 89 games), he's had a home-run every 20.6, 14.5, 14.2, 12.8, 10.3, 15.7 and 18.1 at-bats. A nice solid progression to a peak followed by a decline in 2007 and 2008. That's right, in 2007 and 2008 his power was already waning but no one thought to bring it up. Why? Mostly, he was still being productive (and I'd wager that Fenway probably aided in that). In 2006, he hit 29 doubles and 54 HR. In 2007, he hit 52 doubles and 35 HR. So, he was hitting the ball hard and deep, but it wasn't going out of the park in 2007. Then in 2008, he was heading for about 39 doubles and 30 HR if he had 550 ABs, the number he had in 2006 (558 AB) and 2007 (549 AB), a further decline in home runs and a decline in the number of doubles. It appears to be a consistent trend of decline over multiple years.
Big Papi is waning. The wrist injury didn't help. We love him, he did a lot for us and will always be associated with Boston's success. It's kind of like the Nomar situation, where you love a guy, want to see him succeed but have to acknowledge that he's not the guy you were rooting for in previous years. Big Papi may not be able to carry us to a title or pull miracles out of his hat, but he'll always be a Boston favorite. - Blinker1315, on 06/07/2009, -0/+12I'm a Sox fan as well and it's time to face facts: for whatever reasons, Papi's done. Give him a parade, a position in the organization as a coach or mentor, but please get a DH who can hit.
- inactive, on 06/07/2009, -2/+13As a Red Sox fan this troubles me. He either sucks or something is off, and I hope that something isn't steroids. Considering what happened to A-Rod and how things turned out for him, it just seems too coincidental.
- kplo, on 06/07/2009, -0/+7Maybe he should take Mark Grace's advice...
- brandozilla, on 06/08/2009, -8/+15it's all in his lack of steroids.
- vb03, on 06/09/2009, -4/+9Looks like the supply from the Dominican didn't arrive this year.
- ELYON1, on 06/09/2009, -0/+5No problem, you can always go read one of the 100+ articles about the newest iPhone or Ubuntu developments. Or perhaps chuckle at photos of humorous cat hijinx.
- superkeer, on 06/09/2009, -2/+7I like how everyone keeps coming up with all these injury/age theories and in-depth psychological analysis while the big juiced up elephant is standing in the middle of the room.
- scheibs14, on 06/09/2009, -1/+5If anyone else is a fan of ESPN's Bill Simmons, he has an interesting take on it: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4223584
(He's a die hard Red Sox fan too) - barandon0D9, on 06/09/2009, -0/+4You seem like a fun person to be around.
- yehaww, on 06/09/2009, -4/+7Sure, it could be mental, but I really doubt that. Why doesn't anyone think it could be a lack of performing enhancing substances? If it can happen to Manny, it can happen to Papi.
- jimmies, on 06/08/2009, -1/+4He had a wrist injury. That's devastating for any power hitter. Look at Derrek Lee, same thing. I broke my wrist three years ago and it's never been the same at the gym, I could only imagine how hard it would be to swing a bat the same way.
- ClarkNoHeart, on 06/09/2009, -3/+5He's just getting old. Many athletes hit a wall at some point and just don't have it anymore. Some, such as his case, are more drastic than others.
- NeoCortex, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2I disagree. If you've been following Ortiz for the past year or so, steroids doesn't even seem likely. He has had weight issues the past few years. This didn't help his knees, which he was already having trouble with. Then he injured his wrist, which he has never really recovered from.
It's simple, he's getting old and his body is starting to get banged up too much. This was not that sudden of a thing. - Pinkertinkle, on 06/09/2009, -1/+3he lost his mojo
- NICU, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1His lack of steroids is really messing up his head.
- Rethcir, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1"I used to coach little league, trust me!!!"
- Seandizz, on 06/09/2009, -1/+2With Ramirez following A-rod and the slump that Ortiz is currently enduring, it seems like a sure thing.
- Raidy11Moon, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1its a dominican product
- wdw25, on 06/09/2009, -1/+2is mojo a balco product?
- thelostviking22, on 06/08/2009, -1/+2hitting really is almost all mental when you're talking about that level of play. they've worked on drills so much that their mechanics are second nature, so his hitting problems more than likely are all in his head.
- sperez0986, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1All in the meds.
- FlyingPhoenix, on 06/10/2009, -0/+1C'mon guys haven't you seen space jam? Pujols might be next.
- greggootz, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1It could be the wrist...a bum wrist can suck the power from any MLB hitter...
http://rbireport.com/ - johndatserakis, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1Great article
- methdwman3, on 06/10/2009, -0/+1So he started using steroids right around them testing for them, and for some reason, just randomly stopped using them in the last year or so? I'm really not following that logic.
- Shoot2Scre, on 06/09/2009, -2/+3No.
When you take steroids for years... it affects your swing... it affects your mechanics... because you adjust your swing based on inflated muscles. Your muscles memory gets set to swing a certain weighted bat at a certain speed. When you stop taking steroids and suddenly you drop muscle mass... your mechanics are destroyed. The bat feels heavier, your swing slows down, and your mechanics go to *****.
Don't be a sheep. Open your eyes. - Shoot2Scre, on 06/09/2009, -1/+2If you really believe it's ANYTHING other than Steroids you are certifiable.
- firstyear7d, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1anyone remember Chuck Knoblauch? How about Steve Sax? They could still hit.
- thelostviking22, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1your comment has no weight what so ever. i'm sure he's been using the same weight bat as he was before he used roids, if he ever did at all. you obviously know nothing of mechanics.
you can get bigger as long as you maintain flexibility. every coach of every team i've ever played on made each player stretch, and stretch a lot.
no matter how big you are, flexibility/tightness is what would effect your mechanics. not the size of your muscles. a player would have to be the size of mariusz pudzianowski for their muscles to have any effect at all.
at that level, you only have enough time to think "swing" or "don't swing" and your mechanics take over the rest. if you hesitate at all, you will not be nearly as successful.
you're probably one of those guys who played thru HS and thinks he learned all about the game from some flub of a coach. - NICU, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1Wow his buddy Manny just gets busted covering up steroids and all the sudden Ortiz hits like every other old fat guy... It can't be steroids that would be too obvious.
- ibklutzy, on 06/11/2009, -0/+0I really feel sorry for this guy. I've seen it before in other sports. I remember poor George McGinnis and David Duval. It's all in the head.
I've seen golfers get the "yips" and could not make a putt to save their lives. Baseball players also get the "yips" and can't throw the ball 60 feet to save their lives. - Niacin, on 06/09/2009, -1/+1His timing has definitely been off, but it seems like he's starting to re-learn or compensate for whatever went sour in that department. As for his age/injuries, it isn't as though he has become and anemic slob, but his body certainly doesn't respond quite the same as it used to. This season for Ortiz is too far gone to be considered more than a bust (compared to his miraculous at-bats of yesteryear), but he could certainly start adapting his swing to utilize the stronger parts of his physique.
He could be as old as 40, but since he isn't a pitcher or a position-player, and has the muscles of an ox, his forte as DH could persist if he's willing to adapt to the rigors of aging in pro sports. I love watching Ortiz play, and his fun-loving attitude makes it all the more enjoyable, so I hope he is given the chance and support to redeem himself of this uncharacteristic season. - datboitom, on 06/08/2009, -2/+2I think it is PHD.
- inactive, on 06/09/2009, -2/+2how does strength affect one's ability to not strike out?
- wdw25, on 06/09/2009, -2/+2It's roids withdrawal. Jason Giambi went through the exact same thing 4 or 5 years ago when he admitted to taking steroids. Plus Ortiz doesn't have Manny as an insurance hitting behind him anymore.
- GREEDOnvrFIRED, on 06/09/2009, -2/+1Ah yes that silly iPhone. The thing that has spurred developers to make advances in how we transmit medical information to doctors. The frivolous item that helps to motivate chip designers to go smaller and faster. That toy that connects millions upon millions of people through voice and text and more. yeah that thing is hilarious.
- Shoot2Scre, on 06/09/2009, -3/+2If you HONESTLY believe it's ANYTHING other than the lack of Steroids then you are truly naive.
Ortiz is only 33. That is relatively young in baseball. It's not his eyes... or his psyche... it's his lack of the juice that has been roaring through his veins for the past... ohhh... 5-10 years.
The reason... When players are on steroids, the bat feels lighter, they get it through the strike zone quicker, and if they're a good enough hitter (who can keep his hands back) you will inevitably hit more home runs. Thus, when they drop the juice, it ruins their timing. They essentially need to re-tool their swing to adjust to NOT having steroids in their system. - Ajajadude, on 06/09/2009, -2/+1And basically be unable to get any sort of consistent contact?
- Shoot2Scre, on 06/09/2009, -2/+1He's 33, not 40.
Blame it on the Roids...
*to the tune of "Blame It on the Rain"*
- by another great imposter... Milli, Vanilli. - ChadN, on 06/09/2009, -3/+0Age.
- OleSleepy, on 06/09/2009, -4/+1Roids or Manny leaving?...Manny's dirty too, sooo.......
- GREEDOnvrFIRED, on 06/09/2009, -5/+1A grown man is having trouble hitting a ball thrown to him by another grown man. They meet a few times a week to play a game and he is not as good at it as he used to be. I hope people are able to see the importance of this dilemma. I hope they will write long articles and conduct in depth interviews about it. Because it has me truly worried. Truly.
- ninerskeet, on 06/09/2009, -7/+3Maybe he laid off the juice.
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