Wrist Woes For Papi

I turned to the game just in time to hear the pitch that sent shockwaves through Red Sox Nation.

I was in the car around 9:45 Saturday night when I instinctively flipped on the Sox game to check the score in the second of four at Camden Yards. Luckily, the Sox were leading 6-3 late and I sighed thankfully. I decided to keep the game on and the next pitch to David Ortiz seemed like a usual swing and a miss…until the Orioles announcers remarked Big Papi was grabbing his wrist. What I thought would surely just be a week or so injury has turned into a possible season ender.

I turned just in time.

We’ve never really dealt with Big Papi being out for an extended period of time since his stay in Boston. Since becoming a true regular in the second half of 2003, Ortiz has stayed healthy aside from a few nagging injuries, and obviously nothing this serious. Losing your best hitter in the heart of the lineup seems devastating to any contender, but I feel like the team can survive this obstacle en route to another World Series.

Is this post-2004 sky-isn’t-always-falling Red Sox fan talking? Absolutely. With the depth the Red Sox have in the system, as well as the options to swing a deal if the injury turns out worse than expected, along with Manny’s rejuvenation, I feel slightly optimistic the Red Sox can persevere with Kevin Youkilis as our #3 hitter for an extended period of time.

Ortiz learned on Monday he has tendon sheath damage in his wrist that will cause him to walk around in a cast for at least two weeks, when the wrist will be re-evaluated. Nick Johnson has a similar injury currently and his evaluation after two weeks time showed “persisting tenderness”, meaning he’ll spend two more weeks in a cast. This may happen with Ortiz. Considering that is a month in itself, the Red Sox cautious way of bringing back players, and factoring in the time he’ll need to get back swinging a bat, he may be out until after the All-Star break.

Until then, the Red Sox will be able to use Lowell and Youkilis at the corners in the nine games they play in NL parks prior to the Break. Also, Chris Carter has been called up from Pawtucket to give the Red Sox more outfield and 1B options, a bit surprising considering Brandon Moss is experienced, healthy and hitting the ball very well. This means Coco Crisp could see the field more now with Manny spending more time at the designated hitter.

If the Red Sox want to explore some DH options if Ortiz is out for a good majority of the season, Barry Bonds and Adam Dunn are two names that have been discussed.

Still, I’m not in panic mode yet. Ortiz is such a fixture in the lineup it’s absolutely necessary for him to be hitting every day for this team to win another World Series. If it takes him until August to become fully healed and hitting like we know Papi can, so be it. Until then, we’ll make do with Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss, Chris Carter, Sean Casey and Kevin Youkilis as our #3 hitter.

It’s going to be trying, but the Red Sox can survive this.