Where is David Ortiz?

Big Papi -- where are you? It's hard to be slumping during the playoffs because every at-bat is more noticeable.

With Mike Lowell out, J.D. Drew questionable (especially when a lefty pitches) & Beckett not pitching Beckett-like, I guess Big Papi feels the need to stay in the lineup. One positive is that Ortiz still has a good eye at the plate & draws a walk or two every game. With Youk & Bay hitting well behind him the Big Guy has actually become a table-setter for them.

If you have ever seen a Red Sox game in person, you know that Ortiz is a presence when he walks into the batter's box. He would scare me if I was pitching. One mistake could cost you a run. The Rays respect that & are still pitching carefully to him.

Ortiz is just one in a long list of players who are physically beat up at this time of year. Now in his 30's like Lowell & Drew the marathon of 162 games plus playoffs begins to add up on a body. It was Ortiz' knee last year that had to be operated on & rehabbed in the off-season. This year it will be his wrist.

Don't count him out, yet. There are still more games to go. Big Papi will find a way to contribute, even if it's just getting on base & scoring runs instead of knocking them in.