Astronaughty?

Bradford: Cora Hurts Arm | Tonight's Sox Lineup

Astronaughty?

Should a Pooped Papi Have Flown to New York City to Shoot a Spot for Vitaminwater on the First Day of Rest Back Home?
Do We Have a Watered-Down David on Our Hands?

Buckley: Just Say No

Boston Herald, Steve Buckley, 4.10.08: �I just don�t want the Red Sox to come to me and tell me what I can do and what I cannot do,� Big Papi said. �That�s why I don�t even want to talk about it. . . . I don�t want them to think that if I struggle, it�s because of that.�

For Ortiz, it comes down to this: Throughout his tenure with the Red Sox, he has been in the �yes� business. Whether it�s been community outreach activities (speaking with kids, posing for pictures, etc.) or personal for-profit endeavors (such as TV commercials), Ortiz has been able to do it all while maintaining his status as one of the game�s top offensive performers.

As he put it yesterday, �I�ve been doing this for years. I don�t want people to get the wrong idea.�

But when the story of this season is written, it�s now going to be tough for Red Sox players to complain about the burdensome trip to Tokyo, Los Angeles, Oakland and Toronto when one of their own - indeed, one of their marquee attractions - tacked on an extra trip in order to be in a television spot.

Asked about the New York trip, Ortiz said, �Whenever you sign a contract, you�ve got to do it.�

From the Perfect Timing Department ...

Ortiz Sends a Personal E-mail to Sox Fans This Morning

Would David Share Some Thoughts on His Slow Start?
Or a Batting Stance Tip That Will Turn Up His Power?
Nope, Guess Again ...

Forget the Water, Is There Too Much on Papi's Plate?

Does David Need All Those Commitment$?

Too Many Hands on His Time? David Ortiz steps up for fans, charities, "wrote" a book with Tony Massarotti, is featured in advertising for Vitaminwater, Nokona bats, ESPN's SportsCenter, D'Angelo sandwich shops, XM radio, has introduced a new shoe for Reebok ... and even had a plane ...So is all the off-field activity dragging down David's numbers or not?

Bradford: Early Slump Gets Papi Down

McAdam: Time for Sox to Raze the Big Top at Fenway

Sean McAdam, Providence Journal, 4.10.08: On Bucker: "To think that Buckner was, until Tuesday, regarded by Sox fans as some sort of villain is to display an ignorance of the very fans they otherwise venerate. Talk about a tin ear."

On Diamond: "And when Werner was shown raising his arms and swaying to the music, the thing became laughable."

On Red Sox Nation: "Expanding the brand is one thing; relentlessly harping on the team�s appeal is quite another. (It should be pointed out this was not the most egregious co-opting of the Red Sox Nation concept. That came last month when the Henry and Lucchino had Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer swear in broadcaster Jerry Remy as the make-believe president of a nonexistent fan club)."

On the Green Monster Auction: "But the Green Monster auction was something else entirely. Effectively sold out for the season, the move smacked of greed, which is hardly becoming of the group."