In this moment of bad, we are reminded of some very, very good.
 
When reporters burst through the door of the Red Sox clubhouse Tuesday, their first move was a hard right to where the lineup card was posted. Seeing whose name was in the third spot on the Sox side of the docket had become the priority.
 
But there was no news. Business was as usual, with the name 'Ortiz' in its familiar spot between Pedroia and Bay. There would be no news flash regarding Red Sox' manager Terry Francona's next move with his struggling slugger, only a reminder.
 
Even with another night of homerless -- and in this case, hitless -- at-bats from the Sox' DH, the scene once again offered an example of Francona's trademark patience, the kind of which has paid dividends more times than not.
 
"He's the best about that, Tito," former Red Sox, and current Blue Jay, Kevin Millar said. "He's not going to move him down and say he's not going to do this. He's going to stick with him and he needs to."
 
"Tito sticks with his guys," said Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. "That's why he's successful at what he does. He believes in his guys."
 
And then there is the explanation, although after managing 849 games with the Red Sox none is necessary.
 
"What I want to do is, I don't want to get caught up in the ... I know how he's swinging and the problems he's had. But we need him," said Francona after his team's 2-1 win over Toronto, Tuesday night at Fenway Park, in which Ortiz went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a walk. "He's gong to get hot. How hot, I can't wait to find out. But when he does ... That's why I think being patient is the, it's really the only thing to do, in my opinion. If I'm wrong, I'll take responsibility. I just think it's the right thing and the best thing for us to do."
 
Now, the lineup could have Ortiz starting a game batting somewhere other than third or fourth for the first time since 2004. And it is understood that by giving the DH an almost unprecedented three days off, with no apparent injury serving as an impetus, Francona has reacted to his slugger's current plight in some manner.
 
But there would have been many a manager in this game who would look at Ortiz' zero home runs after 161 plate appearances and done something drastic. Joe Torre hitting Alex Rodriguez eighth in Game 4 of the 2006 playoffs springs to mind.
 
Ortiz has hit 231 regular season home runs for Francona, and the manager isn't about to forget a one.
 
"You know what? He should have a longer runway then most players here just becuse of what this guy has done, all the big hits he's had," Millar said. "You feel terrible for him. I want to talk to him (Tuesday). You have to understand, it's baseball and there's struggles and when you start out this way, it's magnified and it's brutal. You can go do this in August and go 80, 90, 100 at-bats without a home run -- it happens. But at the start, it gets magnified and becomes more mental than physical."
 
"I think Tito trusts his players," Pedroia said. "I think Tito probably understands how hard the game is. At some point in everybody's career they go through bouts where they don't get hits. Baseball is a weird game. You can hit the ball great and get two hits. I think everybody looks at the numbers, especially here. When you don't perform well everybody gets on you. But I think TIto knows in the long run it's going to help our team."
 
Both Millar and Pedroia know of what they speak. 
 
By the end of the first month of the 2004 season, Millar was hitting just .218 before tearing off a .327 May. In '05, he went through the season's first two months having compiled a .237 average with just two home runs. Twenty-two days later he was up to .273.
 
Pedroia's struggle in the first month of his first full season has been well-documented, dipping to .172 on May 1 of the '07 campaign. From there he went 10 for 22 and was on his way to heading into June hitting .308.
 
"Everybody goes through it," Pedroia said. "My biggest thing was that I had 60 at-bats and I knew I was one game away from turning it around. I was one 4 for 4 from going from .150 to .250. The light at the end of the tunnel was right in front of me. I had that game. It's just anything, everything is mental. Like (Tuesday night), I lined out in three straight at-bats, and then your mind can start thinking that you have to get a hit. But in reality if the guy is an inch over you're 3 for 3 and the greatest thing ever. The only thing to get out of this is to build momentum and find a way.
 
"We watch each other more than anybody. When you're going through stuff like that everybody wants to give you advice on how to hit. In reality the only person who can get (Ortiz) out of that is him. The outsiders coming in, that's more a nusance to him. We all see David every day. (Hitting coach Dave Magadan) sees him every day. Every coach sees him. We're a family. We can help him. Not outsiders."
 
And one of those people on the inside is Francona, and he is doing his part in helping Ortiz find his way. His contribution? Patience.
 
"That," said Pedroia, "is why he's the best."