AL EAST 2009

[BillD1984]

Red Sox updates.................

Youkilis Sheds the Boot

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who had been wearing a protective boot on his left ankle since being diagnosed with a sprained ankle and mild Achilles tendonitis Wednesday, is on the field during a morning without the boot today at a workout at City of Palms Park. For more, visit the Full Count blog



Farrell: No Injury Issues for Papelbon

Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell dismissed a report on the blog of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, which quoted a scout who speculated that Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon might be injured. "There's nothing as far as that's concerned," said Farrell. For more, visit the Full Count blog.

X-Rays on Drew's hand negative
It has been determined that X-rays on J.D. Drew's right hand are negative and the outfielder has just a contusion. Drew was hit in the hand with a pitch from Pittsburgh hurler Donald Veal during the Red Sox' 11-4 win over the Pirates at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Friday.

 

[BillD1984]

Barring something major happening in the next two weeks, it looks like Brett Gardner has beat out Melky Cabrera for the Yankees starting CF job.

 

[SabresRule]

Bill, I apologize for going off-topic, but what's the new avatar?

That is SWEET!

 

[BillD1984]

Bill, I apologize for going off-topic, but what's the new avatar?

That is SWEET!

No problem. That's from the Red Sox Opening Day/Ring ceremony at Fenway last April.

Former Celtics, Bruins and Patriots (a lot of current players in the Pats case) players were on hand with championship trophies from the respective sports. According to the Red Sox front office, it was the first time all four sports trophies were present at the same location.

BTW, I don't know if you could make it out or not, but the NBA trophy is slightly obscured by the World Series trophy.

 

[Jimbo]

No problem. That's from the Red Sox Opening Day/Ring ceremony at Fenway last April.

Former Celtics, Bruins and Patriots (a lot of current players in the Pats case) players were on hand with championship trophies from the respective sports. According to the Red Sox front office, it was the first time all four sports trophies were present at the same location.

BTW, I don't know if you could make it out or not, but the NBA trophy is slightly obscured by the World Series trophy.

Bill,
I hope your going back to the last avatar you had up when Opening Day gets here.
For you the Red Sox logo looks to fit you best

Why was the Stanley Cup present in Boston last April ??????
Is one of the Red Wings players from the Boston area and wanting to share ???

Jimbo

 

[BillD1984]

Bill,
I hope your going back to the last avatar you had up when Opening Day gets here.
For you the Red Sox logo looks to fit you best

Thanks buddy, I will! :up

Why was the Stanley Cup present in Boston last April ??????
Is one of the Red Wings players from the Boston area and wanting to share ???

They had the Bruins Stanley Cup winners from '70 and '72.

 

[BillD1984]

Here's a pic of the Boston sports champions walking across Fenway with the championship trophies.

 

[BillD1984]

Good news for the Sox and Brad Penny!

Brad Penny looked outstanding in his first game activity against major-league hitters since last Sept. 15. The big right-hander needed just 33 pitches to get through three innings, allowing one walk, no hits and striking out three. He showed plenty of velocity, registering a 93-95 mph fastball with good life that he moved up and down in the zone to elicit plenty of swings and misses in his outing.
The outing was a marker of major progress for Penny over the past six months.
“It has been a long while since I’ve gone out there and felt good. The last year, I went out and I was pitching, but I never really felt like I had a lot behind it,” said Penny. “Last year was a frustrating year for me. Mentally, I was shot, just because going out there everyday and being hurt. It’s hard enough to get these guys out when you’re feeling great. To go out there and have that pain it makes the game even harder. So it’s nice to go out there with some confidence and some life on my fastball.”

 

[BillD1984]

Smoltz throws 40 pitches in bullpen session


By: Alex Speier

This morning in Ft. Myers, Red Sox starter John Smoltz threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session. He threw all fastballs — 30 from a windup and 10 from the stretch. The veteran right-hander is in his first season with the Sox, and is coming off shoulder surgery. For more on this story, check out our Sox blog, http://fullcount.weei.com

 

[BillD1984]

Red Sox plan for Matsuzaka's return

By: Alex Speier



Daisuke Matsuzaka, who won the MVP of the World Baseball Classic for the second time after winning all three of his starts in the tournament, is scheduled to arrive in Fort Myers on Wednesday night. Once back in camp, he will undergo a medical evaluation (along the lines of the one given to all Sox pitchers when they report to spring training). So long as everything tests well, Sox pitching coach John Farrell said the team would have him throw one-inning in a minor-league game on Friday and then make his first exhibition season start against the Braves on March 30.

 

[BillD1984]

Rays are built to stay in the fray, prove 2008 was no fluke - USATODAY.com

"We're better," Maddon says after an offseason in which a strong bullpen got even deeper and 33-homer player Pat Burrell was added to the middle of the lineup. "I know everybody's better. It's a way of life in this division.

"The Yankees pitching staff is vastly improved. The Boston Red Sox have a great team concept. Baltimore's getting better, and nobody's talking about them. My concern is how we're doing."

 

[BillD1984]

Yankees notes

DH Hideki Matsui isn't expected to play in the field until June, when the interleague part of the schedule comes around, manager Joe Girardi said recently, which will limit the Yankees' options. With Matsui recovering from left knee surgery — and also sporting a surgically repaired right knee — Girardi said he won't expect Matsui to be anything other than the designated hitter. "I still think it's something we're going to have to watch all year long with Matty," Girardi said. The Yankees could run into problems with such a rigid situation at DH considering they also will have to deal with C Jorge Posada's recovery from shoulder surgery and 3B Alex Rodriguez's eventual return from hip surgery. If either of those players goes for a long time without being able to play the field, the Yankees will have a logjam at DH.

 

[HD MM]

Has anyone heard how C.C. Sabathia is doing so far this Spring?

 

[KCK_Halo]

Price to AAA for Rays

This surprises me as he pitched quite well on Sunday and his pitching coach was speaking highly of him during an in-game interview.

Price optioned to Triple-A Durham | MLB.com: News

 

[KCK_Halo]

Has anyone heard how C.C. Sabathia is doing so far this Spring?

No one has seen him on the field since he has been sitting back in the club house rolling in dough in front of his locker and laughing his phat a$$ off!

 

[BillD1984]

This surprises me as he pitched quite well on Sunday and his pitching coach was speaking highly of him during an in-game interview.

Price optioned to Triple-A Durham | MLB.com: News

Color me shocked!!!!!

He was going to be my AL ROY pick, and even a darkhorse for the Cy Young.

What makes it even more surprising is the fact that Edwin Jackson was traded to Detroit in the offseason.

 

[Jimbo]

Color me shocked!!!!!

He was going to be my AL ROY pick, and even a darkhorse for the Cy Young.

What makes it even more surprising is the fact that Edwin Jackson was traded to Detroit in the offseason.

He'll be back up as soon as someone struggles or is injured.

Jimbo

 

[cosmo_kramer]

The Red Sox finalized two major pitching decisions (the first four starters and Justin Masterson's role) while leaving two others (the fifth starter and Clay Buchholz's role) open for now.

None of the developments, revealed by manager Terry Francona, are surprising. The Red Sox will open the season with a top four of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Tim Wakefield. Masterson, who will throw two innings out of the bullpen Tuesday, will be a reliever this season.

The Red Sox are waiting on naming the fifth starter, who, because of a day off April 7, will not be needed until April 12. They need to see how Brad Penny, who is starting today against the Twins, comes through in his final two starts of the spring. Penny previously battled fatigue in his right shoulder, but he was stellar in his first start, in which he pitched three innings.

The Sox set their rotation - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

 

[BillD1984]

The Red Sox finalized two major pitching decisions (the first four starters and Justin Masterson's role) while leaving two others (the fifth starter and Clay Buchholz's role) open for now.

Good, I'm glad Masterson will pitch out of the bullpen (at least for now).

1. He's got a rubber arm, might as well advantage of that.

2. While I love Okajima, he tends to break down from overuse at times. Saito and Ramirez are certainly an upgrade over what the Sox had out there last year, but both come with some question marks. And I certainly trust Masterson more than Delcarmen in high leverage situations.

3. With Beckett, Lester, Dice-K, Wakefield, Penny and hopefully Smoltz by May, the Sox have more than enough depth in the rotation. That's not even counting the "Killer Bee's" in the minors: Buchholz, Bard and Bowden, all of whom could start on most teams.

In my 30+ years following the Sox, I NEVER recall this much depth in BOTH the rotation and bullpen. This time, it's their offense that has some question marks.

 

[BillD1984]

Double good news for the Red Sox!

Smoltz Throws 47 Pitches, Kotsay Hits

By: Rob Bradford

John Smoltz threw his second bullpen session of spring training for the Red Sox -- throwing all of his pitches -- with Mark Kotsay standing in the batters box. After the session Kotsay took swings in the cage for the first time since undergoing back surgery. The outfielder/first baseman is eyeing a return to the Red Sox around May 1. "I was pretty anxious my first time out," Smoltz told MLB.com. "Today I felt I accomplished everything I wanted to do. I threw every pitch. The ball came out of my hand really well. I threw all five pitches. What I will do now is take each side session as a step closer to try and get to the next step. I'm not staying right in the time frame that I want to be in. The ball is coming out of my hand. I know what I want to do. I'm super excited with today, but I'm try not to get too carried away with it."