Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was scheduled to leave the team Tuesday and return to Boston to be examined again for an irregular heartbeat.

 

Big Papi was a late scratch for Boston's game Monday night at Oakland for what was first thought to be the flu. Ortiz, who on Sunday hit his major league-leading 47th home run at Seattle, already spent time in a Boston hospital earlier this month for the condition.

 

He said he thought it was caused by fatigue.

 

"He will get a clean bill of health before he plays again," manager Terry Francona said. "The games are important, but we have a responsibility to do what's right."

 

Said Sox reliever Mike Timlin: "It's not good. This game is nothing compared to someone's health or family. We don't play games with people's lives. I don't know any of the details. All I can do is pray for him."

 

Ortiz wasn't the only problem for the beat up Red Sox. Before Monday's game they placed rookie left-hander Jon Lester on the 15-day disabled list and sent him back to Boston for further evaluation of his troublesome back.

 

Then the Sox sent pitcher Kyle Snyder back to the hotel because of the bug that has been going around the clubhouse.

 

And All-Star left fielder Manny Ramirez was out of the starting lineup for the fourth time in five games with a sore right knee. Francona doesn't expect him to play again until the team returns home later this week.

 

The A's took advantage, getting homers from Frank Thomas and Nick Swisher in a 9-0 rout.

 

Ortiz was scheduled to be seen by Dr. Admin Roman.

 

Francona, general manager Theo Epstein and trainer Paul Lessard met with Ortiz just more than an hour before game time.

 

"We honestly think he's OK, but he can't play like that," Francona said. "We can't do it."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2564608

I hope he gets well soon and that it's nothing serious

Even if I dislike the Red Sox, health is never something to joke about, so I hope he's OK.

 

The Red Sox should probably find a way to get his weight down.

damn, he was becoming one of my favorite ball players.

 

I hope he is OK, mostly for his family and young kids.

 

Get well soon big guy.

why does it have to happen why they're playing here?

Hopefully he takes September off just to make sure there is no serious health problem, then he can be ready for Spring Training without any concerns about a possible health condition.

I hope Big Papi is okay. He's in my thoughts and prayers.

My entire extended family is going to go insane. I hope he is indeed going to be fine and that he's back on in the batter's box soon.

I don't like the guy but I hope he's alright. He's a great player.

Get well soon

Great guy. I wont say that about many other Red Sox.

Hopefully the big guy is ok...give him a week off and see how he's doing then

He was discharged from the hospital today.

He was discharged from the hospital today.

 

 

I have no idea, but just wondering since you might know....is what Ortiz has anything similar to what Eddy Curry has/had?

Curry had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a disease of the heart muscle and what killed Reggie Lewis whereas Ortiz has cardiac arrhythmia which deals with the pulse of the heart being faster or slower then normal.

 

Both just as serious as either can lead to death.