Big Papi's Unlikely Streak Comes to an End

Lost in the drama surrounding the Boston Red Sox's worst record since 1933 and manager Bobby Valentine's inability to lead the team, is that one of baseball's most unlikely streaks will come to an end Wednesday.

Sure, David Ortiz has appeared in only a handful of games since the All-Star Break (an injury has had him on the shelf most of the second half), but with the Red Sox playing in their final game of the season Wednesday night, the slugger's streak of 12 consecutive years with at least one triple is officially coming to an end.

And be honest, had you been asked who the only two Major Leaguers are with at least one triple each season since 2000 are...would you have ever come up with the words "David Ortiz"? 

Oh, and the other...none other than the designated hitter's former teammate Johnny Damon.

To put things in perspective, "Big Papi" has 16 triples. Career triples leader, Hall of Famer Sam Crawford has 309 and 12 times over his 19 year career, he had 16 or more.

Report: Ortíz No es Padre de Muchacho

How do you know people are dying for the baseball season to begin...this is making news.

The Boston Herald is reporting that Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is not the father of, well...just read.

According to a report in the Dominican newspaper Hoy by veteran baseball reporter Dionisio Soldevila, a DNA test showed that David Ortiz was not the father of a 17-year-old in the Dominican Republic. Ortiz was the subject of a paternity claim by a woman whom Ortiz said he had never met.

The DNA tests showed there was a 0.0 percent chance that Ortiz was the father.

In the article, Ortiz expressed his belief that it was unfair authorities in the Dominican Republic did not investigate the case before asking him to take the DNA test. Ortiz also criticized the media for writing that Ortiz did not want to take responsibility when he had never met the woman.

So, "Big Papi"...you are NOT the pappy!  Cue Povich.

The Season That Was...August

As long as guys like Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols are swinging a bat...the baseball world stands a good chance at seeing some milestones broken.

That said...welcome to August!

Right out of the gate, on August 4th, "A-Rod" joined Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey Jr. as the one of the only players to slug 600 or more home runs for their career...and he did it exactly three years to the day after he slugged number 500.

Rodriguez also became the youngest player to hit 600, at 35 years and eight days old...a year and 188 days younger than "The Bambino" was when he swatted 600. "A-Rod" was also the fourth quickest to the mark in terms of at-bats, hitting number 600 in his 8,689th at-bat. Ruth did it in 6,921.

Less than a week later, Rodriguez made history again when he stole his 300th base. Only Barry (762-514) and Bobby Bonds (332-461), Willie Mays (660-338), Andre Dawson (438-314), Reggie Sanders (305-304) and Steve Finley (304-320) have achieved 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases.

David Ortiz Legs Out His Annual Triple

Pop quiz, Hall members...only three players have at least one triple in each season since 2000.

Can you name them? Can you name one?!?

Ichiro Suzuki?

Nope. He started his U.S. tour of duty in 2001 and while he's racked up 89 since his debut...he doesn't qualify.

Carl Crawford?

Again...no. The league's active leader in triples with 100 didn't debut in Tampa until 2002.

Would you have guessed Johnny Damon? Probably...and you'd be right. The Detroit outfielder is second among active players with 98.

What about Damon's teammate Carlos Guillen? Maybe. With half (50) of the career output of Crawford, Guillen does indeed have a triple in each of the last eleven seasons.

But what about Boston's David Ortiz?

“Yeah, I can believe that,” Red Sox utility man Bill Hall told the Boston Herald after Ortiz legged out his annual triple in the fifth inning of a game last week. “He’s definitely not the fastest person in the world, but he can still beat some guys in a race in this league. It’s obviously got to be a ball that’s well-placed, maybe kicked around a little bit, but he’s not pulling up at second. He expects to go to third.”

For his career, "Big Papi" has 15 triples. To put things in perspective (or not), career triples leader, Hall of Famer Sam Crawford has 309 and 13 times over his 19 year career, he had 15 or more.

But here's the kicker, gang, the Red Sox and Twins (you know...the team that released Papi and opened the door for him to head to BeanTown) are 11-3 in the 14 games where Ortiz has reached third without stopping first for oxygen at either of the previous two bases.

An interesting sidenote...one of those three losses (an 8-3 victory by the Orioles July 22, 2004) marks the only game where Ortiz hit two triples in one contest.

Both times he was stranded at third.

So, American League fans, this October when you are lamenting the fact that your team doesn't have homefield advantage for the World Series...maybe Joe Girardi was right to have not put in a pitch runner for Ortiz in the ninth inning of the All-Star.

Or then again...maybe leaving him in to get forced out at second was a bad decision.

The season that was...July

As the first half of the season was coming to a close, we were witness to more than our fair share of milestones.

500 home runs for Gary Sheffield...check.

300 wins for Randy Johnson...check.

Back in March, The Hall predicted David Ortiz would have sent his 300th home run deep into the Boston night sometime in "early to mid-May". No one could have predicted his problems at the plate during the first quarter of the season.

All of that was forgotten July 9 when “Big Papi” finally reached the milestone.

Ortiz would rebound and end the season with 28 bombs, elevating his total as a designated hitter to 274…the most ever at the position. All that aside, will Ortiz get to 400 or 450? What seemed like a lock to happen a couple seasons ago, appears to be an uncertainty now.

With what was probably the quickest forgotten no-hitter since a different Sanchez (Anibal) threw one, Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez blanked San Diego on July 10 for 2009's first no-no.

Having never gotten past summer league baseball in high school, I realize that I am in no position to judge, but c'mon...if someone called you tonight and told you that a member of the Giants staff was on his way to throwing a no-hitter, you'd be more apt to think they were talking about Tim Lincecum, Randy Johnson or Matt Cain.

Hell...catch me on an average day and I'd be more likely to come up with Atlee Hammaker or Mike Krukow's names long before I'd utter "Jonathan Sanchez".

All kidding aside, when it was all said and done, Sanchez did what only a dozen other Giants have done. And to top it off...he did it at his home park in front of his Dad.

Classy.

With a big thanks to Dewayne Wise, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game on July 23 against the Rays. And how good (read: "lucky") was Buehrle? Three times he went to a three ball count.

A sidenote about Buehrle…you might remember, the “South Side” hurler also threw a no-hitter April 18, 2007 against the Rangers. Meaning…you can now mention Buehrle in the same sentence as Hall of Famers Addie Joss, Cy Young, Sandy Koufax and Jim Bunning as well as all-world pitcher Randy Johnson without people laughing you out of the room.

And while Buehrle’s group contains only six members, Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham joined a pretty exclusive group of his own when he became the 13th player to have hit two grand slams in one game July 27 against the Brewers.

One of the other dozen that have accomplished the feat…friend of The Hall and former Orioles backstop Chris Hoiles. Read what Hoiles had to say about his “very special night” by clicking this THING.

Earlier in the week, April, May and June were remembered…August is next.

David Ortiz...are you familiar?

Familiarity is a wonderful thing.

I'll explain.

Last night, I was doing the same thing most adolescent pre-teen girls were doing (hanging out on Facebook) when a friend of mine from school sent me a message.

I was astounded!

Here was a guy I've known since the second grade, I hadn't talked to in more than 15 years and we were able to pick up (as much as you can through IMs) where we left off before college and the real world dominated our lives.

To me, I find it fascinating when things like that happen. Good friends can do that, and in baseball...great hitters can pick it up regardless the amount of time they were disconnected from their craft.

Such was the case last night with David Ortiz.

Earlier in the season, "Big Papi" was entrenched in the worst slump of his career...a .188 batting average and one home run from Opening Day through June 5. He entered the season with 289 career bombs and back in March, The Hall made the prediction that he'd hit the 300 home run milestone by early to mid-May.

Number 300 came on July 9.

13 long balls later...Ortiz entered MUCH more exclusive territory by becoming the all-time leader in home runs by a designated hitter with an eighth inning bomb off Angels reliever Jose Arredondo.

In an age of the professional power hitter (and let's face it, most designated hitters are big, lumbering fellas who swing for the fences), it is interesting that 270 (or 86%) of Papi's 313 home runs. By comparison, Frank Thomas (the previous leader with 269) hit only 51% of his 521 home runs as a DH.

So with the emphasis on power hitters lately (and no, this is not going to turn into a steroid debate), I've still gotta wonder...who is going to be the first time full-time DH to knock down Cooperstown's door?

I've made my case for Harold Baines and he can't seem to muster more than six percent of the writer's vote. Edgar Martinez faces a very crowded ballot at the end of this season and, honestly, I'm not sure he's got the right stuff.

Thomas will get in...but I'm willing to bet his plaque lists him as a first baseman rather than a designated hitter.

So who is it going to be? Make your voice heard in the comments section and vote!

"Big Papi" joins elite club

As the first half of the season comes to a close, we've seen more than our fair share of milestones.

300 wins for Randy Johnson...check.

500 home runs for Gary Sheffield...check.

A slew of batters hitting the 300 (Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, Lance Berkman, Ivan Rodriguez and Adam Dunn) and 400 (Jason Giambi) home run plateau...check, check, check, check, check and check.

FINALLY...thanks to a first inning home run Thursday night against the Royals, David Ortiz can add his name to the list.

Back in March, The Hall predicted "Big Papi" would have sent his 300th home run deep into the Boston night sometime in "early to mid-May". No one could have predicted Ortiz's problems at the plate during the first quarter of the season.

Worse yet, no one could seem to fix it.

“You guys saw my frustration at the beginning of the season, when I was just trying to do things and nothing was coming out,” Ortiz told reporters following Thursday's game. “Now I’m just relaxing and letting things happen.”

Papi started his season with one home run in the first two months and now, 19th on the active home runs list, has 10 in the last five weeks. You've gotta wonder...how many will he end up with?

The bigger question is this...will Ortiz get to 400 or 450? What seemed like a lock to happen a couple seasons ago, appears to be an uncertainty now.