"Papi Stinks"

"I'm sorry guys. I don't feel like talking right now. Just put down, 'Papi Stinks.'"-David Ortiz

He's David Ortiz. Big Papi. Senor October. And right now, he stinks.

Current Batting Average: 208
"Papi Stinks"

Current OBP: 318
"Papi Stinks"

Current Slugging %: 300
"Papi Stinks"

Current Home Run Total: 0
"Papi Stinks"

Maybe his wrist is still hurting. Maybe he misses Manny. Maybe he was on steroids. Maybe the pressure of Boston is finally getting to him. Maybe he is just getting old. Maybe the hole in his swing, the hole that Minnesota cut him for, has reappeared and pitchers are taking advantage. No one really knows.

One thing I do know is there are very few people that enjoy seeing Ortiz struggle. Fans and players alike all love the big man and hope he can rebound. While I feel the same way, I am not quite as optimistic, and heres why.

Mo Vaughn went from crushing 30-40 home runs a year with a great average to completely irrelevant after 10 seasons.

Carl Everett, while he had a longer career than Vaughn, had a 9 year span during the heart of his career where he hit double digit home runs each year, then fell apart (unless you look at his one year with the White Sox.)

Danny Tartabull also had 9 years of double digit home run production, then completely fell apart (again, other than one year with the White Sox.)

Richie Sexson had 10 years out of eleven (the outlier year he only had 90 at bats with Arizona) where he had double digit home runs before his average and slugging percentage fell apart.

Tony Clark had 9 out of 10 years (the outlier year being with Boston) where he had double digit home runs every year, then fell apart (other than one year with Arizona).

Heres where all of this hits home...

David Ortiz has hit double digit home runs now for 9 years in a row.

~Aaron Jackson

(Aaron was formerly the co-producer and writer of White Hat Sports, now Sterling's Sports. He is currently a sports reporter/anchor for an ABC/Fox affiliate in Maine.)