Boston Red Sox

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Ortiz feeling fine after batting practice swings

08:21 AM EDT on Wednesday, July 9, 2008

By STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON - The day after David Ortiz tested his injured left wrist with his first normal, on-the-field round of batting practice, he said he felt fine.

“It feels the same as yesterday, and that’s a good thing,” Ortiz said yesterday while sitting at his locker in the Sox’ clubhouse.

Ortiz, who suffered a torn tendon sheath in the left wrist during an at-bat in Baltimore on May 31, said he did not feel tentative in taking his swings on Monday. In fact, he said he wasn’t even thinking about the wrist when he took his swings, noting that getting over that mental hurdle can be even more difficult than any physical hurdles.

“When I first started hitting, I was aware of it,” said Ortiz. “But last week I figured the more I babysat it, the worse it gets. So when I was swinging off the tee or doing soft toss, I just let it go, even if it got sore. It has gotten better and better.”

The plan calls for Ortiz to hit this week and then, after the All-Star break — which is Monday through Thursday for the Sox — he’s expected to take some swings for one of Boston’s minor-league teams on a rehabilitation assignment.

“We would hate to have that first checked swing against K-Rod (Angels reliever Frankie Rodriguez),” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

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