FORT MYERS, Fla. -- A few years ago, David Ortiz offered this all-too-true statement: "The last time I checked, they don't put spring training stats on the back of baseball cards."

He was right on.

But there is one stat, when coupled with the news of the day/week/month/entire camp, that should offer a potentially uncomfortable reminder for the Red Sox -- they are dead last of all spring training teams right now in home runs (6). (This while Seattle has blasted 30.)

Why does this matter? Because Thursday's post-running interview with David Ortiz planted the notion that one of the Red Sox' chief power threats might not be present come April 1.

“Like I am right now? I don’t think I can play like that,” Ortiz said after testing his injured Achilles. “If it gets better and it doesn’t bother me that much, yes, I’ll probably be able to deal with it.

“I have to get out of my mind the rushing [trying to be ready for Opening Day] thing, because that just gets me worse. I have to stick with the plan and try not get it worse."

Ortiz obviously has proved to be more than just a source for a good majority of the Red Sox' home runs in recent years. He is a good hitter who helps the line move, possessing the third-best OPS (1.024) in the majors before succumbing to his injury last July.

Without Ortiz in the lineup last season, the Red Sox went 22-48. Since 2007, the team has been one game under .500 (91-92) without Ortiz while going 443-346 with him.

But the question is: Can this Red Sox lineup function without Ortiz, and specifically the designated hitter's ability to hit the ball over the fence?

"It's kind of a situational thing because if our goal is to score 850-plus runs a year, is that reliant on one 30-home run hitter," Farrell said. "If we can just say, 'OK, Ortiz and [Mike] Napoli can be two 30-home run guys,' we would sign up for that right now because we know we have higher on-base guys around them. But again, it all comes back to what is the makeup of our lineup and not just two guys. That's not to short-change their importance and presence in the lineup, but it's total number of runs scored in my mind."

Said Napoli: "I think [home runs are] important because you can change a game with one swing. To have guys in the lineup who are capable of doing that is big to a team."

While some will suggest the Red Sox were offering Ortiz a semblance lifetime achievement when presenting his latest contract, the on-field importance of keeping him around can't be ignored. Middle-of-the-order hitters have become the hardest kind of player to find in baseball, surpassing the ultra-valuable top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

There were 27 players in the majors who hit 30 or more home runs last season, compared to 50 pitchers whose ERA was 3.85 or better. (The major league average ERA was 4.01.)

Right now, the Red Sox possess two, with the potential to find four, players who can come away with 30 homers. There's Napoli and Ortiz, with Will Middlebrooks offering some additional hope. Jacoby Ellsbury also has to enter the equation considering he did hit 32 in '11.

Now, you don't absolutely need two boppers hitting 30-plus homers to succeed. After all, the Giants won the World Series with the fewest home runs in the major leagues, and sixth-fewest of any team since 2000. San Francisco's top power threats? Buster Posey (24 homers) and Pablo Sandoval (12). What they did was pitch and hit when it counted, finishing with the second-highest batting average with runners on base, and fifth-best with runners in scoring position. The Giants also led the big leagues in sacrifices, while scoring a respectable 718 runs.

But, San Francisco aside, 2012 still reiterated that hitting home runs can sure make a team's life a whole lot easier, especially in the American League.

Of the AL teams to make the postseason, only Oakland didn't possess a pair of 30-or-better home run hitters. Detroit had Miguel Cabrera (44) and Prince Fielder (32). The Yankees' duo was Curtis Granderson (43) and Robinson Cano (33). The Rangers possessed both Josh Hamilton (43) and Adrian Beltre (36). And the Orioles claimed Chris Davis (33) and Adam Jones (32).

But what if the Red Sox don't find a way to keep Ortiz (and Napoli) on the field? Is this a team that can make up for such a power drought?

While Farrell wasn't around to see how punchless the Red Sox became without Ortiz last season, he did get a taste of living life one less home run hitter thanks to Jose Bautista's wrist injury. Before Bautista went down for basically the season on July 16, the Jays were third in the majors in runs scored, and second in home runs. After? Toronto managed the fifth-fewest runs in the majors.

Sound familiar?

The Red Sox could very well uncover the type of lineup that doesn't need two 30-home run threats. After all, the last time they won a World Series only one player (Ortiz) hit over 25 homers, but the team still finished with the fourth-most runs in the majors (867).

It might be that the skill-set of the newly formed Red Sox lineup will be enough to avoid leaning on middle-of-the-order power. A guy like Jonny Gomes, for instance, can pick up the slack with his skill-set. (Gomes led all big leaguers in '12 with runners in scoring position and two outs, hitting .480.)

And if you find enough on-base guys, as the Red Sox are banking on rolling out this time around, the home runs you do hit will mean more.

"It can possibly be a momentum-change, but that being said, I think a three-run home run is more valuable than three solos," Gomes said. "Get an out, get an out, hit a solo homer, get an out. There's really no momentum there. It's quantity over quality."

Without Ortiz, the Red Sox will need a little of everything … and then some.