Probably not. But if so, they certainly noticed him breaking out of it the past couple of days.
Ortiz, who had two hits and a walk in the walk-off win over the New York Yankees on Sunday night, led the charge Monday with a career high-tying four hits in a come-from-behind 8-6 triumph at Minnesota's Target Field.
It was his 438-foot two-run homer that keyed a game-tying rally in the sixth. It was his two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth that snapped a 6-6 score. And it was the 4-for-5 effort which, when added to Sunday’s multi-hit performance, renders his little skid a thing of the past.
Ortiz had gone 4-for-38 (.105) with just one extra-base hit in a 10-game span before the week began anew against the Yanks. His average had fallen almost 20 points and his OPS nearly 60. However, for a guy who does nothing but hit for a living, it was just a matter of time.
"I always get in those situations … be hitting balls right at people," he said. "Sometimes you get a little down on yourself. Nothing you can do but keep swinging, maintain your swing."
And when Ortiz's swing is well-maintained, balls not only fly far, as evidenced by the tape-measure shot in the sixth, but they fly all over the place.
Against the Twins, Ortiz singled to center in the second. The one out he made was a fly to deep left in the fourth. The home run landed in the second deck in right. There was a double to deep left and a run scored in the eighth which gave Boston a short-lived 6-5 lead. And then the decisive base hit in the ninth was another single up the middle.
"He hit ball all over the ballpark," manager Terry Francona said. "Even the out he hit to left field. He kept his legs under him, he drove the ball to left field, base hit up the middle, home run to right. When he's swinging the bat like that he’s so dangerous."
Ortiz has had a very fine season, but any detractors out there could point to a decline in numbers over the past few months. After posting a slash line of .342/.387/.694 in May, he went .295/.396/.590 in June and .253/.361/.458 in July. His August numbers were decidedly subpar before this latest breakout.
He turned that around with one big effort in the town that gave him his start.
"Still got it," he said with a smile.
Just in case that 10-game swoon made us forget.
