Reactions to Gordon Edes column

If you click my title, it will take to Edes's column. Here's the link if that's a problem: http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/columns/story?columnist=edes_gordon&id=5124562

Upon making my daily stop at ESPNBoston.com, I found a somewhat scathing story about slugger David Ortiz. If you've been under a rock the past few months, you'd think Ortiz was still a god at the plate...he's quite the opposite in fact. I'm sure some are feeling that Wednesday's lifting of Ortiz in favor of Mike Lowell at DH is a signal of an end. Baseball is a business as most of the population knows, but being a fan doesn't exactly equate to the economics of the game. For a fan, it's about when your team is laying it on the line to get the win, the hero stepping to the plate, the player that you adore, and the pride you show even when the team/hero doesn't get it done. While anyone can understand that David Ortiz isn't what he once was despite his valiant efforts in training himself to adapt, the progress has been less than impressive. Ortiz is batting .146 with two RBI's fifteen games into the season. The start is reminiscent of last season when he was under .200 at the All-Star break. He's already been benched for tonight's game. Could Ortiz benefit from more at bats? Maybe. Is it possible Boston isn't working for him anymore? Maybe. Is David Ortiz done? Maybe. We don't know until we find out these things.

Ededs goes on to say, "And few people would disagree with Francona's decision to look to someone other than Ortiz for deliverance. The number of people still professing belief in Big Papi can probably be comfortably seated at a table for one." Economically, yes most people including myself, would agree because he's simply not hitting the ball especially with being offered fastballs which he'd destroy before 2008. The number of people who still believe is doubtful to be just one, Mr. Edes...My girlfriend sits at the table with me. She is nowhere near the maniac I am about the Sox, but she loves David Ortiz. She hates seeing him struggle just as much as I, or any other caring Sox fan does. I think what people forget is the good times. Where would we be without David Ortiz? 2004 would've never happened. Maybe not even 2007. The Red Sox waited 86 years to erase a World Series drought and we complain because the guy struggled five months out of the last nine months of baseball season. People died before seeing a Boston championship and we'd die before Ortiz gets another shot at baseball? That's being a fan, suffering through the tough times, accepting failure (bitterly or not), and continuing to support. Yet, we can't forget about the past--the towering shots Ortiz hit to keep our playoff dreams alive, the plaque given to him by John Henry (Most Clutch Hitter of All Time), and easily the most memorable and productive DH in Red Sox history. Our bitter rivals never forget the past 27 championships they won (never shy to speak about it when around a Sox fan such as myself).

So to close this up, keep up the faith (so to speak). We are fans, not owners or business partners of the team. We will always be loyal to the Sox until death (I hope I can see one more World Series in the next seventy years I hope to live)
Hope the best for David, no matter what happens. Most of all never forget he was the guy who ran away (Man-Ram), the guy who got away (JayBay), controversial (Jim Rice), or the sale of one of the of the greatest to ever play the game (Babe). He just came out to have a good time and play the game, maybe he just needs to find that fun again...but I could be completely wrong. Until we figure it out, there's always seats at the table to hope Ortiz can turn it around.