David Ortiz has been a star for Boston in postseasons past, so Big Papi's lack of production this postseason is glaring.

Ortiz is 5 for 31 this postseason with two extra-base hits and no homers. He was a .317 postseason hitter in his career before this year, but he missed 45 regular-season games after surgery on his left wrist and also missed time with a sore right knee.

"I'm all right," he said. "I'm dealing with my hand and stuff, but, right now, the situation is it's a ride-or-die situation and I don't want to put too many things in my head."

The Red Sox trail Tampa Bay, 3-1, in the ALCS heading into Game 5 tonight in Boston.

B.J. Upton's left shoulder will still require surgery "soon after the season's over," but it's feeling good enough that Tampa Bay's center fielder is able to take a full swing, pull the ball to left field again and hit home runs. In fact, he has five homers in his first 28 postseason at-bats. He is the first player, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, to hit at least five homers in the postseason after hitting fewer than 10 in the regular season; he had 9 in 531 at-bats.

The Red Sox's season isn't quite up in flames, but a small fire at a Fenway Park landmark can't be a good omen. The fire yesterday blackened some panels on the red, white and blue Citgo sign that hangs over Fenway's Green Monster in left field. The fire department said the flames were put out quickly and the blaze was likely caused by an electrical short circuit. Damage was estimated at $5,000."

As an indication that Ken Griffey Jr. plans to extend his career, his agent said the Chicago White Sox outfielder had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee early this week that should enable him to be ready well before the start of spring training

Washington sent outfielder Ryan Langerhans and right-hander Levale Speigner outright to Class AAA Syracuse yesterday after they cleared waivers. The team also announced that left-hander Charlie Manning was claimed off waivers by St. Louis.