David Ortiz, who has hit seven home runs in his last 19 games, fired back at critics who questioned his bat speed earlier this season.

"I don't know why people go there," he said. "Why don't they throw me 96 miles an hour right down [the middle]. Tell all the pitchers to throw me fastballs 96 right down the [middle]. See if I lost bat speed.

"People like to criticize a lot about the game. I don't think people are sitting down watching the game. Oh, he lost bat speed? Why don't they throw me a fastball every pitch?"

Ortiz was unimpressed that some of the people who have said he is losing bat speed are scouts and other talent evaluators within the game.

"You know why they talk?'' he said. "They want to make noise. They want people to listen to them. There's a reason a guy who throws 97 throws me a 3-and-0 slider, because he knows what I can do with a fastball.

"I don't like the knowledge people have about the game today. They just want attention. When you say Papi's lost bat speed, you're just calling people's attention."