BOSTON - Obviously, it's still very early in the season.

There's no reason to panic when it comes to David Ortiz's offense. His track record with the Red Sox shows that the powerful man can produce with a bat in his hands. Extra-base hits are his forte, along with a special, uncanny ability to drive in runs.

Those qualities, though, have not been on display yet in 2008. Blame it on his offseason knee surgery, which forced him to begin his workouts later than normal, a time frame already extended by the Red Sox' march through the World Series. Or blame it on the long three-country season-opening road trip.

Or just mark it down to a nine-game stretch, a period of time over the course of season that is hardly considered enough of a sample to really matter of the 162-game schedule.

Ortiz just isn't comfortable yet in the batter's box. He's not consistent in his approach to the ball, as evidenced by his first-inning at-bat.

On a 2-and-1 pitch, an inside fastball from Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman, Ortiz was able to pull his hands in and react to the ball, crushing it deep to right. The only problem was that Ortiz was a tad too quick with his swing, pulling it foul past the Pesky Pole.

Then, on a 3-and-2 pitch, the normally patient Ortiz, who rarely chases pitches or takes indecisive swings, chased a pitch and took an indecisive swing at a pitch and struck out.

In his second at-bat, again the count went full, and again Youkilis was at first. Youkilis took off for second and Bonderman fed Ortiz a fastball down the middle and a little up. It was a pitch Ortiz generally can drive.

Ortiz, though, not looking balanced at the plate, popped out to shallow right field. He looked no better in flying out and grounding out in two later at-bats.