Published: April 14, 2008 11:14 am            

Jeter: Ortiz slump nothing to worry about

BOSTON — First there was an incredulous laugh, followed by a quick glance at the American League standings at the bottom of the Green Monster near the left-field line.



Derek Jeter was sitting next to a few Yankees employees in the visitors dugout about 45 minutes before Boston's 8-5, four-hour marathon victory Sunday night.



He was asked about David Ortiz's well-documented slump, which now stands at three hits in 43 at bats (.070) and, even worse, zero for his last 17 at bats.



Jeter, if you remember, had not only been there and done that in 2004, but his bat-toting malaise, which included an 0-for-32 stretch in April of that year, was in the "can't touch this" mode.



"How many games have they played?" said Jeter, looking at the AL East standings in the outfield, knowing all too well the Red Sox had played 12 games entering Sunday night.



"Every player in the league goes through a slump ... every single player," he said. "He's a long ways away from mine."



Jeter is, of course, correct.



Slumps are as much a part of baseball as pitch counts, ground-rule doubles and "God Bless America" in the seventh inning. The difference is that when you play in Boston and New York and are a perennial All-Star and legendary clutch performer, they seem to make the ESPN "SportsCenter" highlights (or lowlights) as much as the web gems do.



Ortiz was given a mental-health day Sunday night. He is obviously frustrated. Case in point, his inability to beat the Ortiz Shift, in which the second baseman plays in right field, or his indecision at the plate (i.e. his check-swing double play in the first inning on Saturday).



"I've only seen him for two games. I can't say," said Jeter. "He's hit a few balls pretty hard. I haven't seen enough (to say he's struggling)."



Jeter's 2004 slump lasted almost through Memorial Day weekend, well after he hit a leadoff home run off Barry Zito to end his 32 at-bat skein.



"I was .190 at the end of May. Now that's a slump. Two months," said a smiling Jeter. "In fact, I know I was at .189 because Sports Illustrated had a big story with the numbers 1-8-9 under my picture."



Jeter says as difficult as it was personally, one reason he didn't seek out medical attention was the fact that the Yankees were within a game of the division-leading Red Sox for most of his drought.



"When your team is winning, it's a lot easier to take," said Jeter. "If we were losing, it might have been different. I probably would have felt worse."



If you're wondering why Jeter believes that Ortiz's early problems are more the exception than the rule, all you have to do is look at his final numbers in 2004: .292 average, 23 HRs, 78 RBIs. A .396 average in June — 36 for 91, 9 HRs and 17 RBIs — basically turned his season around.



"What if (Ortiz) goes 40 for his next 100?" said Jeter. "What does that come out to?"



Jeter didn't wait for this writer to do this arithmetic.



"Is that about .300?" he said, which is exactly what 43 for 143 comes to. "Do you think David Ortiz can go 40 for his next 100? ... Next question."



Speaking of slumps, Jeter, who hasn't played since April 7 when he strained his groin, is in a minor slump of his own while awaiting word from the Yankees front office on when he can return to the lineup. The New York captain, a career .317 hitter, is batting a paltry .208 with only five hits in 28 at-bats. And he, too, has only one RBI in 2008.



He says he could have played Sunday night, but the Yankees have decided to make sure he is 100 percent.



"I feel I'm ready, but it's not my decision," said Jeter, who went through a vigorous pregame workout, which included hitting, fielding, throwing and then running with a Yankees trainer.



"It was not a sprint," he said. "But I feel good. I want to play now."



As for Ortiz, Jeter says the Sox slugger will come to the park every day, work on his swing like he always does, and before you can say "Big Papi," this line of questioning will be deemed foolish.



"If this wasn't the beginning of the season, it wouldn't be as big of a deal," said Jeter. "And it's been only 12 games. We have 150 left. If it was a football season, 12 games would be a lot. In baseball, it's nothing."



In fact, Jeter issued this writer a challenge.



"I want you to come back and find me when we come back here, whenever that is," said Jeter.



When told it was more than three months from now (July 25), Jeter said, "My guess is I'll be right. Make sure you get me and we will check out (Ortiz's) numbers then, in late July."



Consider it a date.





Bill Burt writes for The Eagle-Tribune in North Andover, Mass. E-mail Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.

        

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