Ortiz: When weather heats up, Papi heats up

BOSTON -- David Ortiz showcased his usual power in April, belting five homers to tie Mike Napoli for the team lead. But his .250 batting average was a sign that things were yet to completely click for the slugger.

The way Ortiz looks at it, his modest start is a combination of shoddy weather and perhaps being a little too anxious at the plate.

Ortiz does have 14 walks, tying Napoli for the team lead in that department as well. But he thinks he could have even more free passes.

"I'm OK," Ortiz said. "Things have to go back to the old page and be a little more patient. Everyone likes to pitch around me and try to have me chasing pitches out of the strike zone. But I know how to do that. I know how to go back into [being selective]."

Ortiz also looks forward to being warm again.

"Man, mother nature, what's going on? It will go away," Ortiz said of the cold, blustery conditions. "Probably about a week before we get back into that baseball weather. When the weather heats up, Papi heats up. I hit a ball last night, and I swear to God, I wanted to cry. It was so cold, man.

"It is what it is. you don't want to use the weather as an excuse. You definitely don't play the same way in cold weather that you do with that 70, 80-degree weather. You know what I'm saying? We're going to get there."