Puny singles make David Ortiz very angry
For the vast majority of ball players, a hit is a hit, regardless of the type. Yeah, they would probably rather a home run or a triple over other kinds of hits, but usually they’re just happy they didn’t create an out (or two outs). But for Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, puny singles aren’t enough for him.
Ortiz was leading off the bottom of the ninth inning of Boston’s game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. The Red Sox were down 7-2, and Ortiz was definitely looking to start something. Rangers reliever Sam Dyson was pitching to Ortiz, and the first four pitches of the at-bat were clocked at 96 or 97 mph. With the count 2-2, Dyson threw Ortiz a 91 mph changeup, and Ortiz lined it right up the middle for a single.
Despite the fact that he was on base and there were still no outs, Ortiz was not happy. While the ball was rolling up the middle of the field, Ortiz was jogging to first base with the bat still in his right hand. Mid-jog, Ortiz grabbed the bat with both hands, raised his knee, and cracked the bat in two.
In difference circumstances, Ortiz probably would have been fine with a single, but it had been a frustrating night for the Red Sox. Coming into the ninth inning, the game had been in reach for them. They were down 3-2 at the end of the eighth, and with Ortiz leading off the bottom of the ninth they had a chance to even up the score, or even win.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]
But closer Craig Kimbrel allowed a walk and three hits in the top of the ninth, and one of those hits was a three-run home run. The Rangers would score four runs in the inning, making Boston’s chances of a comeback a lot slimmer. That situation probably had a lot to do with Ortiz’s frustration after he singled.
It wouldn’t get better for the Red Sox from there. Hanley Ramirez singled after Ortiz, but Jackie Bradley Jr. erased it when he hit into a double play. Ortiz was stranded on third base when the game ended just one batter later. If breaking bats is how Ortiz lets out his baseball frustration, hopefully someone hid all the innocent bats before he walked back into the clubhouse.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – –
Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
