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Super Human Papi Powers

Source: Yahoo!
Shame on you if you don't know who they're waiting for.
David Ortiz has hit another game-winning home run. Another. It's becoming so predictable I feel like I'm watching an Ortiz highlight reel -- of just the past week.

You know, Ortiz must be getting bored or something. He knows he can hit home runs and put the game away, but he decides to save them for later. He puts one in his back pocket, does the math in his head and figures out he'll probably come up in the ninth. So, Ortiz being Ortiz, he just decides to knock one out so he can make us fans melt in his hands even more.

And I don't want anyone to tell me that there is no such thing as "clutch." There is clutch. David Ortiz is clutch. Some people may say it's just Ortiz being lucky, but, as Don Orsillo would say, "HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU GO TO THE WALL?!" The first time might have been luck -- might have been luck. But game-winning hit after game-winning hit has eliminated the luck factor forever.

Simply put, David Ortiz is the best hitter in baseball.

I won't even get into the MVP discussion, because if he doesn't win it this year I think every single writer that casts a vote deserves a CAT scan.

I was saying yesterday that Manny Ramirez is the best overall hitter in baseball. I also said it would be a race between the Sox left fielder and the Sox designated hitter for the MVP award. But game-winning hits separates hitters, and it's definitely separates our two best sluggers at the moment.

I don't want to say that Ramirez isn't clutch, either. He may not get the hits like Ortiz does, but that may be because Ortiz doesn't let him get the chance. Obviously we'll never know, but Ramirez delivers from inning 1-8 and we have to remember that.

And you can't compare Ramirez and Ortiz because, like the title reads, Papi is super-human. And if you compare Ramirez and Ortiz, that'd be like comparing apples and game-winning home runs. You just can't do it.

I think all Sox fans just need to sit back and think about what Ortiz gives us. We need to remember that there is no other player like him. No one has the track record he does. And just when you think he's going to go into a 9th-inning slump, he just continues to hit.

We as Sox fans have this feeling about Ortiz that no other fan of any other team has. No one has an Ortiz. We really need to remember that and cherish it. Imagine where we'd be without him. You don't want to think about it do you? I hope we never, ever have to think about that.

In the history of baseball, there is only one Big Papi. We are extremely fortunate to watch this man day in and day out do unthinkable things with a bat.

And he does it more times than not.

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Re: Super Human Papi Powers
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it "How many times can you go to the WELL?"?  That or Joe Buck butchers the phrase every single time while McCarver goes and cries in the bathroom.

by Allen Chace on Aug 1, 2006 2:35 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
Who the hell knows? Who's listening at those moments? My jaw is probably too far down to the floor...

by Randy Booth on Aug 1, 2006 2:54 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
don't mention mccarv*, please. just seeing his name gives me ulcers. yes, more than one. let's call him He Who Shall Not Be Named (And Who Is Absolute Crap At Announcing Baseball).
What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 2:55 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
heh, also: in that picture it looks, from gonzo's facial expression, like papi is running towards gonzo with a beer or something to eat.
What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 2:56 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
also, also: coco, in said picture, looks like the creature from LOTR who goes bananas for his "precioussss" ring.
What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 7:11 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
and manny looks like stevie wonder, blind and all, trying to feel when papi arrives. he's got the big forehead going too.

and marky-mark, for some reason, looks almost sad in the background.

that is a great picture. i've looked at it fifteen times and noticed something new each time.

[yes, my workday is somewhat slow...]

What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 7:21 AM EDT up reply actions  

theres no doubt...
ortiz is special. He has to be one of the most feared hitters in the game right now.  And another thing to keep in mind is, ramirez really makes ortiz better. Its quite possible part of the reason ortiz gets so many clutch hits, is because pitchers have no choice but to pitch to him in those clutch situations, due to the fact that manny is right behind the corner. If it wasnt for manny, pitchers would pitch around papi twice as much if not more.

by spinz on Aug 1, 2006 4:21 AM EDT reply actions  

id...
like to see a stat for ortiz's average in walk off situations. Im guessing its around .600-ish

by spinz on Aug 1, 2006 4:35 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: id...
I can't give you walkoff situations alone, but I can give you "Close and Late" (results in the 7th inning or later with the batting team either ahead by one run, tied or with the potential tying run at least on deck.).

In those situations, Papi bats (in 58 AB) a so-so .293 with a solid .359 OBP. He does WHACK the ball when getting a hit though, slugging .741. His OPS in these situations is thus a wicked 1.100.

What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 4:56 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
/ And if you compare Ramirez and Ortiz, that'd be like comparing apples and game-winning home runs./

Hee.  Applause.

by Boston Fan in Michigan on Aug 1, 2006 10:49 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
Dan Shaughnessy has a really good article on Ortiz in today's Globe.

It's basically what I said, but he certainly delivered it better.

by Randy Booth on Aug 1, 2006 11:27 AM EDT reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
i agree, the article was nice in general. it did, however, contain a tremendously retarded statement.

"Manager Terry Francona knows enough not to bunt in that situation. It most definitely would take the bat our of Ortiz's hands. So Mark Loretta popped up, and fans were almost glad to see him make an out. It enhanced the Ortiz drama."

show me the one fan at fenway yesterday who thought to himself "man, i sure am glad to see marky-mark pop out. he didn't advance the runner and now we have fewer outs to work with, but the ortiz drama is sure to be splendid". i hate it when sportswriters do this. it's silly, stupid and ruins the flow of an otherwise nice read.

it is not mandatory to always go over the top.
it really isn't.

What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
runnerS
What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
If Loretta successfully bunted, Ortiz would have been IBB'd. That would have put Manny up with one out and bases loaded. We have NO IDEA what would have happened in that situation. Manny could have hit a Grand Salami or he could have grounded into a double play. No way of knowing.

by Randy Booth on Aug 1, 2006 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
yeah exactly, if not going for the win, it was better for lorreta to not advance the runners and open up first. Although pretty soon, ya gotta figure theyr gonna be tempted to start walking ortiz in 1st and 2nd situations when theres a walk off involved.

by spinz on Aug 1, 2006 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
Especially against a fragile, young pitcher like last night.

by Randy Booth on Aug 1, 2006 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
Great, then Manny comes up with the bases loaded.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Aug 1, 2006 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
indeed, and a single ties the game.
What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
also, manny's OPS in close and late situations is .930 in 44 AB's. so it's not like it's a bad player coming up next.

if the choice is between manny with the bases loaded and 1 out or papi with men on 1st and 2nd with one out, i'll take manny. every time. i love papi's clutch hitting, but the second scenario allows for a single to tie it.

What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
But don't you feel the same about Ortiz? I mean, Ortiz can't do it every time, but he's done it a ridiculous amount of times. It's come to the point where I'd rather have Ortiz up in a 2 out, none on situation than Coco Crisp in a bases loaded, 0 out situation (ok, maybe not THAT extreme, but still)

by Randy Booth on Aug 1, 2006 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
of course i feel the same way about papi. even more so, in fact. since his OPS is higher than manny's, i'd rather have him up in any situation than manny in the exact same one. but when the difference between the situations are whether the bases are loaded or there are men on 1st and 2nd, the difference between the situations weighs heavier than the marginal difference in Close and Late OPS (which, and this has to be said, is based on ridiculously small sample sizes of less than 70 AB's right now).

what i originally meant to do by calling out CHB on his section of the article that dealt with this, was that the difference in scenario has to weigh heavier than the difference between manny's and papi's clutch ability.

also, when i've commented on the discussion it's been under the assumption that it's been between ortiz and manny. if we had belli batting cleanup behind papi, i would probably look at the situation a lot differently. papi up with 1 out and men on 2nd and 3rd or belli with 1 out and the bases loaded? papi. every day of the week.

this is a great discussion. we should have more discussions like this. it's damn fun.

What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Super Human Papi Powers
that last part (about the quality of the discussion) seemed sarcastic when i read through it. it's not meant to be. i meant it literally.
What do I think about Hatchet Face Tavarez? Put a Milo on him!

by SweSox on Aug 1, 2006 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions  

what i think it boils down to...
in this game, is that the sox were behind by 2 runs.  if the game is tied, or down by 1 run then having lorretta move the runners along is more valuable because having that runner at 3rd means alot more. But producing one run wasnt going to cut it, so if lorrettas gonna produce an out, might as well keep papi AND mannys bat in the forecast.

by spinz on Aug 1, 2006 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: what i think it boils down to...
Really, the best option is for Lorretta to get a hit. But if that doesn't happen, then a fly ball that advances the runner on second would be best. That way a deep fly by Papi cuts the deficit to one and you still have Manny coming up with two outs and the tying run on base.

by RSNexile on Aug 1, 2006 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions  

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