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Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 3

TORONTO -- Frank Thomas's two-run double with two outs in the seventh snapped a tie and sparked Toronto to a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox last night on opening night for the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Thomas's hit, off Manny Delcarmen, broke a 3-3 deadlock. The Jays added another run off Delcarmen on a two-out single by David Eckstein in the eighth.

Boston starter Tim Wakefield cruised through the first five innings but surrendered three runs in the sixth. J.D. Drew took him off the hook with a three-run homer off Toronto starter Shaun Marcum in the seventh.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 9:43 PM | Permalink

PawSox postponed

Tonight's PawSox game has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up Saturday as part of a twin bill against Indy, beginning at 1 p.m.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 5:40 PM | Permalink

Big Blue Jays news night

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays' home opener is momentous for several reasons.

Before the team took the field for batting practice, Toronto announced the signing of right fielder Alex Rios and second baseman Aaron Hill to long-term contracts.

Rios signed a six-year deal worth $64 million beginning in 2009, with Toronto holding an option for the 2015 season. Hill's four-year $12-million contract begins this season and the Jays hold the options for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Also tonight, the Jays are inducting former second baseman Roberto Alomar into the team's Level of Excellence. Alomar, a slick fielder as well as being a switch-hitter who could hit for average and for power and steal bases, played five seasons for Toronto, including the organization's World Series winners in 1992 and 1993.

Alomar joins former players George Bell, Dave Stieb, Joe Carter and Tony Fernandez, manager Cito Gaston, general manager Pat Gillick and announcer Tom Cheek in the Level of Excellence.

One great play, of the many in Alomar's career, happened against the Red Sox when Alomar was playing for Baltimore. John Valentin was running at third base and the Orioles had the infield in. On a grounder right at Alomar, Valentin faked taking one step toward the plate, and with no hesitation, Alomar fired a bullet to third, nailing the surprised Valentin. It was a heads-up play that very few infelders might have attempted, let alone been successful at.

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 5:24 PM | Permalink

Beckett ready; difficult roster choices

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

TORONTO -- Josh Beckett joined the Red Sox here and is healthy enough to be scheduled for a start Sunday in Rogers Centre against Blue Jays ace right-hander Roy Halladay.

Beckett, who missed a good portion of spring training as well as the team's trip to Japan and the West Coast because of a lower back strain, threw a side session in Florida yesterday.

With Beckett's activation from the disabled list imminent, Boston manager Terry Francona admitted the corresponding roster move to make room for the right-hander will not be easy. The roster headache will be aggravated further in a week or so when Mike Timlin (cut on right ring finger) is expected to be activated from the disabled list.

On the roster bubble are three relievers -- Javier Lopez, Bryan Corey and David Aardsma. Each of them is out of options, so the Sox can't just option them to Pawtucket without exposing them to waivers. And the team's expectation/fear is that whoever the Sox remove to make room for the veteran pitchers will be claimed by another team.

"There are a boatload of factors,'' said Francona in talking about the decision as to whom the Sox will lop off the roster.

"It's not just if somebody gave up a run in a game. We're trying to make decisions to make the ballclub better now and for the long term. There's just not a lot of flexibility because of the team in place. That's part of the function of having so many veterans,'' said Francona.

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 5:15 PM | Permalink

Timlin progressing

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

TORONTO -- Mike Timlin, who is on the disabled list because of a cut on his right ring finger, threw 35 pitches in the batting cages at Rogers Centre on Thursday and will throw again tomorrow before heading to Pawtucket for a couple of appearances.

Boston manager Terry Francona said everything went well with yesterday's throwing session and the plan is, if everything continues to progress as well as it has, to be able to activate the veteran right-hander for the Red Sox bullpen after the two PawSox appearances.

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 5:06 PM | Permalink

Starting Lineups, April 4

Red Sox

Pedroia 2b
Youkilis 1b
Ortiz dh
Ramirez lf
Lowell 3b
Drew 3b
Lugo ss
Ellsbury cf
Cash c

Wakefield p

BLUE JAYS
Eckstein ss
Stairs lf
Rios rf
Wells cf
Thomas dh
Overbay 1b
Hill 2b
Scutaro 3b
Zaun c

Marcum p

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 5:03 PM | Permalink

Red Sox-Blue Jays key stats

-Since 2005, the Red Sox are 23-30 against Toronto.
-The Blue Jays will be playing their home opener tonight, and will induct Roberto Alomar into the Level of Excellence at the Rogers Centre.
-David Ortiz has 29 career home runs against the Blue Jays, second-most of any opponent. He has 31 against Tampa Bay.
-Shaun Marcum was 11-4 as a starter last season.

Red Sox vs. Shaun Marcum
-Manny Ramirez, 3 for 6 (.500), 2 HR, BB
-Jacoby Ellsbury, 1 for 2 (.500), 2B
-Mike Lowell, 4 for 10 (.400), 2B, 3B
-Jason Varitek, 2 for 7 (.286)
-David Ortiz, 2 for 8 (.250), 3 BB
-Kevin Youkilis, 2 for 10 (.200), 2B
-Alex Cora, 1 for 5 (.200)
-J.D. Drew, 1 for 6 (.167), 2B, BB
-Coco Crisp, 1 for 6 (.167)
-Julio Lugo, 1 for 7 (.143)
-Sean Casey, 0 for 2
-Dustin Pedroia, 0 for 5
-Marcum is 2-1 with a 2.77 E.R.A. in his career against Boston.

Blue Jays vs. Tim Wakefield
-Marco Scutaro, 3 for 8 (.375), 2 2B
-Aaron Hill, 6 for 19 (.316), 2B, BB
-Rod Barajas, 5 for 17 (.294), HR
-Vernon Wells, 13 for 45 (.289), 2 2B, 5 BB
-Shannon Stewart, 15 for 54 (.278), 3 2B, 3B, 5 BB
-John McDonald, 6 for 22 (.273), 2 2B
-Matt Stairs, 12 for 45 (.267), 5 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB
-David Eckstein, 5 for 19 (.263), BB
-Frank Thomas, 12 for 48 (.250), 2 2B, 6 HR, 6 BB
-Alex Rios, 7 for 30 (.233), 2B, 3B, 2 HR
-Lyle Overbay, 2 for 10 (.200), BB
-Gregg Zaun, 4 for 21 (.190), 2 BB
-Wakefield is 15-10 with a 3.86 E.R.A. in his career against Toronto.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 4:12 PM to Projo Sox Streakers | Permalink

Yoga -- one aspect of the new Manny

We've already noted the changed attitude that Manny Ramirez seems to have brought into this, his eighth season with the Red Sox. And while some cynics might say that the changes in Ramirez -- coming to camp on time and in better shape, speaking cordially to the media -- might be motivated by the fact that this is the last guaranteed year of his current contract, we'd like to point to his offseason embrace of yoga (as well as meditation and the power of positive thinking).

Read all about it here.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:51 PM to Projo Mannybeingmanny | Permalink

Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: Colon, Hansen, Wakefield, previewing Toronto

Click the play button below to hear Sean's comments, recorded this morning. He puts last night's events in Pawtucket into context and looks ahead to the weekend series in Toronto.

Here are some excerpts from Sean's comments:

What's next for Colon: "I would think, and this is just conjecture on my part, that they would want at least one more Triple A start for him, if only to build up that pitch count a little bit. ... I would think they would want him to crack that 90-pitch threshold somewhere else other than the big leagues for the first time, and that would translate into at least one more start, and then you're looking at probably the 16th, 17th, 18th of April where he's ready to make his [Boston] debut.

Craig Hansen -- this year's Manny Delcarmen? "I think that's exactly how they envision him. ... They have not given up on this guy, and that's understandable. They invested a lot of money in their number-one pick, signed him to a major league deal to get him signed, rushed him to the big leagues to their detriment -- and his, now it would seem. But anyone who can throw in the mid 90s the way he can, and has the kind of arm and raw ability that he has; they believe he's still salvagable."

Wakefield on the eve of his 14th Red Sox season: "He had a great spring and there are no physical worries on the Red Sox part at all."

Can the Blue Jays contend? "It seems every year we think that this is going to be the year they break through that glass ceiling in the American League East and give the top two teams a real run for their money, and unfortunately for the Blue Jays it seems like every year something happens to derail them. A lot of times it's been injuries, and already they've got Scott Rolen sidelined for a month and [closer B.J.] Ryan not quite ready to go. ... I think Dustin McGowan is going to be one of the guys to keep an eye on in the American League; I really think he could break through into a 15- to 18-game winner this year, and that would give them some additional pitching depth. But the key is keeping everybody healthy. ... If they do, I think they can hang in there at least for a while. Even with their injuries the last couple of years, they've given the Red Sox all they can handle."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:41 PM to Projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdam | Permalink

Baseball Today: Friday, April 4

Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson

EYEING THE BIG TIME: Granted, it was the Indianapolis Indians and not, say, the Toronto Blue Jays or Detroit Tigers. But while Bartolo Colon's performance last night at McCoy Stadium doesn't guarantee he's ready to step into the Red Sox' starting rotation, it also did nothing that would lead you to believe he isn't. Jim Donaldson has the details of a dominating performance that ended with Colon blowing a 95-mph fastball past Kevin Thompson for the third strike and final out of the fifth inning. The final line: 5 innings, 1 hit (a second-inning single by Adam Boeve), 0 runs, 1 walk (to, again, the pesky Boeve) and 5 strikeouts, in a 74-pitch (45 for strikes) outing. In his game summary, Joe McDonald talks to new PawSox pitching coach Rich Sauveur, who says, "It's not my call, but if anyone watched that game tonight you'd say, 'Yeah, he's ready.' "

Colon's next turn to pitch is Tuesday. It's unlikely he'd do so in Boston -- that's the Sox' home opener, and Daisuke Matsuzaka is penciled in -- but there's always Wednesday night against the Tigers. Stay tuned.

HIM, TOO: While it's true that just about every Pawtucket player is dreaming those Boston dreams, Bobby Kielty -- like Colon -- has reason to think he'll be at Fenway sooner rather than later. McDonald caught up with him after his 0-for-4 performance last night and finds him ready for just about anything. One person who's happy Kielty's where he is, is manager Ron Johnson (right, greeting Kielty with a smile during pregame introductions). "He's got a great attitude," said the skipper.

Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson

THE REST OF THE STORY: McDonald's recap of the 3-0 victory includes a look at a strong outing from Craig Hansen and reaction from newcomer Jonathan Van Every after his two-run homer.

ELSEWHERE ON THE FARM: Justin Masterson, whom we may see in Pawtucket sometime this summer, pitched well in Portland's opener. (Kennebunk Journal and Morning Sentinel)

ALMOST HOME: As for the varsity, they're happy to be back on the East Coast -- or at least in the Eastern time zone -- as they prepare for the last leg of the endless journey, a three-game series in Toronto. (Boston Herald) Tonight's game is the Blue Jays' home opener, and it also marks Kevin Cash's official debut as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher. (Boston Globe)

ALMOST DONE: And when they get home to Fenway Park, they'll find the old girl will look a little different than she did when last they saw her, after Game Two of the World Series. The Boston Globe chronicles this offseason's changes, which include new seats, a new stairway and a new Coke sign.

CRASHING THE PARTY: As the Sox were showing off the new and improved Fenway, visitors were treated to an unlikely -- and unwelcome -- sight: a hawk attack on a teenage girl who was part of a group taking a tour. (Boston Globe) She wasn't seriously hurt, but the Globe got pictures of the whole thing.

Oh, and the girl's name? Alexa Rodriguez. Honest, that's what they said.

WHY TRADE HIM WHEN YOU CAN JUST GIVE HIM AWAY FOR NOTHING? Coco Crisp is on Tracy Ringolsby's list of players whose contracts should be eaten by their respective teams. (FoxSports.com) Also on the list: Nomar Garciaparra and Dave Roberts.

AT LEAST THEY'RE NOT NED FLANDERS ANYMORE: The blog Barstool Sports presents what it calls The Definitive MLB-Simpsons Analogy List and has the Red Sox as Lisa Simpson: "Beloved by all. Used to being overlooked and trod upon, so that when they finally get a day in the sun, they don't really know what to do with it. Unfortunate tendency to get a little self-righteous. Antagonistic relationship with those in positions of power." The Yankees? Monty Burns.

BEASTS OF THE EAST? And speaking of the Blue Jays ("Bumblebee Man" in the analogy) -- which we were, a few steps back -- David Pinto is impressed with them, even though they lost two of three at Yankee Stadium. (Baseball Musings) The Jays are also part of a discussion of the A.L. East that Chad Finn participated in at Baseball Analysts.

COMING UP SMALL: The Yankees congratulated themselves for their mastery of small ball in their 3-2 win over the Blue Jays last night. (New York Daily News) Joba Chamberlain pitched again and this time he simply walked off the mound after recording the final out of the eighth -- compared to the twisting, screaming Tazmanian Devil act he pulled on Thursday -- but says he didn't tone things down in response to the widespread criticism he received. (New York Post)

ROUND THREE: Ali-Frazier, Hagler-Leonard, Yankees-Rays. The war resumes tonight, previewed by the Daily News and the Post.

PAUL WHO? Newsday's Neal Best reports Paul O'Neill, now a part-time analyst on the YES Network, was denied admission to the Blue Jays' clubhouse at Yankee Stadium on Opening Day because the security guard didn't recognize him.

THE AGE-OLD QUESTION: So how much does clubhouse chemistry have to do with on-field success? FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal discusses the issue with David Wright, under the context of: Did the Mets collapse last year because of lack of adequate leadership? Wright, not suprisingly, says no. Incidentally, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Mike Berardino takes issue with Bill James' 60 Minutes identification of Wright as his favorite player. Berardino thinks James should have picked the Marlins' Hanley Ramirez . . . although, when he compares the two, Ramirez' weaknesses in comparison to Wright (lower on-base percentage, lower slugging percentage, worse defense) seem to far outnumber his strengths (more stolen bases, a one-point edge in batting average, a year younger).

THE MARCH OF TIME: The stathead world is abuzz with the news that Murray Chass, the very well-connected but numbers-phobic baseball writer for the New York Times, is apparently being given a buyout. (The Big Lead) Flags at Fire Joe Morgan are at half-staff. But Pinto says he'll pay Chass $10,000 to write for Baseball Musings.

IF WE COULD JUST PACK HIM IN ICE AND TAKE HIM OUT FOR THE GAMES: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark finds it impossible to believe that not one of the 30 big-leagues teams has room for Barry Bonds, who, as he points out, "did out-homer Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Sheffield and Travis Hafner last year, you know. He did have a higher slugging percentage than Mark Teixeira, Adam Dunn and Carlos Beltran. He did reach base more times than Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon and Torii Hunter." So he talks to three executives with big-league teams, who give the honest, if anonynous, answer: The on-field Barry Bonds element may be tempting, but the complete Barry Bonds package is so onerous that no one wants to deal with it.

JUST SAY NO: Over the years, the Twins' Joe Mauer has always hit far better on the road than he has at home. His manager, Ron Gardenhire, thinks Mauer is too nice a guy and needs to learn to turn down the hometown folks tugging for his time in order to better prepare for games. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

MAD-EYE MOODY WOULD BE PROUD: The Chicago Tribune's Rick Morrissey starts off with what seems to be a nice little column on Steve Bartman -- who, as we noted the other day, was (finally) exonerated by Moises Alou on the Play That Must Not Be Named -- but he quickly turns it into a nuclear attack on Jay Mariotti, whom he refers to as "Lord Voldemort over at the Sun-Times."

HUMAN SACRIFICE, DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER, MASS HYSTERIA! Who would have thought the Royals would be 3-0 and the Tigers 0-3 . . . especially when their first three games were against each other, and in Detroit, no less? That's where we stand today, however, after Kansas City completed the sweep with a 4-1 victory. (Kansas City Star) But while the Royals revel (SI.com), the Tigers stew. 'We stunk' was Jim Leyland's assessment (Detroit News), and the News' Lynn Henning is already wondering if owner Mike Ilitch is getting bang for the considerable amount of bucks he's spending. To make it worse, Gary Sheffield is probably headed to the disabled list because of a torn tendon in his finger. (Detroit Free Press)

ON THE FIELD: Johnny Cuerto (seven innings, 10 strikeouts) had an amazing debut for the Reds in a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks (Cincinnati Enquirer) . . . The Giants threw caution to the wind with Tim Lincecum and it paid off with a victory over the Dodgers (San Jose Mercury News) . . . Kerry Wood got his first career save as the Cubs beat the Brewers (Chicago Tribune) . . . The Phillies derailed the Nationals' juggernaut, at least for a day. (Philadephia Inquirer)

QUICKLY: Sounds like Scott Kazmir is on the road to recovery (St. Petersburg Times) . . . Not so Mike Hampton (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) . . . The San Francisco Chronicle thinks that if the A's are showcasing Rich Harden, his trade value rose with his five shutout innings against the Red Sox Wednesday.

OLD FRIENDS: Alex Gonzalez is at the stage of his rehab where he's ready to take BP (Cincinnati Enquirer) . . . Freddy Sanchez continues to have problems with his shoulder. (Rotoworld.com)

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 6:29 AM | Permalink