Boston Globe: Massarotti: Feeling uneasy the rule vs. NL

Among the most obvious has been utilizing Ortiz as a fielder, something the Sox generally have avoided despite the fact that Ortiz was named the best defensive first baseman in 1996 in the Single A Midwest League. (“Is that true Papi?’’ an eavesdropping Jacoby Ellsbury asked incredulously.) There were two occasions yesterday on which the need to have Ortiz afield could have hurt the Sox, the first when he mishandled an easy Gregor Blanco bunt, the second when he failed to scoop a throw from Nick Green.

Even on the plays Ortiz made, there was cause to hold one’s breath. Ortiz twice had to lead a lumbering Brad Penny covering first, one big man feeding another in what amounted to considerably more than 500 pounds of PFP (pitcher’s fielding practice).

“The tough one is when you have to throw to the pitcher [overhand],’’ Ortiz said with a straight face, “because pitchers, you know, they’re really not good fielders.’’

...“My mentality when I’m out there is like, ‘I’m a Gold Glover,’ ’’ Ortiz cracked. “I was pretty good at defense until I got humongous. I got to the big leagues and I gained like 30 pounds, and we had [Doug] Mientkiewicz over there, and he was a Gold Glover [in 2001]. Then I got here and we had like 20 first basemen. Next thing I know I was DH-ing, and that’s it.

“People always make a big deal about first basemen, but most of ’em stink, anyway,’’ Ortiz mused. “They just hit.’’

Thanks to Drex.