Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
All Hermida does is hit, and if the Red Sox need to sit somebody who is struggling - designated hitter David Ortiz comes to mind - more often in order to find more at-bats for Hermida, then that’s the way it goes in baseball.Nobody knows that better than Ortiz.
What a piece of bitter irony it would be if Hermida’s success were to cut into Ortiz’ playing time. Back in 2003, after the Red Sox had plucked Ortiz off the waiver wire, the club was not at all sure it knew what caliber of slugger it had on its hands. Ortiz did not have a defined role or everyday job when the season began. But once DH Jeremy Giambi proved to be a shell of his former self, Ortiz eventually slugged his way into the heart of the lineup on an everyday basis.
Flash forward seven years, and the resemblance between Hermida and Ortiz is really not that subtle at all. A year younger than Ortiz was then, Hermida opened this season as a similar enigma as far as how good of a hitter he is at age 26. In ’03, Ortiz, then 27, looked to have more power than Hermida does now, but they arrived at their Red Sox destination with similarly spotty results in four-plus seasons. Ortiz was a .266 hitter with a .348 on-base percentage and .461 slugging percentage; Hermida was .265, .344 and .425.
For the love of all that is right, please tell me you are kidding Michael Silverman. I know it's early in the season and you're looking for storylines and all, but this? There's going to be no one else like Ortiz. He came at a time where Sox fans needed a savior, someone who would be the final piece of the puzzle, someone who could take advantage of batting ahead of Manny Ramirez. Ortiz did all that. He earned the title "Big Papi" due to his part in winning two titles and being as clutch a player this city has seen since Larry Legend hung up his jersey.
I'm not trying to rag on Hermida either. I think he was a great pick up and was excited at the thought of him playing left field before we signed Cameron. He has .300/25/90 potential with the protection this order brings. But let's give him time, which by the way we have a ton of it left in the season. He's on a tear now, lets see if he continues a little bit longer as that's been his issue during his four-plus seasons.
On Page 2, Tito Francona on Ortiz: "This isn't fantasy baseball."
Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona expanded Wednesday morning on remarks he made the day before on Boston sports radio station WEEI regarding struggling slugger David Ortiz who was back in the lineup for Wednesday's game. Francona had said in his weekly radio interview that you can't look at players as "chess pieces.''
"I guess I've always felt like that,'' Francona said Wednesday. "It's not fantasy baseball, it's not like chess pieces. Certainly you like to have strategy and things like that. I think players, I think they appreciate letting them go play."That's why in spring training we work on what we want to work on so they know where they're supposed to throw it so we don't have to stand up every inning and tell them what base to throw it too. I mean, they're good players.
ESPNBoston- Tito on Ortiz; "It's not fantasy baseball"
Ok, there we go final answer from Tito. Ortiz is still going to play... Well except not today (link below for more details.) but he's going to do exactly what he did with Ortiz last year. Can we just move on with it and not rag on a guy who helped us when the two titles we own within the last NINETY years? No? Ok, I give up.
But in all honesty, I just wish most Sox fans were so callous and cold when it comes to Ortiz. It makes us sound ungrateful for what he's done. Yes, it's painful to watch him struggle but jumping on him isn't helping one bit either. So I've resorted to being that Little League parent that shouts positive things when he strikes out. I just can't boo that man.Anywho, here are the rest of the links:
Globe - Sox 6, Twins 3| Hermida has been spot on in spot duty |Swing and A Miss in Congress |Discussion of Importance comes from Dye situation| Herald- Lackey shows restraint, gets a W|Dustin Pedroia Power |Sox Claim Santo Luis |V-Mart has work to do|CSNNE- Lackey good enough for W |Hermida helps Sox beat Twins| Okajima provides relief| WEEI- Sox-Twins Preview |Rain, Sox fall on Twins|ESPN Boston - Ortiz, bothered by critics, to sit Thursday |A Matter of Faith |
