J.D. Drew helped the Sox go 15-8 in David Ortiz’s absence.

Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — When David Ortiz was forced out of the lineup because of a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, there were legitimate concerns about the offense. Who was going to pick up the slack in Ortiz’s absence?

Manny Ramirez? Mike Lowell? Kevin Youkilis?

Would anyone have said the man most responsible for making sure the Red Sox didn’t feel Ortiz’s absence would be J.D. Drew?

Not likely. But since Ortiz left the lineup during a May 31 at-bat, Drew’s amazing hot streak has been the biggest reason Boston has gone 15-8 without Big Papi.

From June 1-18, Drew batted .429 (24-for-56) with seven doubles, two triples, nine homers and 21 RBI in the 17 games. He didn’t roll over on any outside pitch. He didn’t swing at any bad pitches. He was always ahead in the count. He crushed the pitchers’ mistakes.

Drew was, for those 17 games, the man the Red Sox expected him to be, and maybe even a little more, when they signed him before the 2007 season to a deal that pays him $14 million a year.

He has cooled off. He had to, right? Everyone does at some point. On the homestand, he was only 2-for-19 (.105), though he did hit his 10th homer of the month.

Maybe St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa’s appearance got into his head. LaRussa, who managed Drew from 1999-2003, criticized him in his book, basically calling Drew a soft underachiever.

The chess match and mind games between the two was evident last Sunday when LaRussa elected to pitch to Drew, the hottest hitter on the planet, in a tie game in the bottom of the 10th with a runner at third and one out.

Drew, uncharacteristically overly aggressive on a full count, couldn’t check his swing at a pitch in the dirt and struck out. In obvious frustration he even yelled “dang,” which for the normally even-keeled Drew was a violent outburst.

Now it’s time for someone else to step up in the power production scheme of things. Manny Ramirez? Mike Lowell? Kevin Youkilis?

skrasner@projo.com