Boston Red Sox @ Bare Baseball - Baseball MLB Blog

Beckett inks three-year extension

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:15:00 +0000

07/19/2006
BOSTON -- Just moments after his most dominating outing in a Red Sox uniform, Josh Beckett had his 12th victory and a three-year contract extension to celebrate.
The Boston Globe reported the deal was worth a guaranteed $30 million, including a $2 million signing bonus and a $12 million club option for 2010, with the option automatically kicking in if Beckett makes 28 starts in 2009 or has a combined 56 starts between 2008 and 2009.
"It is something that has definitely been weighing on me this week," Beckett said. "We've been talking about it for a while. It's nice to get it over with and move on. It didn't drag out. Things take time. It didn't get finished until [Tuesday] night. I'm happy here. These are the greatest fans in the world. It was a deal where it gives me security and that's always a big thing but it was also because I wanted to stay here and play in front of these fans and at this stadium."
After Beckett held the Royals to four hits over eight innings to lead the Sox to their second straight 1-0 win over Kansas City, manager Terry Francona broke the news to the media while praising his starting pitcher's performance.
"He threw the ball so well that I think Theo [Epstein] just gave him a three-year deal," Francona said. "I'm serious. He pitches good next time, he might get a six-year [deal]."
Beckett, 26, is in his first season with Boston and was arbitration-eligible following this season. The new contract will keep Beckett in Boston through the 2009 season. His eight-inning shutout performance Wednesday improved his record to 12-5, tying him with Roy Halladay for the AL lead.
Epstein said formal negotiations on the new contract began just before the All-Star break and concluded Tuesday night.
"I think the talent was obvious from Day 1, the day the organization traded for him," Epstein said of the trade with Florida on November 25, 2005. "It was just a matter of getting to know Josh a little bit as a person, see his work ethic, see how committed he was to personal accomplishment as well as team success. I think when we saw that, there were no doubts that we wanted to extend him, it was just a matter of finding the right time."
Assistant general manager Jed Hoyer was active in brokering the deal.
"He had one more year under our control anyway," Epstein added. "I think you started to see last year that sometimes free agent contracts for pitchers can get a little bit out of control and as a five-plus [year] player, Josh might have the benefit of comparing himself to those free agents. If we were able to get to a deal we were comfortable with, we thought now was the time because we didn't want anyone to change the market for us."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Wakefield heading to disabled list

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:14:00 +0000

07/20/2006
BOSTON -- A stress fracture in his ribs will send Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield to the disabled list.
Manager Terry Francona confirmed the injury prior to Thursday's make-up game with the Rangers at Fenway Park.
"He's been diagnosed with a stress fracture in one of his ribs," Francona said. "He's actually been pitching with pain in his ribs for about a month or six weeks. [The] bone scan shows that there's significant healing now, which is good."
The veteran knuckleballer was not immediately placed on the disabled list as the team was considering options both inside and outside the organization to fill his spot in the rotation.
"He's not going to make his start, obviously," Francona said. "The DL is a definite, but that wouldn't happen [Thursday], probably [Friday]. We need a pitcher for Saturday. When we name our starter, whether it comes from within in the organization or [outside], we'll do that when it's appropriate. We're not there yet."
Wakefield was originally scheduled to start Saturday's game in Seattle before team doctors confirmed the injury this week during a bone scan.
"The good news is that it shows significant healing but it's still giving him a lot of pain, especially in the muscles that lead away from that," Francona said. "When [he was] pitching, I know it was grabbing him every time and I'm sure it was grabbing him a lot.
"We knew Wake was sore. We thought he slept wrong originally and he may have. When this turned into this, it's hard to tell. Even talking to medical experts who have a lot of knowledge, they say he could've done it sneezing. He doesn't remember one incident," Francona added.
Francona said Wakefield has been dealing with the injury for at least a month. However, the manager said the club was encouraged by the results of a bone scan that showed significant healing of the injury.
The club is hopeful to have Wakefield's services back by mid-August.
"I think there's a chance we could have him back with us -- best-case scenario -- three weeks," Francona said. "That's if the stars align and I think four weeks is probably more what we're looking at."
Wakefield will stay back in Boston and begin his rehab next week.
"He's not going to go on the road trip," Francona said. "He's going to stay back with [rehab director] Scott Waugh, have three days of inactivity and then start on Monday doing things with Scott."
Wakefield was limited to four innings and 77 pitches in his last start Monday against Kansas City and is 7-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 19 starts this season.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Notes: Ortiz sits out with sore back

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:13:00 +0000

07/20/2006
BOSTON -- Another day and another nagging injury for the Red Sox to contend with. However, it's not just another player -- it's their biggest run-producer.
David Ortiz, who had started Boston's previous 84 games as its designated hitter, was not in the starting lineup for Thursday's makeup contest with the Rangers because of a sore back.
"I thought [Wednesday] was a good day off for him," Red Sox skipper Terry Francona said. "His back's a little sore. He didn't have any All-Star break. He kind of talked me out of it. We talked to him after the game [Wednesday] and just thought today would be a good day."
Francona eased any concerns that this would be a serious issue.
"He's not hurt," Francona said. "It just made sense to me. When he came back from the All-Star break he was tired, and that's not what you're looking for. That home-run hitting contest, part of me wasn't that sad when he fell out of it. I love him to death and I want him to get all the accolades he can get, but I knew he was going to be wiped out. And he was, I knew it."
The Red Sox manager said he would not hesitate using the slugger off the bench in a late-game situation.
"It'll be interesting when they want to get a right-hander up in the bullpen, it'll make them think about it a couple of times."
Ortiz entered Thursday's game leading the club in homers (32) and RBIs (90). His 32 home runs also led the Majors.
"Trying to pick a time to not have [Ortiz] out there is [difficult] because he's so good," Francona said. "It's just a good day to do this."
Lineup on the fly: Francona's challenges began early Thursday when he knew he would have to go to plan 'B' without the services of Ortiz in the lineup. Then he learned of a stomach bug that put Mike Lowell out of commission for the day.
"Lowell came in throwing up and he's not playing all of a sudden," Francona said. "He was going to hit third today. That was plan 'B' and plan 'B' went out the window."
Coco Crisp hit leadoff for the 23rd time while Youkilis was moved down to third in the order for just the second time in 2006.
"The thinking is maybe the change of scenery one day for Youk will be good for him."
Youkilis, who singled in his first at-bat, entered the game mired in a 5-for-34 (.147) slump in his last eight contests.
Wily Mo Pena got his first start since the June 1 surgery on his left wrist while Gabe Kapler filled in for Trot Nixon in right against Texas southpaw John Rheinecker.
"We keep Gabe in there and let Wily Mo get his bat in there off a lefty," Francona said.
Travel plans: Francona announced that David Wells and Keith Foulke will travel with the team to Seattle to continue their respective throwing programs on the side. Meanwhile, Matt Clement (right-shoulder strain) and Lenny DiNardo (neck strain) will stay back with Tim Wakefield and work with rehab director Scott Waugh.
Speaking up for the Manny: Josh Beckett said Wednesday, following a diving catch by Manny Ramirez, that the Red Sox left fielder is playing like he wants to win a Gold Glove. While not going that far, Francona on Thursday also sang Ramirez's praises for his glove work this season, especially in light of his sore right knee.
"I think Manny's moving around pretty well. I would prefer when we're at home to have Manny in left, because I think he does a good job out there," Francona said. "He's a great offensive player but I tell you what, this year he's very accurate with his throws when he needs to make an accurate throw. He's done a good job, especially here where he has that comfort zone that other outfielders come in and don't have."
Sign of the times: Another day game meant another day with the green tarp over the far two sections of the center-field bleachers. But Francona mentioned that players and umpires have expressed their concern with a Stop and Shop billboard on the garage door in center that is making it difficult to pick up the baseball.
"I talked to Larry [Lucchino] and John Henry. I know there are financial [implications]," Francona said. "Not to [upset] the Stop and Shop people, but it is a little bit of a hindrance. There's nothing we can do about it. When lefties throw on day games, it's the section over from the green [tarp] section that's the one that's the problem. I don't expect us not to sell tickets. That's not going to work. You just have to deal with it. Hopefully, it will get cloudy.
"You can tell when guys are having a tough time. You can when guys are swinging through changeups, guys are going through the lineup too easy," Francona added.
In his wake: Doug Mirabelli met with Francona before Thursday's game to discuss his role now that Wakefield is off to the disabled list.
"I'll sit on the plane and try to look at everything," Francona said. "I do like to let everyone know when there's a pretty good chance they'll play. It might be a little more conventional, and what I mean is [playing] day game after a night game. I want to see who's pitching for Seattle and Oakland before I do it. It's getting to that time of the year where it's getting hot."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Red Sox top Rangers in makeup game

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:10:00 +0000

07/20/2006
BOSTON -- The Red Sox didn't get eight innings of shutout pitching from their starter like they did the previous two days. But they got what mattered the most.
Curt Schilling battled through seven innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs, while Mark Loretta redeemed himself for two outs on the bases by collecting three hits and driving in the go-ahead run to help Boston beat Texas, 6-4, in a makeup game Thursday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Boston finished its eight-game homestand with a 5-3 mark, winning the last four to build some momentum as it heads out on a six-game road trip through Seattle and Oakland, beginning Friday night.
With the stakes raised by Jon Lester on Tuesday and Josh Beckett on Wednesday, Schilling went to the mound looking for his 12th win to match Beckett and Toronto's Roy Halladay for the American League lead.
"I've always enjoyed pitching in a rotation where guys compete like that," Schilling said. "Early in the year, I went to Josh and said, 'Let's go. Pick it up. I don't want to finish one [win] ahead. You are going to win tomorrow and we'll be tied.' Now it's on. I've always enjoyed being in a rotation where you can do things like that."
Schilling (12-3) finished with six strikeouts while throwing 109 pitches. The Red Sox right-hander remained perfect this year at Fenway, improving to 8-0 in nine starts on home turf, becoming the first Red Sox hurler to do so since Dennis Eckersley started 9-0 at Fenway in 1978.
Schilling improved to 22-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 34 Red Sox starts in Boston. He has won his last nine decisions at Fenway since losing to Oakland on Sept. 15, 2005.
"I felt good," Schilling said. "I felt strong. They hit some good pitches, they hit some bad pitches. I didn't feel like I had to battle as bad as I had to battle. The sixth inning was probably the most disappointing for me from an execution standpoint."
Manny Ramirez's RBI double off Texas starter John Rheinecker highlighted a two-run first that gave Schilling his first of three leads on the day.
"I feel like that, here with this team, we're never out of a game," Schilling said. "The key for me here is giving our offense a chance early to score some runs, and I certainly didn't do a good job of that today. But we're a good team here. There's no question about that. This is a good place for us to play."
But the Rangers wasted little time responding. Brad Wilkerson's double drove in their first run and Rod Barajas followed immediately with a soft two-run single to right, plating Kevin Mench and Wilkerson and giving the Rangers a 3-2 advantage.
The three runs snapped the scoreless string by Boston pitchers at 22 innings, dating back to the sixth inning Monday against Kansas City.
Boston reclaimed the lead, 4-3, when Mark DeRosa misplayed Wily Mo Pena's fly ball to the warning track in right. DeRosa juggled it but it fell to the ground, allowing Kevin Youkilis and Ramirez to score. Pena started at designated hitter for David Ortiz, who missed his first game of the season with a sore back.
"His at-bat, the double that he hit to right field, was probably the biggest at-bat of the game," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "[Loretta] gets thrown out at the plate, Jason [Varitek] getting a 3-0 pitch that he likes and gets under it. Suddenly, we have a chance to turn a potential big inning into nothing. We get the two runs and that, to me, was the biggest at-bat of the game."
Texas tied the game on Barajas' two-out double in the sixth, but Loretta retaliated with his own two-out heroics, lining a single to center off reliever Bryan Corey (1-1), scoring Alex Gonzalez and putting the Red Sox ahead, 5-4.
"I was gratified to come up with the go-ahead hit there, and I thought it was a great team effort today," Loretta said. "We had guys who haven't been playing regularly step up. Schilling did a great job to keep us in the game."
Moments after his third and most important hit of the day, Loretta was picked off second base to end the sixth. That came after getting thrown out without sliding into home in the third inning.
"I was pretty bad on the basepaths," Loretta said. "The play at home, I kind of got off stride, tripped a little bit and that was my fault. On the pickoff, I was trying to get a big lead to score. It was a roller-coaster day for me."
Manny Delcarmen pitched a scoreless eighth, while Mike Timlin pitched the ninth for his second save.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Reunited, and it feels so good

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:24:00 +0000

03/09/2006
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- There were enough hugs and handshakes to make Thursday's contest between the Dodgers and Red Sox seem more like a high school reunion than a baseball game.
You couldn't miss all the intertwinements as Grady Little shared the same field with the Red Sox for the first time since he last managed the club on that infamous night of Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium.
Ironically, Little seemed to have more of a Red Sox presence in his dugout than Terry Francona did.
In case you missed it, Nomar Garciaparra (former Red Sox icon), Derek Lowe (former Red Sox postseason hero) and Bill Mueller (Boston batting champ in 2003 and season-saving RBI single off Mariano Rivera in '04) now play for Little in Los Angeles.
The Red Sox, both because it was such a lengthy bus trip and that several players are performing in the World Baseball Classic, brought along just two of the eight players (Trot Nixon and right-hander Bronson Arroyo) who still remain from Little's two seasons as the Boston manager.
Red Sox fans who want to adopt a second team will have no problem doing so this summer.
"Those of us who stay up late can enjoy the Red Sox on the West Coast," quipped Red Sox owner John W. Henry, who, along with club president/CEO Larry Lucchino, sat literally a few feet behind Little from their front-row seats beside Dodgers owner (and Boston native) Frank McCourt.
Lucchino and Henry both shook hands with Little in between one of the early innings.
After not having his contract renewed by the Red Sox following the postseason run of '03, Little spent two years out of the dugout, serving as an assistant to Cubs general manager Jim Hendry. Did he assume he'd get another chance to manage in the Major Leagues?
"I don't think you can just sit there and say yes when you're just talking about one of 30 jobs in the world," said Little. "I felt like I could. I felt like I'd be ready if the opportunity ever came along again. You can't sit there and say you expect that."
And here it is, one of the premier jobs in baseball, and Little has familiar faces in various corners of the room.
"It's great, I'm excited to play for Grady again," said Garciaparra, who is spending his spring learning the art of playing first base. "He's unbelievable. He's a great manager. He's got great wisdom, he knows the game so well, he's so great to play for and he wins. That's what's awesome."
Little did plenty of winning in Boston, reeling off 93 wins in his rookie season and then coming back with 95 the next year. But if he has any bitterness remaining from the way things ended with the Red Sox, it was nowhere to be found on this picturesque day at the old-time field in Dodgertown.
"Not really, because I know myself and I know what I'm capable of doing and what I did do while I spent two years there managing the Red Sox," Little said.
As easygoing as ever, Little spun some yarns with the writers who used to chronicle him on a daily basis.
Little isn't naïve enough to think that his decision to leave a faltering Pedro Martinez on the mound during the eighth inning with the American League pennant on the line will ever be forgotten. But he's also not thin-skinned enough to let it detract from his perspective on the situation.
"You know, when you're a player that plays Major League Baseball or plays baseball at any level -- especially in the Major Leagues -- and you boot a ball one night or you make a bad pitch, or you strike out with the bases loaded, you turn the page and you get to play a game the very next day," Little said. "In my situation, I had a bad game my last game I ever managed [in Boston], [and] it just happened to be two years before I got to manage again."
But when the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, Little was watching.
"It was fun to watch," said Little. "I was in communication with several of the players then. They were calling me, pretty much on a daily basis, someone or another from that ballclub, and we were pulling for them. We were very proud of them."
And Little's mind probably didn't have to do much wandering during that postseason of '04 to think about how that ALCS a year earlier might have ended differently if Keith Foulke was his closer and Curt Schilling was alongside Martinez and Lowe in the rotation.
As he always was in Boston, Little was classy with his comments on Thursday, but still able to get his points across.
"Well, you always manage according to your personnel," said Little. "In that one particular season, we operated with a bullpen by committee, which proved to be not the most successful way to go. The following year, when they won the World Series, I think they remedied that problem and it paid off for them."
Because the Red Sox came so close to reaching the World Series during Little's tenure and there were so many holdovers in the history-making team of '04, did he feel he was a part of it?
"I don't know," said Little. "You know, in my heart, I know I was."
You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone on the Boston side who would disagree.
"I never once thought we won the World Series because I was here," said Francona. "I think there's a lot of people that probably deserve some of the credit for some of the good things that happened to the Red Sox. Not just Grady, but a lot of other people, too. It's the case everywhere you go."
By the way, Little and Francona are old friends, even though this was the first time they've seen each other since the Red Sox and A's met in the 2003 Division Series.
Shortly before game time, the current and former Boston managers shook hands and shared a few laughs. Francona and Little were roommates in the fall of 1992, working on the same staff for the Grand Canyon Rafters, an Arizona Fall League team.
Francona (a coach under Little that fall) remembers Little's penchant for buying scratch-off lottery tickets at a local convenience store.
"At that point in time, I couldn't afford to stop as often as I can now," said Little.
As for the game, Lowe (2-0, 0.00 ERA this spring) pitched the Dodgers to a to a 6-4 victory.
The only way Little, Lowe, Mueller and Garciaparra will renew acquaintances with their old friends from Boston again this season would be a meeting in the World Series. But there were no bold predictions coming from Little. He's just excited to be back in the dugout again with what he feels is a solid team.
"Everything's been going very well," said Little. "You know, this is a ballclub we have here, they were kind of riddled with injuries last year, so we're combating that this spring to get the guys back ready to play. Everything is going along right on schedule with each and every one of them so far."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Reunited, and it feels so good

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:24:00 +0000

Arroyo roughed up in Sox loss

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:23:00 +0000

03/09/2006
Red Sox at the plate: Jed Lowrie slugged a two-run homer in the ninth inning. Boston's other runs scored in the sixth inning on a wild pitch and an RBI single by J.T. Snow.
Dodgers at the plate: Cody Ross slugged his third homer in four games, a two-run shot. Ramon Martinez and J.D. Drew added solo homers. Joel Guzman started the scoring with a two-run single in the first inning.
Red Sox on the mound: Bronson Arroyo started and was charged with five runs in the first two innings. The Boston bullpen allowed only one run over the final seven innings.
Dodgers on the mound: Starter Derek Lowe limited his former team to two hits over four innings. Yhency Brazoban, facing hitters for the first time in more than two weeks, walked three and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch in two-thirds of an inning. Takashi Saito allowed Lowrie's two-run homer in the ninth.
Grapefruit League records: Red Sox 2-5; Dodgers 5-2-2.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Wakefield, Sox keep Phils in check

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:22:00 +0000

03/10/2006
Phillies at the plate: First baseman Ryan Howard continued to stay hot at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and a home run, increasing his team-leading hit total to 11. Second baseman Danny Sandoval had two doubles and scored a run.
Red Sox at the plate: Center fielder David Murphy entered the game in the fifth inning and went 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs. Trot Nixon went 2-for-3 with a solo homer.
Phillies on the mound: Starter Zack Segovia went one inning, allowing two hits while strking out one. The Phillies' bullpen allowed 13 hits, with Yoel Hernandez taking the loss.
Red Sox on the mound: Starter Tim Wakefield got the win, pitching four shutout innings. The knuckleballer allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two and hitting a batter. Five relievers combined to hold Philadelphia to six hits.
Grapefruit League records: Phillies 5-4; Red Sox 3-5.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Notes: Foulke sets sights on opener

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:21:00 +0000

03/10/2006
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After firing 43 pitches on the back field on Friday morning and facing live hitters for the first time this spring, Red Sox closer Keith Foulke threw caution to the Florida palm trees and declared himself ready to start the 2006 season on time.
"I will be ready Opening Day," said Foulke, who threw to three Minor League hitters. "There's no doubt in my mind. I'm stronger now than I have been in four years. April 3, that's a lifetime away."
Which means that Foulke, even though he's yet to throw in an exhibition game, views that as no type of sign that he won't be ready to answer the bell when the Red Sox open their season in Texas against the Rangers.
"I believe him. I have a lot of faith in Foulkey," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona.
How many exhibition games would Foulke need to pitch in to be ready for regular-season action?
"One," said Foulke. "If I had to start the season tomorrow, I'd be fine with that."
Naturally, the Red Sox would like to see Foulke -- who had surgery on both knees last year -- get a little more game work than that.
"We have three weeks left," said Francona. "He's certainly not going to throw one inning and then start the season. But we'll get him in games when he and [pitching coach Al Nipper] feel he's ready to do that in a positive way."
The fact that Foulke is so encouraged by his health has to be considered a good sign.
"I feel better now than I did at any point last year," said Foulke. "I can bend down and pick up my [young son] without grimacing or having pain."
As a final piece of maintenance to repairing his health, Foulke has been on a set schedule for getting shots of a joint lubricant called Synvisc in his knees.
"I've got one more in the right and two in the left. And then we're done for a period of time," said Foulke, who said he has been responding fine to the shots.
Interestingly, Foulke, who has mostly been a fastball-changeup pitcher during his career, is planning on using a four-pitch arsenal this season. All four of them were on display during his session of batting practice.
"Fastball, changeup, slider, splitter," said Foulke. "Those will be the four pitches I'll throw during the season. Being able to get in the proper position this year, that split-finger [fastball] is going to be a big pitch for me. It's going to be a pitch that I can throw down in the zone."
Wakefield and Bard click: Josh Bard, vying to become Boston's backup catcher in wake of John Flaherty's retirement, did his best Doug Mirabelli impersonation while catching knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in Friday's 9-4 win over the Phillies.
Considering this was the first time he caught Wakefield in a game, Bard looked remarkably comfortable.
"I felt like it went good," Bard said. "Every day is going to be a learning experience. Every pitch is going to be a learning experience. I felt today went well, but there's a lot to work on and try to get better every day. I'm playing catch with him every day. Each time I catch him in the bullpen, you see something you've never seen before.
"You've just got to keep working and keep after it. There's going to be some days when you miss it and there's going to be some days where it might not feel as nasty. The biggest thing is you've got to concentrate every pitch, because I think sometimes he can kind of lull you to sleep and you feel pretty confident. You catch a couple, and he'll just throw a stinking yo-yo and make you look silly."
Wakefield was definitely in top form from a pitching standpoint, allowing two hits and no runs over four innings.
"I felt good," Wakefield said. "I got some work in and got my pitch count up a little higher than I did last time. I think Josh Bard did a great job back there."
Murphy rediscovers stroke: Outfielder David Murphy, who had just one hit in his first 11 at-bats entering Friday's contest, broke out by belting two homers and driving in five.
"I just kind of forced myself to relax today," Murphy said. "I've been very tense up at the plate. Just being up here is such a thrill. Obviously it's Spring Training, and everybody is just trying to get their at-bats in and trying to get their timing down. Things worked out today. But there's more spring left. I'm just trying to prepare for the season."
Murphy, a first-round draft pick by the Red Sox in 2003, is likely to start the season at Triple-A Pawtucket.
More travel woes: A day after the Red Sox got to Vero Beach just 75 minutes before the first pitch because of a bus breakdown, their opponent was late this time. The Phillies got stuck on I-75 for a couple of hours thanks to an oil spill.
The game started 90 minutes late.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Schilling to keep throwing inside

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:20:00 +0000

03/11/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- While Curt Schilling has vowed to work the inside part of the plate this year -- something he has not generally done throughout his career -- he also promised that he's not intentionally throwing at batters.
On Saturday, for the second outing in a row, after a Minor League intrasquad game Tuesday, Schilling hit a batter in the helmet. He believes it's just a matter of him getting used to throwing inside and the batters getting used to expecting it.
Schilling, who threw a planned four innings, cut through the Pirates' lineup the first time around. In three innings, he faced the minimum nine batters, striking out three and allowing just one baserunner, on an error by usually sure-handed first baseman J.T. Snow.
In the fourth, Schilling faced eight batters and allowed five runners. He opened the inning by catching the left-handed-hitting Chris Duffy with an 0-2 fastball to the helmet, then gave up consecutive singles to Jack Wilson and Sean Casey, scoring Nate McLouth pinch-running for Duffy, before setting Craig Wilson down on strikes, swinging. Jeromy Burnitz's double down the left-field line and Joe Randa's sacrifice fly to center each scored a run. Schilling ended the inning -- and his outing -- by striking out Humberto Cota.
Duffy was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital and diagnosed with a mild concussion. He is being listed as day-to-day.
In spite of his line score -- four innings pitched, four hits, four earned runs, no walks, five strikeouts, one wild pitch, one hit batter, 58 pitches -- Schilling was encouraged by his performance.
"I thought I threw some balls in today good," Schilling said. "I felt good. I know I gave up four runs, but I feel like I did a lot of good things today."
"I gave up a couple ground balls that could have been outs, but I threw a wild pitch and the guy goes to second. The next ball is a ground ball that would have been an out, and I had the first guy 0-2. Jeromy had a chopper down the line. Sean hit a mistake pitch, but I thought that I executed some pitches today. I feel a lot better than the line score."
For the HBP, Schilling said when batters become accustomed to expecting him to work the inside part of the plate, they won't get hit.
"You just got to do it," he said. "The bottom line is that ball should not have hit him. You got to be able to get out of the way of that pitch. The ball that I threw in before that, I jammed him with. I had thrown him a couple balls in the first at-bat, so he was conscious then, but not tentative, not worried in. There's a big difference. I said the same thing to [catcher] Josh [Bard], there's just no way they shouldn't be able to get out of the way of that pitch. So obviously it's something I have to continue to work on.
"I'm not trying to hit anybody in the head. Everybody I've ever played with and people I play against know I play the game on the field the way it's supposed to be played. I keep going back to the same thing -- that ball should not hit you. If you're not comfortable in the box, you will not get hit. So that's something that I have to work on."
Bard saw no intention on Schilling's part.
"Sometimes you're going to hit guys and that's part of the game and there's no intention," he said. "The thing that stinks is the one that hit [Duffy] really wasn't that far inside. He threw a lot more pitches that were more inside than that. It was just kind of up in the zone."
"What he's doing is he's practicing pitching inside. Spring Training is a time where you work on the stuff that you need to get better at. I'm trying to take more aggressive swings. He's trying to pitch inside."
But would it help Schilling if batters thought he might be aiming for them?
"I think Curt has two World Series rings. He doesn't need to worry about his reputation too much," Bard said.
Schilling was pleased with his velocity (around 91-92 miles per hour) and said his surgically repaired right ankle gave him no problem.
"There were a couple of fastballs that I felt like my old self again," he said. "It's kind of the thing I've been searching for for a long, long time: Just for somebody to say or me to feel like I'm back to my old self."
Bard, whom the Sox acquired from the Indians in January, has never caught Schilling, but was pleased with what he saw from the pitcher, including a mix of "probably about 50-50" inside pitches.
"I thought he did a good job," Bard said. "He came right back inside. He threw some pitches in, for the most part. He threw that one ball to Casey, it got a little bit of the plate and he hit that ball hard. But other than that, those balls are ground balls that found holes. I think he should be really, really encouraged. He threw a couple splits and a couple changeups to Burnitz with guys in scoring position behind in the count. Those are the kind of pitches that you know he's staring to get his feel back.
"If you look at today, he was strong. And he was just as strong in that [fourth] inning as he was in the first. It was one of those things where that's baseball, and sometimes it bounces your way and sometimes it doesn't."
Manager Terry Francona was also pleased by Schilling's effort.
"It's a shame he threw that 0-2 pitch that hit that kid. It kind of messed up his inning," Francona said. "But his fastball, he was real aggressive. He threw a couple of good splits. If this was the regular season, we got a loss and we're not happy. But I thought he made a lot of progress. He just looks to me like he feels really good about himself.
"It's Spring Training, that's a great step. He had to work a little bit the last inning and push himself. I thought that was good. I thought he got a lot out of his outing."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Notes: Lester struggles vs. Bucs

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:19:00 +0000

03/11/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- After last week's start against the Australian national team, left-hander Jon Lester made his Grapefruit League debut Saturday. It's an outing he likely wants to have back.
Entering the game in the sixth inning with a two-run lead, Lester was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs on three hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a home run in his two innings, before regrouping to strike two of the last three batters he faced.
"The first couple of hitters, he looked a little tentative," manager Terry Francona said. "And then, by the time he starts throwing the ball, he was already in a bind. The only thing I told him is, 'Every time out, you learn.'"
Lester, the organization's top-rated pitching prospect, agreed with his manager's assessment.
"I think it was just more I didn't know what was going on," Lester said. "I couldn't figure out mechanically what was wrong, and then I got a little tentative. And when you start doing that, you start aiming and then it goes all down hill from there.
"[Interim pitching coach Al Nipper] came in and we talked about it a little bit and basically said ... 'Go out and pitch.' That's what I have to do. I can't think about mechanics and can't think about results and all that stuff. I just have to go out and throw the ball."
Lester's next scheduled outing is a start Thursday in St. Petersburg against the Devil Rays. Francona said it's a valuable learning experience for young pitchers, such as Lester, to get big-league starts in Spring Training.
"The more he can pitch, [the better]," Francona said. "We're trying to find some consistent innings for him here as long as we can. We'd kind of like to let him make a few starts, because I think it's good for him. But as far as him giving up runs and us not thinking he's going to be a good pitcher, no, that's not [the case]."
Meanwhile, Beckett at the ranch: With the Sox in Bradenton, Josh Beckett threw a simulated game at the team's Minor League complex. He threw 60 pitches, 40 for strikes, in four innings, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
Lefty David Wells was also expected to throw batting Saturday.
Classic returns: Pitcher Lenny DiNardo was at City of Palms Park on Saturday morning, the first of the Sox players to return from the World Baseball Classic, after Team Italy was knocked out of competition. Infielder Trent Durrington and outfielder Adam Stern will return soon, with their teams, Australia and Canada, respectively, also having been eliminated.
The Sox are still without catcher Jason Varitek, pitchers Mike Timlin and Julian Tavarez, and designated hitter David Ortiz, whose teams have advanced to the next round.
Wallace improving: Francona said pitching coach Dave Wallace, at Massachusetts General Hospital where he is being treated for an infection in his hip before undergoing hip transplant surgery, is improving.
"I talked to him [Thursday night]," Francona said. "He sounded really good. He had gotten out of bed, he had gone on crutches. He's probably a day or so from trying to go home," Francona said. "From what I understand, he's still got about a two-month wait to put that hip in. He's got a long road ahead of him."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Schilling runs into trouble in debut

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:17:00 +0000

03/11/2006
Pirates at the plate: The Pirates had at least six likely Opening Day regulars in the lineup against Red Sox ace Curt Schilling. Jose Castillo led the starters with two hits and a pair of RBIs. Former Red Sox prospect Freddy Sanchez came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run double after two outs in the sixth inning that put the Pirates ahead for good.
Red Sox at the plate: J.T. Snow doubled in a run and scored in the first inning. He added a two-out RBI single in the second inning to put Boston ahead, 4-0. Alejandro Machado went 2-for-3 with a triple and scored two runs. Dustin Mohr had a solo home run off Pirates reliever Matt Capps in the fifth inning.
Pirates on the mound: Starter Ryan Vogelsong, one of five pitchers vying for Pittsburgh's two openings in the starting rotation, allowed two runs on three hits in each of the first two innings before retiring Boston in order in the third. Southpaw reliever Mike Johnston struggled, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in his lone inning of work.
Red Sox on the mound: Starter Curt Schilling breezed through the first three innings of his Grapefruit League debut, facing the minimum nine batters and fanning three. Schilling ran into trouble in the fourth. After hitting Chris Duffy in the head with a pitch to begin the frame, the right-hander allowed four runs and four hits as the Pirates tied the game at 4. Reliever Jon Lester allowed four runs on three hits and two walks in two innings.
Grapefruit League records : Pirates 7-4; Red Sox 3-6.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Notes: Red Sox serenade Stern

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:15:00 +0000

03/12/2006
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Outfielder Adam Stern, whose Team Canada was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic, returned to the Red Sox on Saturday. While it may not have been a hero's welcome, it was a surprise to him as several of his teammates stood and serenaded him with "O Canada," the Canadian national anthem.
Part of the surprise for Stern was that they knew the words to the song.
"Most of them probably played Triple-A in either Ottawa or Edmonton or Vancouver, so I'm sure they've had their fair share of Canadian anthems," said Stern, holding several DVDs the Sox compiled for him of his Classic performance, which included an inside-the-park home run in Team Canada's upset of Team USA.
"I'm still gassed from that inside-the-park home run, I think," he said. "It was one of those things. It's rare. ... When I saw it hit, I said, 'OK, a triple.' And [the third-base coach] kept waving me. And I thought, 'Wow, man, I haven't run like that. It's early in Spring Training, I don't know if I'm ready for this.'
"I haven't seen it yet, so it's good to have [the DVD] on hand for the folks, for sure."
In three games, Stern hit .667 (6-for-9) with a double, triple, home run and five RBIs.
"I saw a $100 bill on my desk, that's all I care about," quipped manager Terry Francona, referring to a bet he had with his player on Team Canada's performance in the Classic, before turning serious.
"I think it was probably a very good thing for Stern, no matter [that] they lost. He had that good game. [People] saw him on ESPN. I'm sure it was very good for his confidence."
Stern, who had surgery on his right shoulder in September, reported that his arm feels fine. He entered Sunday's game against the Twins as a defensive replacement for Coco Crisp in center field in the seventh inning and singled in his only at-bat.
Francona said the team will be in contact with the Sox players still in the Classic -- catcher Jason Varitek, pitchers Mike Timlin and Julian Tavares, designated hitter David Ortiz, and infielder Alex Cora -- throughout the tournament to monitor their playing and help determine if they will need rest when they return.
"We'll communicate with all the guys during this," Francona said. "But I think it'll probably end up working out pretty well, because they don't play every day. Either they're playing nine innings, they have a game, a day off, so they'll be OK."
Steroid warning: The team held a closed-door meeting before taking the field for batting practice to watch a video distributed by Major League Baseball addressing steroids, the penalties and education, Francona said.
Puckett memorial: With the Twins holding a public memorial service on Sunday night at the Metrodome to honor late Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, several players were not at Sunday's game. In addition to manager Ron Gardenhire, pitcher Brad Radke, catcher Joe Mauer, and outfielders Rondell White, Torii Hunter, and Shannon Stewart had flown to Minnesota to attend the service.
Pitch counts: After facing batters for the first time Friday, Keith Foulke was expected to throw long toss on Sunday.
David Wells threw to batters for 10 minutes on Saturday. Franconca said Wells will pitch on Thursday in a Minor League game. The team has a split-squad that day. Lefty Jon Lester will travel to St. Petersburg to face the Devil Rays, while right-hander Josh Beckett will face the Twins at City of Palms Park.
Huckaby nearing return: Catcher Ken Huckaby, nursing a tweaked left knee, is about 3-4 days away from playing, Francona said.
"We gave him a couple of options," Francona said. "One, the slower version, have the Synvisc [injection]. I knew he was going to pass on that. He'll spend the next couple of days, hopefully trying to get ready to play in game conditions. And when the medical people say he can play, we'll go ahead and fire him in there. It might be a couple days, maybe more realistic, three or four.
"I'm more concerned about his health right now. You come to camp to make the team, but my goal is for him now to have him healthy."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Machado hopes to stay at highest level

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:14:00 +0000

03/12/2006
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Alejandro Machado's first taste of the big leagues taught him one thing -- that he wants more.
Machado has 32 days of Major League service on his resume, after being called up from Triple-A Pawtucket on Sept. 1. He played three games at second base, one at shortstop and six in the outfield for the Red Sox.
Where he plays in the field is not important to Machado. Getting the opportunity to play with the Red Sox is what matters. After signing with the Braves as a 16-year-old free agent in 1998, Machado also spent time with the Royals, Brewers and Expos, before being acquired by the Sox in February 2005. He'd like to be around for a while.
"I hope so," said Machado, a native of Venezuela. "I feel really comfortable here. They've treated me really good since last year. I feel like I'm home over here."
Machado has seen time in both the infield and outfield this spring, which is fine with him.
"I think it's more mental," he said. "Your mentality is the key when you are [playing both the infield and outfield]. I'm trying to work on everything in Spring Training. I try to work on the infield and outfield, my hitting and timing. That is the key for Spring Training."
Manager Terry Francona would like to see more of Machado in the outfield.
"We do want to get him in the outfield at some point," Francona said. "That might be part of his job. We know he can do it."
And when the season begins, where would Machado like to be?
"I don't know -- I hope here [with the Major League team]," he said. "I'll do everything I can to start here. Once you are here, you want to be here for your whole life."
Rough weekend: Two of the Sox's most highly-regarded young pitchers, left-hander Jon Lester and righty Jonathan Papelbon, had rough outings over the weekend.
Against the Pirates on Saturday, Lester entered the game in the sixth inning with a two-run lead, but he was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs on three hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a home run in two innings. Lester regrouped to strike out two of the last three batters he faced.
Papelbon, starting against the Twins on Sunday, also took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out two, in 3 1/3 innings.
Pressley impressions: Francona on non-roster invitee Josh Pressley, the 6-foot-6 left-handed hitter who is batting .154 (2-for-13) in eight Spring Training games: "He had kind of a breakout year in Double-A [Portland]. I don't think he's trying to make the team. He's trying to make a good first impression. Defensively, he's doing a good job. Offensively, I think he has some work to do. He's got to make his swing a little more compact. It's kind of long at times, as you see with kids that are that big. He's got a lot of power. He's got to find a way to not harness it, [but] just to get his swing a little shorter."
Pedroia on the pine: Infielder Dustin Pedroia is still sidelined with a strain of his left (non-throwing) shoulder, which he injured while taking an awkward swing during a strikeout in the eighth inning against the Twins on March 2.
What they're saying: "How he's used is still to be determined. You want to prepare him for the Major Leagues. The other thing is you want him to pitch enough where he doesn't have five-pitch innings and he can use all his pitches, so when he gets here, he's not handcuffed. ... That's such a fine line to walk between not overusing a kid and getting him ready for the Major Leagues. Once you get here, the development's over almost. You got to win. So it's a fine line. You just got to do the best you can and hope for the best." -- Francona, on pitcher Craig Hansen

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Youkilis homers, but Sox fall to Twins

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:13:00 +0000

03/12/2006
Twins at the plate: Right fielder Michael Cuddyer went 2-for-3, including his first home run of the spring, a solo shot to left-center. Shortstop Nick Punto went 3-for-4 with a double and two singles.
Red Sox at the plate: First baseman Kevin Youkilis hit his first home run of the spring, a two-run shot to left on a 3-2 pitch.
Twins on the mound: Scott Baker started and got the win, giving up two runs on three hits in three innings, striking out one without allowing a walk.
Red Sox on the mound: Starter Jonathan Papelbon took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk, while stiking out two in 3 1/3 innings. Six Red Sox relievers combined to allow just one run on four hits, three walks and two strikeouts.
Grapefruit League records: Twins 7-5; Red Sox 3-7 .

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/