Baseball rumors: David Ortiz’s bad start may prompt Red Sox to make a move

David Ortiz’s horrible start could accelerate the timetable for the next round of talks between the Red Sox and Padres regarding Adrian Gonzalez. … Milton Bradley’s game-winning homer for the Mariners on Tuesday was his first to give his team a lead in the seventh inning or later since Sept. 22, 2006, when he was with the A’s. No wonder he’s considered an anti-hero. … Brad Ausmus, 41, vows to work hard to get back on the field with the Dodgers after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. He’s going to miss at least three months and could be forced into retirement. … The A’s Rajai Davis has a .275 on-base percentage yet scored nine runs in the first 11 games. He’s an old-style base-stealing center fielder and heads a leadoff man renaissance that includes the Tigers’ Austin Jackson, the Twins’ Denard Span, the Rays’ Jason Bartlett and the Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez. … The Royals are looking to deal Juan Cruz and reportedly will pay much of the $3.5 million he is due this season. He was great for the Diamondbacks two years ago but has been a non-factor since. … The Dodgers are very disappointed with their starting pitching, raising the question of how long they can hang with the pitching-rich Giants. San Francisco’s lineup has been better than expected, entering the weekend third in the National League in on-base percentage and a respectable sixth in slugging. … The Marlins’ out-of-town scoreboard is gone — the result of inattention by management as they prepare to move into their own ballpark in two years. Team President David Samson says the board isn’t necessary because “every fan has a handheld device with Internet accessibility.” The noise you hear is Bill Veeck rolling over in his grave. … Camden Yards wasn’t the only park setting a new low-water mark last week. Rogers Centre in Toronto and Progressive Field in Cleveland set all-time lows on Tuesday, the same night that a crowd of 18,043 was the second-lowest ever at Safeco Field in Seattle. Spring training attendance increased this year, creating optimism in MLB circles, but the economy remains a major problem.