Shall We Dance? Red Sox Start To Do The DH Shuffle.
I posted yesterday on David Ortiz‘ gimpy heels. Yes Virginia, that’s plural; not only the bum right one he injured in July 2012 but the left one that’s now acting up after what I’m sure is Papi’s favoring of the right heel that’s changed both his hitting and running mechanics. Today it’s becoming clear that Ortiz will not be out for just the 5-7 days previously reported but will almost certainly not be ready for Opening Day on April 1 against the Yankees in the Bronx.
July 13, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Boston Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Red Sox manager, John Farrell, said today not to expect Mike Napoli to be in the mix since he’s made such good progress at first base but rather that the Sox were looking at a possible rotation of Jonny Gomes, Mauro Gomez, Mike Carp and Daniel Nava.
The last time I heard talk like this was when it was coming out of Terry Francona‘s mouth in 2003 during Boston’s “bullpen by committee” experiment, which ended in disaster. This feels a little like the offensive version of that game of roulette that worked out so miserably for Boston’s bullpen. It’s understood that in the short term Farrell and company need to patch something together with only a little over two weeks to go until it’s for real baseball. This is, however, not a long-term sustainable strategy.
“We envision it as being a little bit of a rotation, so not to say one person would be strictly a DH, that’s an initial approach,” Farrell told The Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman.
The season hasn’t even begun and it’s already hand-wringing time for the Nation. Their beloved but aging slugger is struggling and may not ever be the same, which paints a world of uncertainty on Boston’s 2013 canvas. Amidst all the angst and fickleness, one thing is certain; the team is greatly diminished without his towering presence.
And what it all comes down to
Is that I haven’t got it all figured out just yet
’cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving the peace sign
– Hand In My Pocket, Alanis Morissette
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