Ortiz disses Dempster, backs A-Rod

The Guru
Contributing Writer

The Alex Rodriguez haters would agree that A-Rod’s beaning at the hand of Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster Sunday night was some fitting vigilante justice.

Don’t count Sox slugger David Ortiz among them.

Big Papi had some interesting comments Thursday, telling USA Today Sports,

"I didn't like it. I don't think it was the right thing to do. But we don't all think alike, and the guy who did it, Dempster, is a great guy. It's not that I didn't think it was right because Alex and I are friends, because once you cross the white lines, everyone's on their own.

But we've got Tampa right on our heels, and that pitch woke up a monster in the Yankees' team at that moment. You saw how the game ended up. CC [Sabathia] was throwing 91 and started throwing 96. Alex later hit one way out there. You're talking about a good team that you can't wake up. But we learn from our mistakes."

The Red Sox clubhouse has been relatively drama free this season compared to chicken and beer-gate of 2011 and the Bobby Valentine misfire last season. With as far as the Red Sox have come in the last two years in terms of the on-field type of chemistry, could Ortiz calling out a teammate divide the team?

Probably not, but there were some eyebrows raised Saturday when, after the Red Sox defeated the Yankees at Fenway, Ortiz and Rodriguez were seen leaving together in Ortiz's SUV.

The Red Sox and Yankees meet seven more times this season.

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