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Lester shines

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Jon Lester just completed his last spring training start here at the Sox minor league complex. The left-hander worked five hitless innings in a intrasquad game against Double-A players and struck out eight. He threw 58 pitches during the game before finishing his work in the bullpen. He threw a total of 80 pitches, his highest this spring.

He will fly from here to Dallas to Japan on Friday and is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“I guess it served it purpose, more or less,” said Lester. “I was able to get my pitch count up, got the innings and got my work. I would have liked to have been on the plane with the team, but it’s alright. Now that I’ve got my pitch count up I don’t have to worry about anything. There are no limitations going into the season and I’m ready to go.”

As he leaves for Japan he’s right where he needs to be.

“As far as I know,” he said. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a normal spring training. . . I feel good, healthy and strong. Everything went without a hitch this spring.”

During Lester’s final spring tune up today, another left-hander showed some impressive stuff.

Red Sox first-round selection in last June’s draft, Nicholas Hagadone, was outstanding in the intrasquad game. The powerful southpaw reached 95 MPH on the radar gun and showed a nasty slider, complement by a devastating change-up.

“He looked good,” said Lester. “That’s the first time I’ve seen him. He’s young and still learning. He threw a lot of strikes, and whatever his out pitch was, it was effective and he got a lot of guys out on bad swings. He throws the ball hard and he’s left-handed, which always helps. He looked smooth, like he wasn’t trying to throw 100.”

If today's performance was any indication, Hagadone will be a phenomenal pitcher for the Red Sox.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Discovering Japan

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

TOKYO -- The Red Sox charter landed about two hours ago in Tokyo and I thought I would catch you up a bit on the team's long day's journey into night . . . day . . . then night again.

Some highlights from the journey, which took about 18 hours from departure in Fort Myers to arrival here.

-- A police motorcade escorted the Red Sox through Fort Myers, with traffic stopped at intersections to allow the four busloads of personnel and equipment through. It was astounding to see the ease with which the team got from City of Palms Park to Southwest Florida International Airport.

Ordinarily, most beat writers -- myself included -- make our own travel arrangements and fly commercially, dealing with the same airport, traffic and security issues that everyone else experiences. This was a completely different -- and more convenient -- way of travel.

Traffic actually came to a standstill on Interstate 75 as the Sox' motorcade got on the highway, creating a snarl of backed-up cars.

At the airport, the buses went directly onto the tarmac, where we exited the buses, went through an ad hoc security checkpoint and boarded the plane.

-- The charter plane the Red Sox used was a 747 with an upstairs cabin.

Players, team officials and support staff -- and some family members -- had use of the main cabin, which featured an expanded first-class section, many business-class seats and a mostly empty coach section.

Upstairs sat the media -- print, radio and TV people -- along with Red Sox public-relations officials.

During the course of the flight, a few curious members of the Sox traveling party came upstairs to inspect our accomodations. Wandering through were Jason Varitek, Alex Cora, Terry Francona and principal owner John Henry.

-- By his own recollection, Henry has been to Japan "about four or five times" previous to this trip, mostly for business purposes.

Standing in the aisle, Henry gave his view of the current recession, how long it might last and what might happen as a result. Naturally, much of this was completely over my head, but I listened politely.

-- The Japan Air Lines staff couldn't have been more helpful or solicitious. Throughout the flight, they offered refreshments and a seemingly endless array of food choices -- some Japanese and some Westernized choices.

We had a brief stayover in Chicago as the plane changed crew and spent an hour in a hospitality lounge at O'Hare, where still more food was offered and everyone got a chance to walk around.

It seemed incredible that, as we re-boarded shortly after 9 p.m Central time, we still had another 13 or so hours of travel time before arriving in Tokyo.

-- As the night wore on, some in the traveling party took brief naps. Red Sox staff internist Larry Ronan had advised players and team personnel to sleep as little as possible to help with the jet lag and to ease the adjustment to Tokyo time when we landed.

I slept a little more than three hours, which seemed like the right amount -- enough to rest, but no so much that I threw my body clock out of whack.

Dr. Ronan also passed out special socks which are designed to help circulation. The key, he added, was to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration; I lost track of the number of bottled waters I went through.

-- The plane had a special feature on the video screen that enabled us to watch the takeoff and landings, thanks to a camera mounted somewhere on the nose of the plane. If you so chose, you could also watch that on a smaller screen in the seatback directly in front of you.

-- Manny Delcarmen and his wife brought their six-month-old son on the trip. I think a few players were a bit concerned about the being seated near an infant on an 18-hour trip, but by all accounts, the baby was remarkably well-behaved and quiet for most of the flight.

-- Upon arrival in Tokyo, we were herded rather quickly and efficiently through customs, then sent outside to board buses for the trip to the hotel.

Needless to say, it wasn't hard to determine when Daisuke Matsuzaka went through the door. The camera flashes made it seem like high noon when it was actually just after midnight here.

The Japanese media took pictures and filmed the Sox coming out of the airport and boarding the buses and a small group of fans called out for autographs from players.

-- Following a 30-minute bus ride to our downtown hotel, everyone scattered in the hotel lobby and checked in. The hotel was prepared for the arrival, with security and extra help on hand, making the process quick and painless.

-- In the morning, some Sox players will be touring a nearby U.S. military base and doing a meet-and-greet with American soldiers stationed here. Then, it's on to the Tokyo Dome for a press conference and a workout, the details of which we'll bring you.

For now, it's off to sleep.

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Photos: The Sox arrive in Japan

Journal photos / Bob Breidenbach
Larry Lucchino

Lucchino and Jonathan Papelbon

Manny Delcarmen and family

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Red Sox still in Florida

Just because the big club is just about to land in Japan, it doesn't mean Red Sox baseball isn't being played in Fort Myers.

I'm at the club's minor-league complex right now waiting for Jon Lester to make his final spring training start in a Triple-A game for the PawSox. Lester will leave for Japan after today's work. I'll post a complete entry when he's done.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Baseball Today: Thursday, March 20

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach

So how was your day yesterday?

Let's compare it to the Red Sox'. Theirs started with the threat of a boycott of their Florida exhibition finale against the Blue Jays. The boycott was going to be on behalf of, among others, their coaches, who appreciated what the players were doing for them. One of those players, Curt Schilling, explained it all in detail. Then word came down that the Sox would also refuse to fly to Japan if the coaches didn't receive the same $40,000 compensation they were getting for the Japanese trip. Confusion reigned, and then the Sox refused to take the field when the game was scheduled to begin, a move which was met with boos from the fans. Jason Varitek explained the team's position, quickly and then in more detail. After 10 minutes or so, the Sox raced into the clubhouse for a meeting. That started a waiting game, the end result of which was anybody's guess when police and security took the field. But then back they came, followed soon by annoucements that the game was on and so was the trip to Japan.

I don't know who was busier: The Sox, or Joe McDonald and Sean McAdam, who blogged all that during the course of the morning and early afternoon.

In the end everybody was satisfied, and McDonald tied it all together in a piece that explains the issues, the timeline and the resolution. (As he was writing it, McAdam -- and Journal photographer Bob Breidenbach -- were on their way to the airport to catch the Sox' charter flight to Japan; they'll be reporting from there for the next week.) And attention can turn back to the Japanese trip (mlb.com), which is finally upon us.

Interesting -- to me, anyway -- was the interpretation of/reaction to yesterday's events. Since the Sox were doing it not for themselves but for the support staff (coaches, trainers, etc.) who weren't included in the original agreement, they generally received praise for their actions. YahooSports.com's Steve Henson called the Sox' stand "refreshing". Baseball Musing's David Pinto, because the issue shed light on MLB's business practices, wrote, "Kudos to the Red Sox players for bringing that to our attention." Mike Rutsey of the London Free Press, on hand because the Sox were playing the Blue Jays, said, "You get a warm and fuzzy feeling over the fact 25 players who will earn a combined $146 million this season alone, would stand united over $500,000 worth of chump change -- not for them, but for others." And it wasn't just media members. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said, "God bless Terry Francona and the players to take that step to make a statement." (Chicago Sun-Times)

But it wasn't unanimous praise, and perhaps -- given the Hatfield/McCoy nature of the relationship -- it's not surprising that the main theme out of New York was derision. Peter Abraham called the Sox "a disgrace to the game," and Newsday's Wallace Matthews said the Sox' actions were "a grubby little move . . . a shakedown." And they both compared it to the Yankees' playing an exhibition game at Virginia Tech the day before for the benefit of the school that was shaken by gun violence a year earlier. The comparison, needless to say, did not favor the Red Sox.

The arguments are absurd, for any number of reasons. First and foremost, the Red Sox -- with their decades-long association with the Jimmy Fund -- take a back seat to no one when it comes to charitable work. Secondly, these two events are Webster's definition of an apples-to-oranges comparison. One has absolutely nothing to with the other. It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful, what the Yankees did Tuesday at Virginia Tech. They helped raise money, and spirits, at a place that needed both. The Red Sox players, conversely, took a stand on principle for someone other than themselves. And these two things are comparable . . . how? One can be judged better than the other . . . how? It's like deriding someone for helping a child with their homework because someone else jumped into a lake and saved a life.

The players did what they thought was right. There was nothing more noble about it than that. Terry Francona explained it during his in-game interview with ESPN. (video via bostonsportz.com) And if it wasn't as noble as what the Yanks did at Virginia Tech -- and it wasn't -- it doesn't come anywhere close to making them a "disgrace to baseball."

THE OTHER GUYS: Lest we forget, there's another team going to Japan, too, and they also were affected by all this. But the San Jose Mercury News reports the A's coaches will be getting additional compensation, as well. The San Francisco Chronicle has a more detailed report.

FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTHS: Curt Schilling had no comment on his blog; the last entry is still a tribute to Doug Mirabelli. Kevin Youkilis put up a post yesterday, his first since last November, but it was all about the trip to Japan with no mention of the controversy.

HEADING CROSS TOWN: Because they couldn't afford to have him miss a start, the Red Sox shipped Daisuke Matsuzaka to the minor-league complex to get his work in when it looked as if the game against the Blue Jays wouldn't be played. McDonald reports Matsuzaka had a strong outing against the Twins' minor-leaguers.

ALSO . . . McDonald reports that Josh Beckett may start for the PawSox on Sunday and Bartolo Colon was assigned to the minor-league camp.

"FOR A BASEBALL-MAD CITY, LIFE DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS": That's the concluding line of FoxSports.com's 2008 preview/scouting report on the Red Sox.

OPTIONLESS: The Red Sox have four players -- David Aardsma, Kyle Snyder, Craig Breslow and Bryan Corey -- who are out of options and can't be sent to the minor leagues without clearing waivers. (mlbtraderumors.com)

CENTER OF ATTENTION . . . AGAIN: Remember when Larry Bigbie was traded to the Red Sox (projo.com) . . . and then he wasn't? (boston.com) He's in Japan now, rebuilding his career after admitting to Mitchell Report investigators that he took steroids and also naming names of teammates and friends -- like Brian Roberts and Jack Cust -- who allegedly did, as well. Yahoo.com's Jeff Passan, calling Bigbie "baseball's Sammy Gravano," has a nice piece on the veteran outfielder, who says he only confirmed what the Mitchell people already knew and admitting that he's upset about the broken friendships with Roberts and Cust.

NO SURPRISE: As expected, the Yankees will start the season with Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen. (New York Daily News) But Newsday's Ken Davidoff says that while Chamberlain may start there, it's fairly certain he'll end up in the starting rotation.

WHAT, ME WORRY? Phil Hughes says he "felt pretty good out there except for a couple of things." One of those things, no doubt, was the fact that he allowed seven runs in four innings against the Pirates. (New York Daily News)

ON THE PROWL: The Yankees' quest for pitching has led them to inquire about the A's Rich Harden, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The newspaper says Oakland's asking price will start with Ian Kennedy and escalate from there.

AND WHY DO THEY NEED PITCHING? Our own Michael Salfino, writing on SNY.tv, provides some of the answers in his analysis of the Yankee staff.

EVER HEAR OF THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT? No one expects anything from the White Sox this year, but both general manager Ken Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen think their past success should at least make people think they have a chance. (SI.com)

OH, YOU GUYS: Cubs strength coach Tim Buss was stunned when he saw his car, a 1995 Nissan Sentra, destroyed by a bunch of baseballs and bats, and furious when he thought the players had done it. Well, they had . . . but only so they could give him a brand new Nissan Xterra SUV. "They're great guys," said Buss, who was nearly in tears. (espn.com)

MEDICAL REPORT: The blog Beyond The Box Score wonders if Barry Zito's ghastly spring numbers are indicative of an arm problem . . . The recuperating B.J. Ryan has elbow soreness, but the Blue Jays say it's not related to his surgery; just normal spring aches and pains. (Toronto Globe and Mail) We shall see . . . The Brewers say Chris Capuano is "day to day" because of inflammation in his elbow (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) . . . The Cubs' new apparent closer, Kerry Wood, is sidelined because of back spasms. (Chicago Sun-Times)

WHISPERS: The Marlins' reluctance to name an Opening Day starter is fueling speculation that a trade is in the works (mlb.com) . . . The White Sox are rumored to have placed shortstop-turned-second baseman Juan Uribe on waivers to gauge trade interest (Chicago Tribune). If they have, it's news to Uribe (Chicago Sun-Times) . . . The Mets, who are on the prowl for an outfielder, say they're not interested in the Angels' Juan Rivera. (New York Daily News)

OLD FRIENDS: In a blind item with no attribution, the San Francisco Chronicle mentions the possibility that the Giants might trade Dave Roberts . . . Byung-Hyun Kim continues to struggle in the Pirates' camp (rotoworld.com) . . . Turns out the bruise on Nomar Garciaparra's hand is actually a microfracture, and he may miss Opening Day. (AP via projo.com)

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments 0