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Main page February 28, 2008
Final: Red Sox 24, BC 0
About what you'd expect when the defending World Series champions play a college team. Tony Granadillo had a grand-slam homer, Brandan Moss knocked in three runs, and Dustin Pedroia, George Kotteras, Jeff Bailey and Julio Lugo each had two RBI as the Red Sox cruised past Boston College, 24-0, in a seven-inning game. Josh Beckett, Kyle Snyder, Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen and Bryan Corey combined on a one-hitter. The Sox play Northeastern tonight at 6 p.m.
Posted by Art Martone In-game update: Red Sox 8, BC 0 in the 3rd
Dustin Pedroia's two-run double was the highlight of an eight-run second inning that has carried the Red Sox to a 8-0 lead over Boston College today after two innings in the first game of their exhibition season. Josh Beckett breezed through two perfect innings, with four strikeouts. The Sox opened the second with back-to-back walks to Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. A single by Kevin Youkilis loaded the bases, and the Sox scored single runs on a sacrifice fly by Julio Lugo and RBI singles from Bobby Kielty and Brandon Moss. One batter later, Pedroia doubled home two runs. Later in the inning, David Ortiz doubled home a run. Lugo later walked with the bases loaded, forcing in another run. The Sox also scored on an error.
Posted by Art Martone Video: Bush on MannyClick here to see a YouTube video that includes the president's comments about Jonathan Papelbon and Manny Ramirez. In case you missed them, here's what Bush said: On Papelbon: "how about Jonathan Papelbon ... thanks for wearing pants On Ramirez: "Manny Ramirez isn't here, I guess his grandmother died again. Just kidding!"
Posted by Mike McDermott Miami Herald story on Jacoby EllsburyThe Miami Herald ran stories over the weekend on several top prospects, including the Red Sox' Jacoby Ellsbury. The Herald profile describes Ellsbury's fast rise through the Sox system, how he has achieved hero status in New England (inspiring a sign during the Boston World Series parade that read, "Jacoby, I want to be your Baby-Momma"), and his supreme confidence in his own abilities. Click here to read the story.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 27, 2008
Sox, trophy welcomed at White House / Photo, video
The First Fan -- President Bush -- clearly in his element among owners and players of the Sox -- paid tribute to individual stars with several humorous jabs at them and at himself. Bush welcomed "Dice-K" -- Daisuke Matsuzaka -- and told the crowd, which included a large contingent of Japanase reporters, "His press corps is bigger than mine. We both have trouble answering questions in English." It was the team's second trip to the White House in recent years. Many of the players also attended a ceremony in the spring of 2005, months after the Sox won the 2004 World Series. The president also got a big laugh by noting the absence of Manny Ramirez and joking that the slugger's grandmother "must have died again." But as is his custom at these White House gatherings of champions from beyond the world of politics, Bush also made some serious points about the value of teamwork and diligent effort. He also noted that members of the Red Sox planned after the White House celebration to visit wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "Thank you for really honoring the true heroes of America," Bush told the players. As the ceremony wound down, a military band struck up "Sweet Caroline," the number traditionally played during the seventh-inning stretch at Fenway Park. And as the champions walked up the stairway to the Truman Balcony of the White House, a chant rose up from the crowd, "Let's go Red Sox!" Video: See a clip of the White House ceremony today.
Posted by Andrea Panciera Sox get dressed up for trip to D.C.
Posted by Mike McDermott Colon Update
With the help of Duncan Webb, the Red Sox' Latin Education Coordinator, Bartolo Colon answered questions for about five minutes this morning. Webb translated for Colon, who has never felt comfortable with his English. Some highlights: * Colon will throw a bullpen Tuesday and said he expects to appear in a game March 9 -- a week from Sunday, though it's unclear whether that would be a camp game against some minor leaguers or in Vero Beach, where the Sox are scheduled that day to play the Los Angeles Dodgers. * He said he chose the Sox because of their ``aggressive'' approach toward him and an opportunity to pitch. * Colon is motivated to show that he can still pitch at an elite level. ``A lot of teams (were) saying I couldn't pitch,'' he said, ``so I'm taking this opoprtunity to show I can.'' * He said the presence of David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and other fellow Dominicans was a factor in his signing with the Sox, citing the ``strong group of Latino players'' in the Sox clubhouse. * After experiencing shoulder problems in 2006 and elbow issues last year, he said his arm ``feels good. I just need to prepare to the point where it feels strong.''
Posted by Sean McAdam Hello, He Must Be GoingBY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Freddy Garcia visited camp early this morning, but he didn't remain here long and it's not likely he'll be coming back. Garcia was examined by the Red Sox medical staff this morning, a trip that was planned before the Sox came to terms with fellow free agent, Bartolo Colon. Garcia missed half of last season, undergoing shoulder surgery last August. He probably won't be able to pitch until after the All-Star break and the Sox' invitation was a matter of them performing some due diligence in the event that Garcia could help out in the second half of the season. He's been unable to land a deal elsewhere, having visited a number of camps -- including the Mets -- in the last week or so.
Posted by Sean McAdam Live video of congressional hearing on drugs in sportsThrough AP Video, we will have live coverage of today's hearings in the House of Representatives on drug use in sports. The hearings will begin at 9:30; go to this link to watch. Expected to testify: Former Sen. George Mitchell; MLB Commissioner Bud Selig; NBA Commissioner David Stem; MLB Players Association Executive Director Donald Fehr; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman; NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw; NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly; USOC Executive Director Jim Scheer; U.S. Anti Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart; NCAA President Myles Brand; Robert Kanaby, Executive Director, National Federation of State High School Associations; Alexander Waldrop, CEO, National Throughbred Racing Association.
Posted by Mike McDermott Live video of Sox' trip to the White HouseWeather-permitting, we plan to have a live video feed of the ceremony on the South Lawn today, when the MLB champion Red Sox meet President Bush. Check this link today at 3 p.m., when the ceremony is scheduled to start, to access the feed.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 26, 2008
Projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdamToday, Sean discusses Terry Francona's new contract, the Bartolo Colon acquisition, and the prospects for Jed Lowrie. Click the play button below to see and hear the show; we'll post a transcript of Sean's comments later. TRANSCRIPT On Francona's extension: "Certainly it wasn't anyting that they wanted to have dragon once the seaon began, or even later into the exhibition season here, so they took the opportunity when it's a litte quieter in the first couple of weeks to get it taken care of. It was said to be a priority of ownership after the World Series win last October, and as these things tend to do, it got put off and really kind of came together over that last week, where they narrrowed some differences and were able to get it done first thing Sunday morning. I think everyone's glad that it's off the plate and they have Francona under control for as many as six more years, if they wish: the final year of the existing deal, three years that are guaranteed and then two additional team options. So it's conceivable that Terry Francona could be the manager of this team all the way through 2013, which would be quite a run for any franchise, but particularly this one." What should we expect from Colon, and what are his chances of making the team at some point? " think that second one is very difficult to answer, Mike. He has not done a lot in the last three weeks since pitching in the Caribbean World Series, so they kind of have to start him from scratch, from long toss to bullpen sessions to live BP and then ultimately in some games later this month. But it's a project that they think is worthwhile, given that only three years ago this was the American Cy Young Award winner. The last two years he's been limited by injuries and ... I don't think his conditioning is probably going to be working in his favor here. The Red Sox are braced for the fact that he's going to be pretty big. I think the Red Sox have been told as much as a preemptive warning. But he's always been a guy, as Theo Epstein said yesterday, that pitches with a pretty big body and it hasn't affected him. My only comment to that would be, it gets a little difficult as you get into your mid to late 30s to carry that excessive weight. We've seen guys that have struggled with it, guys like Sid Fernandez with the Mets back in the 80s and early 90s, that got so big that he was putting additional stress on his knees, and you know, it becomes problematic. You can get away with that in your 20s; as you get older it makes it tougher." What does Jed Lowrie need to do to get to the big leagues? "Well, I think it's really just playing time and experience. He's had a pretty quick rise through the organization, last year was at both Double A, then finished up in Triple A the last couple of months. I think the problem with him is that there is no obvious in the immediate future opening for him. You've got Dustin Pedroia, who was the Rookie of the Year last year, is going to be the second baseman for some time. You've got Julio Lugo, who's got three years left plus some options on his long-term deal, and you've got Mike Lowell, who just signed a three-year extension. So the three positions that Lowrie could conceivably help out in are spoken for for the time being, and so for that matter is the utility spot of Alex Cora, who the Red Sox love. He's got a two-year deal that is up after this year, but i think the Red Sox would be very much interested in bringing him back and having him fill that role, so you wonder if there's much of a future here for Lowrie, or if he gets put in a deal. His name certainly came up quite a bit in the offseason in the Johan Santana talks, so it will be interesting to see where he fits in, if at all. But the Red Sox like him; in fact francona the other day was making some comparisons to Dustin Pedroia: they both played at Pac-10 schools, they're both middle infielders and they're both pretty polished players. But the tough part, as I said, is figuring out where Lowrie fits in in the immediate future here."
Posted by Mike McDermott Lineups for Thursday announcedThe Sox have announced their lineups and pitching plans for Thursday's day-night doubleheader against Boston College and Northeastern. Against BC, it will be: Jacoby Ellsbury CF The pitchers vs BC: For the night game against Northeastern, here's the lineup: Coco Crisp CF The pitchers:
Posted by Sean McAdam Colon arrives
BY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Bartolo Colon has arrived in camp, a day after agreeing to a minor-league contract with the Red Sox. Regarding his size . . . he made an ill-advised decision to wear a horizontally striped shirt, which was not a slenderizing look.
Posted by Art Martone Waiting....BY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Bartolo Colon has not reported yet, but apparently, he'll be hard to miss. According a team official, Colon, in his commuication with the club, warned the Sox that he is....how to put this delicately....big. Naturally, that has some people concerned. Colon has never exactly been svelte, but if he felt the need to warn them about his size, what does that say about the shape he's in? Colon is well behind other pitchers in camp and is coming off two seasons that were limited by elbow and shoulder woes. If he's as out-of-shape as they fear, that won't help. A crew from ``60 Minutes'' is here this morning, led by longtime correspondent Morley Safer. The show is preparing a feature on Bill James, who serves as a consultant to the Sox and is the father of the sabermetrics movement and statistical analysis. Safer plans to interview a number of people from the Baseball Operations staff and manager Terry Francona about James later today.
Posted by Sean McAdam February 25, 2008
Gator, Spaceman and Big Mo among Red Sox Hall of Fame inducteesThe Red Sox Hall of Fame will induct eight new members at its next induction dinner, Nov. 7 at the Marriott Copley Hotel in Boston. The inductees: outfielder Mike Greenwell, pitcher Bill Lee, pitcher Frank Sullivan, first baseman Mo Vaughn, pitcher Wes Ferrell, shortstop Everett Scott, scout George Digby and longtime executive Edward Kenney Sr. The 2008 inductees were selected by a committee comprised of Red Sox executives and broadcasters, media members, and representatives of the New England Sports Museum and BoSox club. The committee also selected its seventh Most Memorable Moment for Hall of Fame recognition: Ted Williams’ home run in his final major league at bat on Sept. 28, 1960, versus the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. The eight inductees bring the number of Red Sox Hall of Famers to 52. WES FERRELL: Pitched for the Red Sox from 1934-37 with a 62-40 overall record in that span…Led the A.L. in wins (25), starts (38), complete games (31), and innings (322.1) in 1935 and recorded 20 victories in 1936…Had a 193-128 overall record in a 15-year major league career…Holds the ML career record with 38 homers by a pitcher…Died in 1996. MIKE GREENWELL: Played his entire career with the Red Sox from 1985-96, serving as the team’s regular left fielder for most of that period…Batted .303 with 130 homers and 726 RBI in 1269 games…Is among Boston’s all-time leaders in doubles (9th, 275), hits (10th, 1400), RBI (12th), and average (13th)…Hit over .300 5 times…Hit .325 and finished 2nd in A.L. MVP voting in 1998. BILL LEE: Pitched for the Red Sox from 1969-78 with a 94-68 record and 3.64 ERA in 321 games/167 starts…Ranks 8th in club history in appearances and is 3rd among Sox lefthanders in wins…Recorded 17 wins each in 3 consecutive seasons from 1973-75…Had an overall career record of 119-90 in 14 major league seasons. EVERETT SCOTT: Was Boston’s regular shortstop from 1914-21, playing on 3 World Series winners (1915-16-18)…Holds the Red Sox club record by playing in 832 consecutive games and leads all Boston shortstops with 2310 putouts and 3394 assists…Played in 1654 games in a 13-year career, including a them ML record 1307 straight contests from 1916-25…Died in 1960. FRANK SULLIVAN: Posted a 90-80 record in 252 games/201 starts with the Red Sox from 1953-60…Won 13 or more games in 5 straight seasons from 1954-58 with a career high 18 victories and a 2.91 ERA in 1955…Was an A.L. All-Star in 1955 and 1956…Overall won 97 games in an 11-year major league career. MO VAUGHN: Was one of the league’s top offensive players in his 8 seasons with Boston from 1991-98…Hit .304 with 230 homers and 752 RBI in 1046 games with the Red Sox…Ranks 6th in club history in homers and slugging (.542), 9th in RBI, and 12th in average…Was the 1995 A.L. MVP with 39 homers and 126 RBI…Hit .326 with 44 homers and 143 RBI in 1996 and .337 with 40 homers and 115 RBI in 1998…Won 3 straight Red Sox MVL Awards from 1994-96…Played in 3 All-Star Games…Had a .293 average with 328 homers and 1064 RBI in 1572 overall ML games. GEORGE DIGBY: Served as a Red Sox amateur scout for 50 years from 1944-1994…Signed Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, newly elected Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell and Dalton Jones and Reid Nichols among others…Was the 1985 East Coast Scout of the Year…Served as a scouting consultant for the Red Sox through 2004. EDWARD KENNEY SR.: Served as a Red Sox executive for over 40 years…Started in the Boston organization as a pitching prospect in 1946 but had arm problems and went to work in the ticket office…Joined the minor league department in 1948 and became farm director in 1966…Retired in 1991 after a stint as Vice President of Baseball Development…Died in 2006.
Posted by Mike McDermott Morning Fort Report: Colon signing is news to Manny I attempted to engage Manny Ramirez in some discussion about Bartolo Colon, with whom he is very friendly. I didn't get very far. ``I didn't even know we had signed him,'' said Ramirez as he dressed this morning. When I asked if he thought Colon could help the Sox, given the injuries he's battled the last two seasons, Ramirez gave me a strange look. ``I'm not a pitching coach,'' said Ramirez. And that was that. On the subject of pitching coaches -- sort of -- Bruce Hurst has accepted a formal par-ttime position with the organization and will serve as a Special Instructor for Player Development. Hurst has been in camp for the last two weeks, but in an informal, undefined role. He has agreed to travel once or twice a month to the Sox' minor league affiliates and continue as a spring training instructor. ``I think this is THE elite organization in baseball,'' said Hurst, who pitched for the Sox between 1980-1988. ``It's the epitome of this place can be.'' Hurst said he will stress mechanics, command and mental toughness when he works with the young pitchers in the organization.
Posted by Sean McAdam February 24, 2008
Red Sox reach agreement with RHP Bartolo ColonThe Boston Red Sox have reached preliminary agreement on a minor league contract with right-hander Bartolo Colon, a source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. If he makes the Opening Day roster, Colon would provide rotation insurance for Boston, which will be without Curt Schilling, who is working his way back from a shoulder injury. The White Sox, Cardinals and Astros also had been rumored as possible suitors for Colon this offseason. Colon suffered through an injury-marred 2007 for the Los Angeles Angels, posting a 6-8 record and a 6.34 ERA -- the worst of his career. In his 11-year career, Colon is 146-95 with a 4.10 ERA. He is a two-time 20-game winner, and he won the Cy Young Award in 2005 with the Angels. --ESPN.com
Posted by Chris Venditto Francona updateSean McAdam reported this morning that the Red Sox and manager Terry Francona came to terms on a three-year contract extension worth $12 million. The club has now made an official announcement. The deal also includes two-year club option for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. “On behalf of John Henry, Tom Werner, Larry Lucchino, and the Red Sox organization, I am very pleased to make this announcement,” said general manager Theo Epstein. “Terry Francona has done an outstanding job in managing the Red Sox over the last four seasons. This is demonstrated not only in the three playoff appearances and two World Series victories but also in the way in which he handles the demands of managing in Boston on a day-to-day basis, both on and off the field. It also represents a strong and sincere commitment by our ownership.” Negotiations were completed earlier this morning and Epstein told the entire squad of the news as the Red Sox players were stretching prior to the work out. The three-year deal is worth approximately $12 million, making Francona the third-highest paid manager in baseball behind the Dodger' Joe Torre and the Cardinals' Tony La Russa. “I want to thank the Red Sox ownership and management for their tremendous support,” said Francona. “From the resources provided by the ownership group and front office to a great collection of players and the passion and loyalty of the fans, there is no doubt that Boston is the best place to manage in the major leagues. I look forward to being in a Red Sox uniform for many years to come.” Red Sox ownership had said that getting Francona an extension would be a priority, but talks only intensified last week with Francona's agent conducting talks on behalf of the manager.
This new deal more than doubles his 2008 salary of $1.75 million. Sean will have more on this in Monday's Journal.
Posted by Joe McDonald Sox, Francona agree on extensionSean McAdam just called in this report from Fort Myers: When the Red Sox leave the field this morning the team is expected to announce a three-year contract extension for its manager Terry Francona. Negotiations were completed earlier this morning and general manager Theo Epstein told the entire squad of the news as the Red Sox players were stretching prior to the work out. The three-year deal is worth approximately $12 million, making Francona the third-highest paid manager in baseball behind the Dodger' Joe Torre and the Cardinals' Tony La Russa. Red Sox ownership had said that getting Francona an extension would be a priority, but talks only intensified last week with Francona's agent conducting talks on behalf of the manager.
This new deal more than doubles his 2008 salary of $1.75 million. Sean will have more on this in Monday's Journal.
Posted by Joe McDonald February 23, 2008
Baseball Today: Saturday, February 23
REPLAY: One of the benefits of winning the World Series is you get to celebrate at the White House. The Red Sox, last there in 2005 (above), will be returning Wednesday for another ceremony with President Bush, though they'll probably have to think of another number to put on the back of the jersey they'll no doubt be presenting him. (projo.com) It'll give the Sox a little break from the routines of spring training; but, as Sean McAdam points out, there's not a whole lot to be decided this spring. And, because of the Japan trip, what will be decided will have to be done early. AND YOUR POINT IS . . . ? Manny Ramirez has switched agents, dropping Greg Genske in favor of Scott Boras, but if the Sox pick up the remaining two options on Ramirez' contract, Boras won't have anything to do until 2010. (projo.com) FEELING FINE: David Ortiz' surgically repaired knee ''feels good,'' so good that he's working out at first base. (projo.com) JUST LIKE BEING THERE: In case you couldn't catch Spring Break on NESN, the Boston Globe's Gordon Edes provided a nice snapshot of the first day of full-squad workouts. CAN YOU HANDLE IT? The Globe's Bob Ryan says ''There is no woe. There is only Whoa!'' if you're a Red Sox fan these days. THE OPPOSING VIEW: Contrary to what virtually everyone in Red Sox Nation thinks -- and probably contrary to what's actually going to happen -- Baseball Analyst's Patrick Sullivan concludes the Red Sox would be better with Coco Crisp, and not Jacoby Ellsbury, in center field. IT WOULD BE HIS SECOND VICTORY OF THE SPRING: Because according to old friend Steve Silva, Crisp has already beaten out Pokey Reese in the battle for Biggest Hair On The Sox This Century. FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE LASTING IMPRESSIONS: The blog Hacks With Haggs interviews new Sox reliever Dan Kolb, who tells a memorable story about his first trip to Boston in 1999. COMING BACK: Keith Foulke's struggles during his last two years in Boston have obscured the fact that the Red Sox wouldn't have won the 2004 World Series without him. After taking last year off, he's in the A's camp this year and, feeling healthy again, is ready to resume his career. (mlb.com) WE'RE MOVING FORWARD: Willie Randolph says he isn't worried about his job, even in light of last year's historic collapse by the Mets (si.com) One of the reasons, of course, may be this new pitcher he has . . . (New York Daily News) LET US MAKE IT UP TO YOU: David Wright says he's been telling Mets fans ''we owe you one'' after last season. (New York Post) THE REAL CRISIS: Andy Pettitte says admitting to HGH use and testifying before Congress may have been difficult, but they paled in comparison to how he felt when his son was involved in a serious accident this offseason. (Newsday) AND I MEAN THAT: Last August, the New York Post reported that George Steinbrenner's response to nearly anything anyone said to him was ''Great to see ya.'' And, according to the Post, those were his exact words to Pettitte yesterday. MY BUDDY: Apparently, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez have patched up their differences. (New York Post) STAYING PUT: Good news for Yankee-haters: Jeter has no intention of shifting to another position (New York Daily News), which means the Yanks are guaranteed another year of wretched shortstop defense. (New York Post) The Replacement Level Yankee Weblog's SG looks at all sides of Jeter's game, including the part of it in which he wears a glove. I LIKE OUR CHANCES: Johnny Damon has proclaimed the Yankees as ''one of the teams to beat'' in the American League. (New York Daily News) MISSION UNFULFILLED: Peter Abraham points out that Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui were brought to the Yankees in consecutive years to keep their dynasty rolling, but they've yet to win a single World Series in that time. (The Journal News) SO MY QUESTION IS . . . If there actually was someone someone taking pictures at Casa Canseco that fateful day, as reported by the New York Daily News, why didn't they get shots of this? (yahoo.com) ON FURTHER REVIEW: Incidentally, the Clemens camp -- in light of this new "evidence" -- is now backpedaling a bit on Clemens' insistence that he wasn't there. (New York Daly News) A GLIMPSE INSIDE: SI.com's Tom Verducci has a fascinating personality profile of Clemens, and asserts: "Let there be no confusion about this when it comes to Clemens: The man is convinced he is telling the truth'' . . . even if no one else is. MOVE OVER, RED SOX-YANKEES AND DODGERS-GIANTS: Sounds like those Minnesota-Tampa Bay games will have a new intensity, if comments by ex-Ray Delmon Young and his former teammate, Carl Crawford, are any indication. (St. Petersburg Times) OH, THOSE DIAPER DANDIES: Dick Vitale thinks the Rays ''are going to turn the corner'' this year. (Bradenton Herald) A-A-O: Adapt-adjust-overcome. That's the motto of new Royals manager Trey Hillman. (yahoo.com) THE MONEY GAME: Having won his arbitration case, baseball's newest $10-million-a-year man, Ryan Howard, is said to be looking for a contract that exceeds the eight-year, $136 million pact signed by Alfonso Soriano (Philadelphia Inquirer) . . . K-Rod, on the other hand, had to settle for $10 million after an arbitrator rejected his request for $12.5 million (Los Angeles Times) . . . Both sides say there are no hard feelings after Oliver Perez won his arbitration case against the Mets. (New York Post) WHAT DO YOU THINK? Barry Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, ''will not answer'' whether or not he believes his client is being blackballed. (yahoo.com) But in a blind, one-sentence item in the notes portion of a column, the St. Petersburg Times' Marc Topkin wonders if Tampa Bay might be interested. SO FAR SO GOOD: Rocco Baldelli feels good right now, and says the only goal he has this year is ''just to be out there'' all season. (yahoo.com) A GOOD START: A.J. Burnett, counted on to be the Blue Jays' No. 2 starter this year, breezed through his first BP session. (Toronto Globe and Mail) In addition, B.J. Ryan's rehab from reconstructive elbow surgery is said to be ahead of schedule. (mlb.com) And new third baseman Scott Rolen is anxious to shed the label of malcontent that was hung on him during his years in Philadephia and St. Louis. (foxsports.com) NEW BEGINNING: The Miami-Dade County Commission finally approved a stadium deal, and the grateful team says it will change its name to the Miami Marlins when the place opens in, they hope, 2011. (Miami Herald) HERE AND THERE Craig Wilson has left the Reds' camp (Cincinnati Enquirer) . . . Andruw Jones is a little heavier than the Dodgers would like (Los Angeles Daily News) . . . Dusty Baker's track credit in developing young talent is spotty at best, which is why they're a little worried in Cincinnati that he's talking up career minor-leaguer Norris Hopper whenever he's asked about top prospect Jay Bruce (yahoo.com) . . . Tony La Russa is battling a St. Louis radio personality who has accused him of managing ''many players who have been tied to using performance-enhancing substances'' (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . Former Braves pitcher Rick Camp is out of prison and attempting to put his life back together. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) OLD FRIENDS: Anibal Sanchez has resumed throwing (mlb.com) . . . The Giants are thinking about a left-field platoon, which doesn't make Dave Roberts happy. (San Francisco Chronicle) -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone February 22, 2008
Sox to be honored at White House on WednesdayMembers of the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox are scheduled to meet with President George W. Bush at the White House in Washington, D.C. this coming Wednesday, February 27. The announcement was made today during the daily media briefing at the White House. The Red Sox will be making their second White House visit in four years, an honor that customarily goes to each year’s World Series champion. The members of the 2004 World Series championship team met with President Bush on March 2, 2005. Manager Terry Francona and players, coaches, and field staff from the 2007 World Champions will fly from Fort Myers to Washington, D.C. following Wednesday morning’s workout and are expected to meet with President Bush at approximately 3:05 p.m. Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, President/CEO Larry Lucchino and members of the Red Sox ownership group and front office will also attend the White House ceremony. Red Sox players will also visit with patients at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center during their trip to Washington, D.C. In addition, the team will be bringing the 2007 World Series Trophy to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Red Sox will return to Fort Myers on Wednesday evening.
Posted by Art Martone February 21, 2008
Multimedia: See and hear Manny's remarks in Fort Myers
Click here to read Sean McAdam's story about Ramirez's remarks today.
Posted by Sean McAdam Photos: Manny takes some swings, gets mobbed by the media
Posted by Mike McDermott Millar 'guarantees' World Series title for BaltimoreFormer Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar, now stuck on a Baltimore Orioles team that is trying once again to rebuild its way to respectability, said this yesterday, according to the Baltimore Sun: "I'm guaranteeing a 2008 World Series. Everybody else is." Millar was apparently poking fun at Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, who recently guaranteed a jinx-breaking championship for his team in 2008.
Posted by Mike McDermott Red Sox-A's games in Japan sell out quicklyTOKYO (AP) - Tickets for baseball's season-opening series between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics in Japan have sold out. Tickets for the March 25-26 games at the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome went on sale Feb. 9 and sold out in less than two weeks. Organizers said Thursday some tickets remain for the preseason games the Red Sox and Athletics will play against the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers on March 22-23. Boston and Oakland will be the third set of teams to open the regular season at the Tokyo Dome, following the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (2000), and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (2004). A scheduled 2003 series between Oakland and Seattle at the Tokyo Dome was canceled because of the threat of war in Iraq. Boston left-hander Hideki Okajima could be the lone Japanese pitcher for the World Series champions in the two-game series, as Daisuke Matsuzaka may miss the series because his wife is expecting to give birth around that time.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 20, 2008
Today's photos from Fort Myers
Posted by Mike McDermott A healthy Ortiz is a happy OrtizBY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It's been more than three months since David Ortiz underwent surgery on his torn right meniscus and the Sox' slugger already feels improvement. ''There's a little way to go with the knee,'' said Ortiz. ''But it's definitely feeling way better. I don't have that click and the pain. That's the most important thing.'' Ortiz admitted that the condition was ''painful'' last season and it affected him at the plate. ''To hit,'' said Ortiz, ''you need a base. There were times, putting pressure on it spinning, or trying to get to a pitch -- it was hurting.'' The knee likely contributed to his power dipping. He hit 54 homers in 2006, but fell to 35 last year. But Ortiz still enjoyed a strong year. ''Sometimes people focus on homers,'' he said. ''Home runs are great. They're what people want to see. But there are different ways to help the club. I like hitting home runs -- I'm not going to lie to you. But I'm a team player.''
Posted by Sean McAdam Pitching plansBY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Manager Terry Francona unveiled his pitching plans for the first few exhibition games next week. In the college day-night doubleheader next Thursday Feb. 28, Josh Beckett will pitch against Boston College in the afternoon, followed by Kyle Snyder. In the nightcap, it will be Justin Masterson against Northeastern, followed by Craig Hansen and Michael Bowden. The next night, in the start of the Grapefruit League season, Daisuke Matsuzaka will pitch against the Twins, to be followed by Julian Tavarez and Hideki Okajima. On Saturday March 1, Jon Lester gets the start with relief help from Devern Hansack and David Pauley. Finally, on Sunday March 2, Tim Wakefield and Clay Buchholz will face Minnesota.
Posted by Sean McAdam Baseball Today: Wednesday, February 20A later-than-usual spin around the baseball world . . . ONE MORE TIME: Two days after he was named the best general manager in baseball by SI.com's Jon Heyman, Theo Epstein gets the same compliment from FoxSports.com's Dayn Perry. TOP TEN LIST: The FoxSports.com blog Half-Baked Ravings lists the 10 burning issues facing the Red Sox this spring. Q AND A: The always informative David Laurilia interviews recent Sox signee Jonathan Van Every on redsoxnation.net. Van Every gives a few interesting observations on Red Sox prospects, having played against them last year in Akron. The notion of Clay Buchholz ''carving everyone up'' helps ease the angst of Curt Schilling's predicament. TO EXPAND UPON WHAT I SAID . . . Schilling posted some thoughts to 38pitches.com one day after breaking his spring silence and speaking to selected members of the media. (projo.com) BACK FROM THE BRINK: SI.com's Jon Heyman reports Johnny Damon seriously considered retirement prior to the 2007 season. But now he's relaxed and back in shape and looking forward to a big year. (New York Daily News) FIRST THINGS FIRST: Jason Giambi would solve a big problem for the Yankees if he could play first base, and he thinks he can. (New York Post) I CAN'T HELP MYSELF: Try as he might, and try he did, the New York Post's Joel Sherman can't bring himself to hate Andy Pettitte. OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT: Alex Rodriguez has reported to Yankee camp and is happy there's a controversy he's not involved in. (Daily News blog) IT'S IN THE GENES: The ''elusive'' Hal Steinbrenner gives an interview to men.style.com in which he takes some shots at the Red Sox at the very end. THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE: The not-so-elusive Hank Steinbrenner declares that Joe Girardi is Billy Martin without the baggage (New York Post). Newsday's Johnette Howard, meanwhile, thinks Hank will be after Brian Cashman's head for not acquiring Johan Santana if the Yankees fail to win this year. A NEW BEGINNING: Life is starting anew for Scott Rolen, who's trading one type of bird (Cardinals) for another (Blue Jays). (Toronto Star) ASK ME ANYTHING . . . EXCEPT THAT: Miguel Tejada was chatty and happy on his first day in the Astros' camp, unless the subject was steroids and Congress and perjury charges. (Houston Chronicle) ANY TAKERS? Barry Bonds is ready to play, but nobody seems to want him (espn.go.com). WE KNOW, WE KNOW: CBSSports.com's Scott Miller says even the Orioles know they're going to stink in '08. HERE AND THERE: Brian Roberts has reported to the Orioles, but who knows how long he'll be there? (Baltimore Sun) . . . Vladimir Guerrero says he's a right fielder, not a DH (Los Angeles Times) . . . Jose Reyes promises to tone it down this season (Newsday) . . . It's five years and $22 million for the Rangers' Ian Kinsler, which buys out two years of free agency (Dallas Morning News) . . . Kinsler's former teammate, Mark Texeira, is giving no hints as to whether or not he'll stay with the Braves beyond this season (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) . . . Juan Gonzalez is on the comeback trail in St. Louis (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . Freddy Garcia is job-hunting with the Mets (si.com) . . . Milton Bradley, last seen tearing up his knee in a heated dispute with an umpire, says he'll be ready to DH for the Rangers by Opening Day (mlb.com) . . . Refuting a published report from the Dominican, the White Sox say they're not close to signing Bartolo Colon (Chicago Tribune). OLD FRIENDS: Byung-Hyun Kim has hooked on with the Pirates (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) . . . Eric Hinske says he can still play third base if the Rays need him there (Tampa Tribune) . . . Bobby Howry is the early favorite to take over as Cubs' closer (Chicago Tribune). -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone Position players streaming in; Crisp says he won't be happy as backupBY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Today is reporting day for position players and the clubhouse this morning seemed as busy as an airport terminal, with players hauling in bags and greeting teammates for the first time since last fall. Among the new arrrivals: outfielder Coco Crisp, first baseman Sean Casey and shortstop Julio Lugo. David Ortiz and Mike Lowell, who checked in yesterday afternoon, are also here. There is still no sign of Manny Ramirez, but coach Ino Guerrero, a Manny confidant, said Tuesday that Ramirez will arrive sometime today. Technically, Ramirez only has to be in town, but that hasn't stopped TV camera crews from staking out the parking lot, hoping to capture Ramirez's arrival. Utility infielder Alex Cora, who, like Ramirez, lives across the state in the greater Miami area, is the only other position player who has yet to check in. Bobby Kielty, whose wife is expecting a baby any day, has been given permission to report late. Crisp, who added 14 pounds of muscle in the offseason, reiterated his desire to be dealt elsewhere if he's not going to be the team's starting center fielder. ''I want to play,'' said Crisp. ''I wouldn't be happy on the bench. I want to play every day. I think everybody wants to play every day; if you don't, there's something wrong with you. I would honestly rather be somewhere else and play than sit on the bench.'' Crisp wasn't angrily issuing ultimatums, but merely repeating what his agent, Steve Comte, said over the winter. ''It will work out the way it's supposed to,'' Crisp concluded.
Posted by Sean McAdam February 19, 2008
Today's photos from spring training
Posted by Mike McDermott Perez signs with WashingtonVIERA, Fla. (AP) - Left-hander Odalis Perez agreed to a non-guaranteed, minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday that will pay him $850,000 if he makes the major league club. Perez was reportedly also considering an offer from the Red Sox. Perez went 8-11 with a 5.57 ERA in 26 starts for the Kansas City Royals last season. He threw 137 1-3 innings in 2007, more than all but one Nationals pitcher. "He will be given an opportunity to make the team's starting rotation," general manager Jim Bowden said. "He gives us depth to protect us against injuries and depth to allow us to not have to rush a young starting pitcher who is not ready for the major leagues." An All-Star in 2002, Perez is 66-70 with a 4.47 ERA over nine seasons with the Royals, Dodgers and Braves. The 31-year-old Perez would give Washington a veteran in a mostly unproven rotation.
Posted by Mike McDermott Projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdamIn our first edition of SoxTalk for the 2008 season, Sean discusses the handicap the Red Sox already face with Curt Schilling injured, just how much the team is paying attention to the Mitchell fallout, the Terry Francona contract talks and what is in store for the rest of this week. Click the play button below to hear and see the show.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: Today's sights and sounds from spring trainingToday's file, which was yesterday in Fort Myers, features the sound of infield practice, and the excitement of young fans as Dustin Pedroia signs autographs. Click the play botton below to see and hear the show.
Posted by Mike McDermott Quiet morning
BY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Not a lot of news to report from The Fort this morning. Chairman Tom Werner made his first appearance in camp a while ago. Werner took part in a negotiating session with Terry Francona Monday night. Jacoby Ellsbury spoke about his busy offseason and sudden celebrity status and was asked about his job his job competition with Coco Crisp. ''I have the utmost respect for him,'' said Ellsbury. ''He's definitely a great teammate. We're all fighting for jobs. It's the best players in the world and you just have to be ready (for the competition).''
Posted by Sean McAdam Washington Post: Sox make an offer to pitcher Odalis PerezClick here to read the story on the Post's Nationals blog, which states that the veteran left-hander is weighing competing offers from Boston and Washington. The 30-year-old pitcher from the Dominican Republic was 8-11 with a 5.57 E.R.A. pitching for Kansas City last season. For his career, he is 66-70 with a 4.47 E.R.A.; his best season was 2002, when he won 15 games and had a 3.00 E.R.A. with the Dodgers.
Posted by Mike McDermott Baseball Today: Tuesday, February 19
STAND UP AND SPEAK: If there's one man emerging from baseball's drug scandal with his reputation enhanced, it's Andy Pettitte. He quickly admitted to his involvement after the Mitchell Report was released, told Congressional investigators that what Brian McNamee said about him was true, and yesterday talked to the media for nearly an hour about the whole affair. (New York Daily News) He's become a rare, refreshing beacon of candor and openness in this squalid mess, deserving of the support he's received from both his long-time teammates and Yankee management. Not everyone thinks he did it for solely unselfish reasons -- the Daily News' Mike Lupica lays out that case -- but compared to virtually everyone else who was caught with his hands in the PED jar, Pettitte stands alone. ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO . . . A man whom Pettitte admits may now be a former friend, Roger Clemens. (New York Post) Pettitte was careful not to say anything negative about Clemens yesterday, nor make any comment whatsoever about the wildly divergent stories the two men are telling. SI.com's Jon Heyman thinks Clemens -- a ''one-megalomaniac wrecking crew'' -- put Pettitte on the spot, rather than the other way around. That strain may get greater in the weeks ahead, since Brian McNamee may call Pettitte as a defense witness in Clemens' libel suit against him. (Daily News) The daily News' John Harper wants to know why Congress didn't bring in Pettitte as a witness last week. THE REACTION: The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice says Pettitte is a true role model, but Peter Abraham says no matter how nice a guy he is and how many kudos he deserves for standing up and admitting what he did, he's still a cheater (LoHud Yankees Blog). Newsday's Wallace Matthews says the same thing. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark warns that life won't be getting back to normal for him any time soon. The Daily News' Bob Reissman agrees, as does the New York Post's Joel Sherman. I ADMIT TO NOTHING, BUT I'M SORRY: In the Milwaukee camp, fellow Mitchell Reporter Eric Gagne issued the standard apology-for-something-though-I-won't-say-what that has become the industry standard for baseball's alleged juicers. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) WHY JUST US? Hank Steinbrenner wants to know why the NFL is getting off scot-free in the performance-enhancing drug scandal, since he thinks the problem is probably more widespread in football. (New York Daily News) YOO HOO, ROGER . . . FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal thinks Clemens should take a lesson from Pettitte. THE TRUE SIGN OF DEMENTIA: Clemens says he wasn't at a party at Jose Canseco's house, as Brian McNamee claims, and that disagreement has been used as a hammer by Clemens' defense team to pound away at McNamee's credibility. If he wasn't there, either McNamee made up the greatest whopper of all time or Clemens is losing his mind to have forgotten something like this. (yahoo.com) FORGET IT: No less a rogue that Denny McLain says Clemens is lying and that he won't get into the Hall of Fame. (Chicago Tribune) DIFFERENT STROKES: In a story he wrote Monday, Sean McAdam compares the messiness of the Yankee situation with the tranquility of the Red Sox camp. (projo.com) 38 PITCHES: After several days of silence, Curt Schilling gathered selected members of the media -- our own Sean McAdam among them -- and talked about the shoulder injury that will sideline him for a good chunk, if not all, of the 2008 season. He acknowledged his disappointment that the Sox went against Dr. Craig Morgan's recommendation of surgery, wondered if the team's more conservative approach will allow him to pitch this year, and strongly denied that he signed his '08 contract knowing he was hurt and thus was doing it merely to collect an $8 million paycheck. Owner John Henry said the Sox are merely trying to find the best course of action, and that Schilling shouldn't be so upset. The Boston Herald's Steve Buckley thinks Schilling should stop ''playing doctor and [start] playing ball.'' QUICK HITS: Terry Francona and the Sox are talking contract, finally . . . Jon Lester is happy to be just one of the guys . . . The Red Sox are concerned how their trip to Japan will affect their roster come cutdown time . . . Francona and pitching coach John Farrell are making sure Sox pitchers take it easy. (All stories projo.com) HE'S NUMBER ONE: SI.com's Jon Heyman says Theo Epstein is the best general manager in baseball. NEWS FROM THE FORT: Over on Sons of Sam Horn, poster Mike F has begun his legendary spring-training posts. PHIL IT UP: More and more, I'm starting to think that -- with all due respect to the always readable Curt Schilling -- the Yankees' Phil Hughes has the best athlete's blog around. I KNOW WHAT I KNOW: Yankee fans react predictably to the gazillionth study that shows Derek Jeter to be one of the worst defensive shortstops in baseball. (New York Post) But even a Jeter fan like Ed Fitzgerald of the blog Bugs & Cranks wonder how much longer the Yanks can afford to keep Jeter at shortstop. BEGINNING OF THE END: Joe Torre says his downfall with the Yankees probably started in 2004, when he committed the ''mortal sin'' of losing to the Red Sox. (Philadelphia Daily News) SO THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE NOW! The Baseball Analysts site runs down the whereabouts of some big -- or at least familiar -- names as they attempt to make their way back to the majors via the non-roster invitee route. RELIEF: Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune says that what's many of the Giants are feeling now that Barry Bonds is gone. AND YOU WERE WORRIED: Miguel Cabrera showed up at Tigers camp looking nothing like the doughboy he was morphing into down in Florida. (Detroit News) LET THE SEASON BEGIN: It didn't take long for Jay Mariotti to resume his shelling of Ozzie Guillen. (Chicago Sun-Times) CLOSE OUTS? Joe Nathan isn't sure how much longer he'll be in Minnesota (mlb.com), and Francisco Rodriguez is fairly certain this will be his last season in Anaheim. So if you're looking for a closer, some pretty good ones may be available next winter. OLD FRIENDS: Anabel Sanchez has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery (Miami Herald) . . . Matt Clement won't be ready to start the season with the Cardinals (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . Trot Nixon, turned down by the Blue Jays (and ex-local sports writer Kimball Crossley, who now works as a Toronto scout), may hook on with the Diamondbacks (East Valley Tribune). -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone February 18, 2008
Today's photos from Fort Myers
Posted by Mike McDermott Gagne apologizes to new teammatesMARYVILLE, Ariz. (AP) - Eric Gagne, identified as a user of illegal drugs in the Mitchell Report, apologized Monday to his new Milwaukee Brewers teammates for "a distraction that shouldn't be taking place." Gagne also said he feels "bad" for what his family and friends went through in the offseason, and lauded baseball for its efforts to clean the game up from performance-enchancing drugs. However, the 32-year-old closer, declined to answer questions, never addressed the specific accusations against him and only acknowledged the Mitchell Report once, in a separate statement in French to three visiting Canadian media outlets. According to the Mitchell Report, steroids dealer Kirk Radomski told former senator George Mitchell he mailed two shipments of HGH directly to Gagne in 2004. According to the report, receipts of FedEx and USPS shipments indicate Radomski received at least one payment from Gagne and two from then Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Paul Lo Duca on Gagne's behalf. Gagne declined to meet with Mitchell prior to the release of the report and refused to address it with the media until Monday. "Since 2004, major league baseball has done everything in their power to clean up the game and I think they've done a great job," Gagne said before his first workout with the Brewers. "Right now I just want to go forward. I think major league baseball is ready to go forward and, hopefully, all the fans are ready to do that." That remains to be seen a week after Congress spent four hours questioning Roger Clemens, one of the prominent stars listed along with Gagne in former Mitchell's Dec. 13 report to baseball on steroid use. After a poor second half with the Boston Red Sox last season, Gagne signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Brewers three days after the Mitchell Report was announced. "I'm here to let you know I feel bad for my family, what they had to go through, and all my friends, especially my teammates here with Milwaukee," Gagne said a statement. "That's a distraction that shouldn't be taking place. I'm just here to help the Milwaukee Brewers get to the World Series and playoffs, and that's all I really care about." Veteran starter Jeff Suppan, whose locker in spring training is next to Gagne, said he didn't believe Gagne would create a distraction. "Baseball is moving in the right direction. We have a good drug-testing policy. We're moving forward. But this report, people have to answer some questions," Suppan said. Added third baseman Bill Hall: "Obviously, everybody wants to know the truth, but once you get the truth, stop digging." Gagne's statement Monday closed the issue with manager Ned Yost. "We're done with it," he said. We'll move on. It's not a distraction." Gagne, the 2003 Cy Young winner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, joins the Brewers after struggling with the World Series champion Red Sox following a trade from the Texas Rangers July 31. As a setup man for closer Jonathan Papelbon, Gagne had a 9.00 earned run average with three blown saves and an opponent batting average of .350 in his first 15 appearances. He was on the Red Sox playoff roster but was only used in one-sided games. The Brewers signed him to replace closer Francisco Cordero, who bolted for division rival Cincinnati with the franchise record for saves. "You have to understand the psyche of a closing pitcher," said Yost. "They are creatures of their routine and he was totally thrown out of his routine when he went to Boston. We feel he'll be a big pickup. "We're a young team and it's of the utmost important that you have a solid closer. There is nothing more demoralizing than losing games late."
Posted by Mike McDermott Schilling Speaks by SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- If Curt Schilling had his way, he would have already undergone surgery to repair the damage in his right biceps and aiming toward a mid-season return.
Posted by Sean McAdam Multimedia: More sights and sounds from spring trainingToday's file, which was recorded over the weekend in Fort Myers, captures the hubbub as the players march out for workouts, and as they sign autographs for fans. Click the play botton below to see and hear the show.
Posted by Mike McDermott Schilling breaks silenceAs he left the minor league complex this morning, Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling spoke to a handful of reporters, his first public remarks since news that he and the team were at odds on the proper course of treatment for his arm injuries. Schilling's specialist, Dr. Craig Morgan of Wilmington, Del., has recommended surgery and believes without it, Schilling won't be able to pitch again. Red Sox staff doctors, however, say that with rest and rehab, he could be back by mid-season. ``At the end of the day,'' said Schilling, ``this is not something I can control...It wasn't my decision to make.'' Asked if be believed the prescribed program will eventually succeed in getting him back on the mound, Schilling said: ``I have to -- I don't have any choice. If this course of action doesn't work, I won't pitch again this year. ``It's certainly not the best spot to be in. I'm disappointed that after 21 years, my career may end this way. The best-case scenario is that this works in short order and I can get back to throwing.'' If his rehab takes most of the year, or surgery is ultimately the only course of option, Schilling, who had inteneded to retire after this season, was asked if we be open to returning in 2009. ``I haven't even thought about it,'' he said. More -- much more -- from Schilling soon. -- SEAN McADAM
Posted by Mike McDermott February 14, 2008
Multimedia: Papelbon holds courtClick the play button below to see photos and hear audio from Jonathan Papelbon's meeting with the media today. Hear him talk about dancing, his relationship with Eli Manning, Dice-K's new haircut and why the Red Sox are looking good for 2008.
Posted by Mike McDermott Hurst returns Bruce Hurst, who won 88 games for the Red Sox from 1980-1988 and would have been the World Series MVP in 1986 had the Sox held on to win Game 6, has returned to the organization in an informal manner.
Posted by Mike McDermott Schilling update General manager Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona met with the media a while ago, and touched on a number of topics, not the least of which was the status of Curt Schilling.
Posted by Mike McDermott Papelbon says Sox are the team to beatCloser Jonathan Papelbon, who began last spring training as a member of the starting rotation before returning to the closer's role expects to revisit his routine from a year ago. "I'm gonna stick to closing, man," said Papelbon. "Last spring training I took a starter's approach and built up my arm strength. So I think for the first few weeks I'm going to be on the starter's throwing program again, so to speak, to build up my arm. It worked last year." Papelbon spoke with ptiching coach John Farrell frequently during the offseason. "Last year," said Papelbon, "I learned to understand my arm, understand my body and understand my usage. Now we're just tweaking that." Papelbon said he regarded the Red Sox as the team to beat in 2008. "I think so," said Papelbon. "If we're not the team to beat, I'd like to know who is." "The true test of a team is: Can they do it again? Was it a fluke? Did they catch breaks? There's no reason we can't repeat as long as we stay healthy." Papelbon watched this month's Super Bowl from the Bahamas with mixed feelings. As a Mississippi native, he's come to know the Manning family well and has gone duck hunting with Giants quarterback Eli Manning. "It was a double-edged sword for me," said Papelbon. "Your friend is one of the quarterbacks and then you've got the Pats trying to do what they were trying to do, and you want to have the city that you live in be vibrant and excited." -SEAN McADAM
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's Sports coverBill Reynolds details what Roger Clemens' battle on Capitol Hill on his alleged steroid use means to his legacy. Also, the Red Sox are in no rush to sign another starting pitcher; and the URI men's basketball team bows to Temple.
Posted by Rich Lee February 13, 2008
Multimedia: Today's sights and sounds from spring trainingClick the play button below to see Bob Breidenbach's photos from today in Fort Myers, and to hear how it all sounded, as recorded by Bob.
Posted by Mike McDermott Photos: Rain in Florida sends Sox scurrying for cover
Posted by Mike McDermott Streaming video of Clemens' congressional testimonyBeginning at 10 this morning, you can find live streaming video coverage of the appearances by Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee before the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform, at this link.
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's Sports coverThe Red Sox begin their quest for another World Series title with few changes to last year's lineup, including the pitching staff. Also, in men's hoops, Pittsburgh breaks out in the second half and coasts past PC, 82-63, and Bill Reynolds tells of a local High Schooler chasing his hoops dreams.
Posted by Rich Lee February 12, 2008
Multimedia: Setting up camp in Fort MyersClick the play button below to see Bob Breidenbach's photos from today in Fort Myers, and to hear how it all sounded today, as recorded by Bob.
Posted by Mike McDermott Dale Arnold to be part-time Sox broadcasterDale Arnold will join play-by-play man Joe Castiglione for a number of Red Sox radio broadcasts this season, according to WEEI radio. Castiglione, who is entering his 26th season calling Boston baseball games, will be joined for at least 135 games by Dave O'Brien, who will be starting his second season with the club. O'Brien remains a national broadcaster for ESPN, and when he cannot attend Sox games because of those responsibilities, he will be spelled by Arnold or studio host Jon Rish.
Posted by Mike McDermott The first signs of spring in Red Sox NationFORT MYERS -- The truck has arrived. The players are arriving. Pitchers and catchers officially report Thursday. There will be physicals the next day, and then pitchers and catchers will officially take the field for the first time on Feb. 16. Position players report on Feb. 20, with the first full-squad workout coming two days later. These are the first signs of spring.
Posted by Peter Phipps Manny talks, but what did he say?Manny Ramirez talked about his future last week with a writer for MLB.com. That much is clear. The rest is well, Manny talking like Manny. When asked if he thinks he stay with the Red Sox after this season., he said: "I don't know. We're going to see. They want me to stay, I stay; if not, I want to move on. My meaning is I want to become a free agent after '08 and move on." Ramirez was signed to an eight-year, $168 million contract prior to the 2001 season by former general manager Dan Duquette. That contract expires after this season, but the Red Sox hold options for the 2009 and '10 seasons. If the Red Sox don't pick up those options, the 2004 World Series MVP can become a free agent after the '08 season. "It don't matter. If I be here, I be here," Ramirez said. "If not, I'm fine. If it's not here, it's someplace else." Ramirez enters this season 10 homers shy of 500 for his career, to go along with 1,604 RBIs, a .313 batting average and a lifetime slugging percentage of .593.
Posted by Peter Phipps February 10, 2008
Youkilis/Sox agree on contractFirst baseman Kevin Youkilis and the Boston Red Sox agreed Sunday to a $3 million, one-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. Youkilis had filed for $3.7 million and the Red Sox for $2,525,000 when the sides exchanged proposed salaries in arbitration last month. He made $424,500 last season, when he hit .288 with 16 homers and 83 RBIs. Boston had previously reached agreements with its other two players in arbitration, pitchers Javier Lopez ($840,000) and Kyle Snyder ($835,000). --AP
Posted by Chris Venditto February 9, 2008
Baseball Today: Saturday, February 9
G38: The story of the day -- the story of the last several days -- is Curt Schilling and Joe McDonald lays out the details in today's enstallment. I won't recap them here -- you can click the link for details -- but will, instead, point you to the fringes of the thing: To the Herald's Steve Buckley, who says that, love him or hate him, we're all going to miss him; to FoxSports' blogger crookdnose, who wonders if Schilling's failure to come clean earlier cost the Sox a chance at Johan Santana (his answer: no); to FoxSports' Ken Rosenthal, who says Schilling's injury is a constant reminder of how fragile pitching can be and that the Sox can't afford another blow to the rotation. But leave it to Joe Posnanski to address the issue that I've been thinking about throughout this whole episode. In a nutshell: In this wired era of direct contact between subject and audience, with so many out there applauding the circumvention of the mainstream-media middleman, this indicates starkly the need for that middleman. Schilling is the most open of athletes, blogging regularly and in great detail about many things of interest to fans . . . but when his arm failed him, he didn't say a word until the issue was outed (by the mainstream media). His season, his career, and the state of the Red Sox' 2008 pitching rotation were all in play, and he was writing about John McCain. And I'm not saying that's wrong. It's not his job to report on himself or his team. He shares his thoughts, he illuminates the fans on aspects of the game, he corrects or puts into context things the media have bollixed. But, by the very nature of who he is and what he does, he can't be expected to provide an objective, unbiased assessment that tells the whole story, any more than, say, I could be expected to provide an objective, unbiased assessment of The Providence Journal sports department. What he can tell you -- better than anybody -- is his side of the story. If the media's doing their job right, you get both sides of the story. I'm not being as clear as I want to be on this, and I strongly recommend you click the link to Posnanski's blog entry. But I think this shows why it's not realistic to think that all we need to do is punch up an athlete's blog to find out all that's going on. WELCOME TO THE CLUB: But that's not to say I don't enjoy athlete's blogs. The latest cyberspace author: The Yankees' Phil Hughes, who's off to a pretty promising start. Keep it up, Phil. At least outdo the pretty lame blogs of Clay Buchholz and Kevin Youkilis. CONFLICTING OPINIONS: Derek Jeter thinks the Sox will miss Schilling, but Jorge Posada says his replacements may be just as good. (New York Daily News) GETTING SO MUCH BETTER ALL THE TIME: Baseball Musing's David Pinto spent part of his offseason analyzing the offenses of each team and says the Red Sox will be better in 2008 than they were in 2007, at least in terms of runs scored. The reasons: Jacoby Ellsbury will be better than Coco Crisp, Dustin Pedroia should continue to improve, and the three veterans who had off-years (for them) in '07 -- Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo -- should bounce back to their expected levels of production. MANNY BEING . . . WHO? The Boston Globe's Stan Grossfeld reports that Ramirez has been a workout fiend in Arizona this offseason. SAME HERE: Pinto also examines the Yankee offense and concludes that it'll be among the best no matter how new manager Joe Girardi deploys the pieces. FIRST LOOK: ESPN.com's Jonah Keri, writing for the YES Network, does a PECOTA-based statistical analysis of the 2008 Yankees. Conclusion: ''The biggest question mark, as it was for much of last season, is the bullpen.'' NO RELIEF FROM JOBA: And one of the reasons the bullpen is still a question mark is that Joba Chamberlain appears headed to the rotation. (mlb.com) ELSEWHERE IN THE EAST . . . The Toronto Star does a quick Blue Jays' preview. HE'S BAACCK: Carl Pavano is at the Yankees' minor-league complex as the team tries to salvage something, anything, from the four-year, $40 million contract they gave him in the winter of 2004-05. (New York Post) HE'S NOT: Mike Stanley left the Yankees just before their championship run began and missed a chance to rejoin them at the end of it, and admits it still bothers him that he never got a championship ring. (Newsday) IT'S FOR THE BEST: Don Mattingly admits that, in light of the family problems that have become public in recent weeks, it's probably a good thing he lost out to Girardi for the Yankees' managing job. (New York Daily News) The link, by the way, contains a particularly unflattering police mug shot of Kim Mattingly. AND ON AND ON IT GOES: The Roger Clemens/Brian McNamee blood feud (pun intentional) went to another level Friday when McNamee claimed he also injected Debbie Clemens with HGH. (New York Daily News) WHO DO YOU ROOT FOR IN THIS ONE? Chad Finn's having a hard time figuring that out, too. (touchingallthebases.blogspot.com) PAGING MR. CLEMENS: Old friend Allan Wood has assembled the tabloid pages of the Roger Clemens saga. MORE REACTION: Having weighed in on Schilling, Jeter and Posada turn their attention to Clemens. Nothing earthshattering, as you can well imagine. HIS REWARD: The main domino in this scenario, the one whose arrest started the investigation rolling, was former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. Because of his cooperation with the authorities, he got off with five months' probation. (Yahoo! Sports) DIDN'T DO IT: Jack Cust is just as adamant as Clemens that he didn't take performance-enhancing drugs despite his inclusion in the Mitchell Report. (espn.com) NOT SO FAST: Rosenthal doesn't think the acquisition of Erik Bedard solves all the Mariners' problems. OH, YEAH? The Seattle Times' Steve Kelley disagrees. TOO HIGH A PRICE: ESPN.com's Keith Law thinks the M's overpaid for Bedard. ANATOMY OF A DEAL: Larry Stone of the Times details how it all went down. FINALLY! Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan thinks the trading of Bedard is a signal that the Orioles are back on the right track. The Baltimore Sun explains the change in philosophy, and provides a quoteboard of reaction. MISSING SIGNS: For many years -- 1964-81, we're told -- The Sign Man of Shea was fixture at Mets' home game. His name was Karl Ehrhardt and he passed away at age 83. (New York Times) GODSPEED: Tommy Lasorda pens a farewell message to his "good friend'' Bobby Knight. (tommy.mlbblogs.com) END OF THE LINE: Many of Lasorda's old Brooklyn teammates are saddened that this is probably the team's last spring training at Dodgertown in Vero Beach. (Palm Beach Post) HERE AND THERE: The Pirates have looked into signing Bartolo Colon (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) . . . The Detroit News' Lynn Henning thinks that, when all is said and done, Brandon Inge will remain with the Tigers . . . The Phillies are interested in Kris Benson (Philadelphia Inquirer) . . . The Reds and A's are talking about a Joe Blanton deal (Cincinnati Enquirer) . . . The Brian Roberts-to-the-Cubs rumors are percolating again (Chicago Sun-Times). OLD FRIENDS: Eric Hinske signed a minor-league contract with the Devil Rays (rotoworld.com) . . . The recuperating Anibal Sanchez isn't sure when he'll be pitching again for the Marlins. (Miami Herald) ''Maybe by the All-Star break,'' he says . . . Mike Maroth has hooked on with the Royals (rotoworld.com) . . . Kent Mercker -- remember him? -- is attempting a comeback with the Reds (Dayton Daily News) . . . Tony Clark appears headed to San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune) . . . Keith Foulke is ending his one-year retirement and returning to the A's (San Francisco Chronicle). -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone February 8, 2008
Schilling's doctor: No chance at pitching again without surgeryDr. Craig Morgan, the personal physician for Curt Schilling, says the right-hander's problems stem from a ''diseased'' biceps tendon and the chances of his pitching again without surgery are almost nil. ''If he has surgery, the chances of his coming back and pitching effectively are about 75 percent,'' he told The Journal's Joe McDonald this afternoon. ''If he doesn't have surgery'' -- in other words, if he follows the Red Sox' prescribed treatment of rest and rehabilitation -- ''his chances of coming back and pitching effectively are 5 to 8 percent.'' The Red Sox' medical team reached the conclusion that rest and rehabilitation would cure the problem, and their diagnosis was backed by Dr. David Altchek, the Mets' team physician, who both sides agreed upon for a third opinion. Morgan, however, says he knows Schilling's shoulder better than anyone -- ''I've known this guy and examined his shoulder for 13 years. I've operated on his shoulder twice, once in '95 and once in '99. Both those procedures at the time were very controversial, and I was told, you know, that nobody's ever come back from this kind of stuff. The same kind of thing that's going on now.'' -- and says that, while he respects their opinions, he disagrees with the conclusions reached by the other medical teams. ''I see no shot at being . . . pain-free [without surgery],'' said Morgan. ''I don't think this guy will even be able to exercise . . . And the real issue here is, if you blow six or eight weeks trying [to see if rest and rehabilitation will work] and then . . . try to pull the trigger on surgery, then you've blown six to eight weeks and then the season may be gone.'' Morgan believes that if Schilling has the surgery immediately, he may be able to pitch again by the All-Star break. Morgan is not related to Dr. Bill Morgan, who performed the procedures on Schilling's injured ankle in the 2004 postseason.
Posted by Art Martone February 7, 2008
Schilling respondsCurt Schilling posted a blog late this evening concering his shoulder injury.
Posted by Corey Bourassa Red Sox release statement on Schilling injuryCurt Schilling was examined by Red Sox doctors in January after he reported feeling right shoulder discomfort. Curt has started a program of rest, rehabilitation and shoulder strengthening in an attempt to return to pitching. --RED SOX
Posted by Corey Bourassa Schilling's season, and career, may be ended by arm injuryRead the complete story here.
Posted by Art Martone Update: Schilling may miss seasonThe Boston Herald and Boston Globe, both citing unnamed sources, are reporting that Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is suffering from a shoulder injury that may sideline him for the entire season. In addition, both news organizations reported the Red Sox looked into the possibility of voiding the one-year, $8 million contract Schilling signed with the team last November. The Herald said Schilling has ''a significant shoulder injury that could end the veteran’s season and is causing tension and friction between the player and the team.'' The Globe -- which had broken the story a bit earlier in the afternoon with a report that said Schilling would miss the beginning of spring training and might not be ready for the beginning of the season -- updated its report, saying the sides disagree on whether or not Schilling needs surgery and that surgery would probably sideline him for the season. The Globe said the injury is not related to the shoulder woes that sidelined Schilling from late June to mid-August last year. Schilling has his own Web site, 38pitches.com, which he frequently updates. As of mid-afternoon, he had not addressed the issue on his site.
Posted by Art Martone Report: Schilling won't be ready for start of spring trainingThe Boston Globe is reporting today that shoulder problems will prevent Curt Schilling from opening spring training with the Red Sox. Citing unnamed sources, the Globe says that the problems Schilling is dealing with are similar to those that led the team to shut him down for several weeks in the middle of the 2007 season. The Globe says that Schilling's status for opening day is unknown at this point.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 5, 2008
Sox sign Bobby KieltyThe Boston Globe is reporting that the Red Sox have signed outfielder Bobby Kielty to a one-year deal, which is a nonguaranteed contract that will pay Kielty $800,000 if he makes the major league roster. There is also an additional $300,000 in incentives.
Posted by Corey Bourassa Sox sign Matt Miller, Junior Spivey to minor-league contractsThe Red Sox have signed RHP Matt Miller and INF Junior Spivey to minor league contracts. Both will report to the minor league camp. Miller, 36, was 0-1, 2.89 in 38 games with Triple-A Buffalo and worked 1.0 scoreless inning in two appearances with Cleveland in 2007. He is 6-1, 2.72 with two saves in 100 career major league games with Colorado (2003) and Cleveland (2004-07). Spivey, 33, batted .241 with 2 homers and 14 RBI in 25 games with Triple-A Pawtucket last season after singing with the Boston organization on August 4. He is a career .270 batter with 48 homers and 201 RBI in 457 games with Arizona (2001-03), Milwaukee (2004-05), and Washington (2006). Also, the Red Sox equipment truck will depart Fenway Park for spring training this Saturday at 10 a.m.
Posted by Art Martone Baseball Today: Tuesday, February 5
What? Is it baseball season already? Well, almost. Some of the Red Sox, like Jon Lester (above), and even some of their media, are beginning to gather in Fort Myers. (redsox.com) The Journal and projo.com will be there next week, in anticipation of a Valentine's Day first workout for pitchers and catchers. And as the season approaches, we plan to resurrect our daily list of baseball links and musings. Not every day at first -- maybe two or three times a week at the beginning -- but, as we get closer to Opening Day, the posts will get more regular. Last year, the crush of the postseason forced us to abandon the daily links midway through the ALCS; we apologize for that, and promise to keep it going this year. What better time to start than the present? So, without further ado . . . TWO-TEAM RACE: The blog Bleacher Report thinks the battle for American League supremacy will be a mano-a-mano showdown between the Red Sox and Tigers. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Rotoworld.com's Matthew Pouliot looks at the farm systems of all the A.L. East teams, including the Sox. AH, THE PAIN: Many Sox fans have forgotten, or at least don't think much about, the fact that the Sox had to climb out of a 1-3 hole in the ALCS against Cleveland. But the Indians, they remember. Oh, they remember. (The Chronicle-Telegram) WHY, WHEN I WAS PLAYING . . . When last we saw Jim Rice at a minor-league banquet, -- April 2007, PawSox Welcome Home Luncheon -- he was saying that when it comes to baseball, greed and cheating -- though, he stressed, not in the area of performance-enhancing drugs -- are good. (projo.com) He wasn't nearly as controversial last Friday at the Brockton Rox Hot Stove gathering; this time, he merely went into the kind of good-old-days rant ('The [contemporary] players . . . don’t play smart. They don’t do the little things to win the game. They’re not students of the game like we were.'') we've been hearing from retired ballplayers for 100 years. (Wicked Local Holbrook) CHANNELING BILL BELICHICK: Carl Yastrzemski doesn't do much public talking these days. And when he does, he doesn't say much of anything. (The Florida Times-Union) AT SHORTSTOP, AND NOT AT SING-SING: Derek Jeter apparently has reached agreement with the government over a charge that he hadn't paid enough in income tax. (New York Daily News) HERE AND THERE: The Johan Santana deal may mean the Indians won't be able to hang onto C.C. Sabathia when he reaches free agency, but the team has no intention of trading him ''short of an early collapse this year'' (Cleveland Plain Dealer) . . . Bartolo Colon is looking for work, and the Astros are interested, sort of. (Houston Chronicle) LOCAL BOYS: Rocco Baldelli says he's running ''almost all out'' as he attempts to come back from the hamstring problems that destroyed his 2007 season. (St. Petersburg Times) OLD FRIENDS: Freddy Sanchez has reached contract agreement with the Pirates (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) . . . Rudy Seanez is heading back to the Dodgers (Los Angeles Daily News), and Tony Clark might join him (Los Angeles Times) . . . David Wells wants to play in '08 and says, love of West Coast or not, he'll go anywhere (espn.go.com) . . . Scott Sauerbeck is heading to spring training with the Reds. (Rotoworld.com) -- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone February 1, 2008
Sox sign CaseyESPN.com is reporting the Red Sox have signed first baseman Sean Casey to a one-year deal worth $700,000. An 11-year major-league veteran, Casey will serve as a backup for Kevin Youkilis. Casey is a career .301 hitter and played for the Detroit Tigers last season. He's outgoing and his personality will add to the chemistry in the Red Sox clubhouse. The Red Sox have been looking for a player to backup up Youkilis. Last season the team had outfielder Brandon Moss working at first base, but with Casey now in the mix it appears Moss will remain in Pawtucket.
Posted by Joe McDonald |
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