The sellout crowd brayed a mighty, encouraging “Papi! Papi! Papi!” chant as David Ortiz stepped out of the batter’s box to gain his composure. Flashbulbs in McCoy Stadium sparkled like diamonds in sunlight as the cadence proceeded from the packed infield seats to the fans lining the left-field railing down to the berm in left-center, full of fans seated on the grass. With the count 1-2 and the bases empty, the Red Sox slugger stepped back in and in one violent swing – one that no doubt released some eagerness to play that built over his nearly two-month absence from baseball – smashed a home run to right field that landed in the Toledo Mud Hens’ bullpen. Big Papi is back. At least, his style of play is.
Last night’s 15-6 Pawtucket win was the first of Ortiz’s seven-game minor league rehab stint. He will return to the Red Sox’ lineup a week from tonight when the Yankees come to Fenway Park. Ortiz will play three more games in Pawtucket (tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday) before heading to Double A Portland for three games and said before last night’s game that he intends to finish his minor league stint no matter how well he does. The slugger hadn’t played since May 31 at Baltimore, when he partially tore a tendon sheath in his left wrist. He said there was no pain, and the brace on his left hand was for precaution.
Nation Notes: The University of Tennessee lost a quarterback yesterday, while the Red Sox gained a shortstop. Or a pitcher. Or both. The Sox signed their No. 1 draft pick, Casey Kelly, a two-sport star at Sarasota (Fla.) High School who had signed a letter of intent to play quarterback for Tennessee but whose baseball pedigree – his father, Pat, is a former big league catcher and current minor league manager – pointed to his coming to terms with Boston. Kelly, who already was in Fort Myers, Fla., working out on his own, will report to the Sox’ Gulf Coast League entry today, and will play shortstop. With two weeks before the July 31 trading deadline, there were strong indications that the Sox will not be a major player. Bullpen help ranks as the No. 1 priority, and with Justin Masterson being groomed to help out and Michael Bowden another possibility to help as a starter or reliever, the Sox are inclined to take their chances with what they have rather than overpaying for what might be available on the trade market .
