Photo by Kelly of SittingStill.net.

Run prevention may yet be the 2010 team’s calling card, but it was an error by Marco Scutaro that helped the Yanks step on our nuts last night. Meanwhile, Lester looked almost as non-Ace-like as Beckett did Sunday night, giving up four runs over five innings. In time, however, I’m fairly confident that these things will correct themselves.

But is two games in too soon to worry about David Ortiz? All winter long we’ve wondered aloud what we might get out of his bat this season. His spring training was hardly promising. And a mere 18 innings into official play, he’s gone 0-for-7, playing into the “Papi Shift” more than a couple of times, like a fat kid falling for the old “lollipop on a fishin’ line” trick.

This is the guy who bestrode the earth like a colossus just a few years ago. Mountains moved when he stepped to the plate, and women (A-Rod, etc) swooned. These days, however, every time he lumbers from the dugout, my “let’s go make a sandwich” muscles involuntarily snap to attention. It’s tough to watch, frankly, and I hope he breaks out of it soon before checking his line in the box score becomes our daily obsession.

Again, hardly time to sound the alarms; the guy hasn’t even had a chance to warm up yet. But if you’re Tito, how long do you ride with Papi? Or do you replace him in the DH slot with Lowell for tonight’s game against Pettitte?