By DANIEL BARBARISI
Journal Sports Writer

For a guy who smiles so much, David Ortiz sure does seem to see negativity all around him.

It's hard to blame him, in a sense. He comes out of nowhere to deliver more than five years of amazing production in Boston, and then sees some of his old supporters turn on him after two months of bad play last season.

It's clear that experience left its scars on the 34-year-old slugger.

"I think people gave up on me too early too fast, started talking about age and all that kind of stuff. You listen to it for a minute. It was the same people that were clapping for you a year before and saying good things about you. Do minds change that quick? I don't believe in that. It's a one minute thing. That's the way I see it. I'm strong enough to know how to deal with it and put that in the past," Ortiz said.

Ortiz began 2009 in the worst slump of his career, hitting only .185 with one home run as of June 1. He showed up to camp today jovial and in what looked to be excellent shape, having obviously put in significant work in the offseason.

"You've got to see me naked," Ortiz laughed. "I feel good. Everything is good. another year, make things happen."

Full story here.