Hector Longo
BOSTON — The undeniable key to the Red Sox season took up his usual spot at the second locker from the left.
Yes, David Ortiz' shoulders are that broad, his presence here that pivotal.
For the first time in weeks, smiling, joking and most importantly mashing took precedence over recovering and rehabbing for the Red Sox slugger.
As the radio talking heads argued about a potential replacement — alleged steroid monger Barry Bonds of all people! — Big Papi, disabled since June 1 with a partially torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, hit the field for batting practice.
What followed the swing session, a 1-0 Red Sox squeaker over the Minnesota Twins, paled in comparison.
The pop, bat speed and power (six b.p. homers), while not up to midseason standards, were back. The slugger showed few ill effects, other than an ice-pack and wrap, as he greeted the media after the pre-game test in the batting cage.
"My first day swinging out there, and it's feeling good. It's like going back to normal," said Ortiz. "I was trying to swing the bat normal, trying to swing hard just to make sure I don't feel anything. It feels fine. I'm just doing what the trainer tries to tell me to do and keep working this week to see how it goes."
Red Sox fans, allow me: Phew!
If the recent 3-7 road implosion drove one point home, it is that the Sox, seven All-Star selections in all, are pointed toward a meaningless September if Ortiz can't make a major second-half contribution.
J.D. Drew's career June and the recent white-hot blitz by Dustin Pedroia (21 for 44 on the trip) not withstanding, the Red Sox lineup is disintegrating as we speak.
Other than the Dow Industrials, who has had a worse two weeks than the Sox hitters?
Manny Ramirez, hitting .294 when Ortiz was disabled, went a meek 5 for his last 31 on the road with one homer.
The slugger/clubhouse bully has plenty of company in the doldrums.
Drew (9 for 37), Jason Varitek (4 for 31) — both All-Stars, by the way — Jacoby Ellsbury (9 for 40), Mike Lowell (5 for 22), Julio Lugo (5 for 28) and Coco Crisp (7 for 27) all limped into last night's Fenway homecoming with the Twins.
Clearly, reality has set in five games from the All-Star break. It's a lineup laden with holes that Ortiz and his typical 42 homers and 128 RBIs smooth over.
The heat, the holiday and most importantly, Celtic bliss have camouflaged this team's problems without Big Papi. But this is the perfect time to panic.
A rugged homestand, with two more against the sizzling Twins, who had won five straight and 16 of their last 18 before last night, and three vs. Baltimore could expose Boston's offensive ineptitude.
Boston fans know better than to put much stock into the standings in early July. But when the deficit in the loss column to Carlos Pena and the Tampa Bay Rays stands at six, it's noteworthy. Frankly, it's bordering on astounding.
AL Wild Card contenders New York, Minnesota and Oakland, and for that matter Baltimore, Texas and Detroit, all sit closer to Boston (in the loss column) than the Sox are to the Rays. It's not a pretty thought.
Boston has been so vulnerable (5-10) in games decided by two runs or less without Ortiz. With him, the Sox are 14-9 in those contests.
It can't be comforting to a team with a $140 million payroll and the notion that making the playoffs these days should be just a formality.
Ortiz, now a five-time All-Star, can change all that. He has to get healthy fast, though.
"Injuries are better when you take your time. Some times when you rush it's not worth it," said the slugger. "I want to come back and play, this month. I haven't been playing and it kills you."
Hector Longo is an Eagle-Tribune sportswriter. E-mail him at hlongo@eagletribune.com.
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