Tagged: Josh Beckett
Trying to bounce back
We came out here in the past and were able to take Game 1 from these guys, but that’s not how it’s going to be this time. They had a great pitching performance this time. John Lackey was on. He made good pitches. What can you do?
You play to win, especially in a short series, so we’re not going to change our mindset just because of one loss. Just because you lose a game, you can’t change anything. You want to come the next day with the same mentality, ready to go, and let it happen.
When you have pitching like Jon Lester and Lackey going against each other, you know that it’s usually just going to be one mistake that’s going to be the difference and change the whole game. Too bad that the mistake from Lester was against one of their best hitters. I know Torii Hunter, I know him well. We’re close friends, and we played together in Minnesota and I know how he is. He was fired up and when he’s fired up, look out.
We had a little bit of a layoff coming into Game 1. There were no games in three days. I’m not going to make excuses, but I hate layoffs. That’s how it goes sometimes this time of year. You’ve got to get used to it.
I didn’t have a good night at the plate, but Lackey was making nasty pitches. They don’t want to make a mistake to me, you know that. They pitched me real carefully. That’s how it is. When good pitchers pitch in that kind of game, they want to make sure they stay on top of their game.
We’re excited to get out there again for Game 2. We have Josh Beckett. You can’t ask for much more than that. Everyone knows what he’s done in October. He’s been pitching great and we need a quality start out there.
Feeling good at the plate
Hi to everybody out there.
Welcome to my new blog, and my new website, DavidOrtiz.com.
Why start a Web site now? The main reason is because I’ve got a whole bunch of stuff going on off the field, and I think this would be a great way for the fans to connect with me directly rather than just going somewhere else that’s not focused on what I want to do.
I think that by having my own Web site, people can see whatever I’ve got going on and hopefully decide whether to get involved, whether it be a link to my charity, the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, a new commercial or endorsement deal, or updates on my charity golf classic.
Fans can also hear what’s on my mind when it comes to myself, the team and what might be going on around the league.
Things have been clicking for me at the plate lately, and I feel good. As for earlier in the year, when I was having a tough time, as I always say, sometimes there are things that people don’t get to see that bother you and gets you out of the way you’re used to. Sometimes, it can be personal stuff or other things. I’m a guy who doesn’t like to relate my personal life to how I’m going in the game, but we are human. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you try. You can’t avoid that.
The good thing now is I feel good — I’m back. I’m the kind of guy who a lot of people count on, and I’ve got to try to keep it that way.
The first two months, I had a lot of ups and downs, and then there was just one day when I started to feel good, and I hit it good, and I had bad results. Now, I’m putting good swings on the ball, and I’m getting my hits. Even on those bad days now, I’ll take a bad swing, but I’ll still produce. Things even up.
We have the All-Star break coming up next week, and this is the first time in awhile I’ve actually had it off. Don’t get me wrong, it was great making the All-Star team the last five years. I had a great time. But maybe it will help to shut it down and think about what went wrong for me to not be there.
This year, the game is in a National League park, and the Red Sox spoke to me early in the season about the ballot. I told them I agreed that Youk should be the first baseman on the ballot. He’s the guy that’s been playing first for us for the past few years, and he’s doing a great job. I’ve been honored by the fans voting me on in the past, but I think it would have just been wrong to not have him on the ballot as the first baseman. That wouldn’t have been fair. Youk has been great for us this season, and I’m happy he will be representing us at the game this year.
Also congrats to my other teammates who made the team: Bay, Dustin, Papelbon, Josh and Wake.
As a designated hitter, I would have been chosen as a reserve if I had a good season, as has happened in the past. I know the first couple of months of the season were tough for me, so I wasn’t even expecting to be at the All-Star Game this year. I’m just going to chill out with the family and do things I haven’t had a chance to do the last five years. I knew my family was getting used to being at the All-Star Game, and that was a fun time. It’s an experience. But now, I’ll just hang out, refresh and get ready for a great second half.
We have a lot to feel good about at the All-Star break. This is a good team. We’ve been winning games and building something good around here. We saw it before in 2004 and 2007 where you just chip away and next thing you know, you’re fighting for a championship.
This team the past five years has been all about chemistry, and we still have it. We’re still rolling the same way like always.
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