Sports of Boston » Jacoby Ellsbury

Gammons: Red Sox Owners Nixed 2009 Signing of Jose Bautista Over Money

Aryeh Rosenfield — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:20:37 +0000

Red Sox owner John Henry is already an unpopular man in Boston, and it looks like his approval rating is about to take another big hit. In his weekly MLB.com article, posted on Sunday night, NESN analyst Peter Gammons casually mentioned that Henry nixed a move that would’ve changed the course of Red Sox history. To avoid quoting Mr. Gammons out of context, here is the whole paragraph:

While owner John Henry this offseason questioned the Crawford signing because of the makeup of the lineup, Boston GM Ben Cherington has steadfastly maintained that he was very much a part of the decision to sign Crawford, which has been posted to the head of the departed Theo Epstein. There has been speculation that the Crawford signing could cost the Red Sox Jacoby Ellsbury when he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2014 season, since that might require more than $40 million per year tied up in center and left field. Baseball operations folks look back to September 2009, when Epstein claimed Jose Bautista on waivers from Toronto and had the deal set, only to have ownership kill it because what remained on Bautista’s one-year deal would have put Boston above the luxury-tax threshold. Fifteen months later, when the Nationals signed Jayson Werth, the Red Sox signed Crawford.

Step away from the ledge. STEP AWAY FROM THE LEDGE. Take a deep breath. It’s OK, the Patriots are still pretty good.

Well, that’s some owner we have. He overrules his GM to avoid adding $400,000 to the payroll, but then insists that his arm was twisted into agreeing to a $142,000,000 deal.

At the time, Bautista was under contract through 2011. Bautista hit 10 home runs in September and October of 2009 (including three in two days in a late September series at Fenway), 54 in 2010, and 43 in 2011. Think about everything that’s happened to the Red Sox outfield since late 2009. Jason Bay signing with the Mets suddenly doesn’t matter (and the Sox don’t need to sign Mike Cameron). No outfields of Nava, McDonald, and Drew after Ellsbury went down in 2010. Carl Crawford’s measly 2011 batting average of .255 doesn’t look so sad when it isn’t flanked by 160 combined games of J.D. Drew’s .222 and Darnell McDonald’s .236. And this year, Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ross can happily platoon in LF while Jason Repko and Lars Anderson can stay in Pawtucket.

You know, Mr. Henry, I think that the game of soccer is your true calling. Does Robert Kraft or Wyc Grousbeck like baseball?

Enjoy the AL East cellar, fellow Red Sox fans.

Reviewing NESN’s Jenny Dell (So Far)

andrew macdonald — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:25:11 +0000

The 2012 season is about a month old and already two things are very clear: I miss last year’s bullpen and last year’s “sideline” reporter.

Sorry folks, but Jenny Dell is not really doing it for me. I know, I know, the women reading this are calling me a superficial pig and the fellas reading this are wondering if I’d prefer the dude from Twilight as the field reporter.

I’m just picky, that’s all. I liked Heidi Watney. I liked Heidi, a lot. Most of the Red Sox fans (and players) did as well. She was obviously pretty and she had a ton of personality. But, now, she’s gone and in her place is 2008 Umass Amherst graduate, Jenny Dell.

Her prior experience as a sideline journalist is for ESPN, reporting on the X-games or bowling or some stupid thing. Regardless of what her job was prior, the former Umass cheerleader has replaced the former Miss San Diego for the 2012 season and I’m not impressed.

A Sideline Reporter’s Job

It’s the honest truth that most guys aren’t really judging these sideline reporters based on what they are saying anyway. The sideline reporter very rarely tells the viewer anything they need to know or anything that they didn’t already know in the first place. You really don’t need one.

I mean, what does a sideline reporter do? They get a quick interview with a player or the manager after the game, ask softball questions and then that player will go on to have a press conference anyway and answer those same questions. Complete waste of time.

But, at some point, marketing people decided that because of the male sports demographic, teams could easily benefit from some sort of female presence. It’s all about eye candy. It helps sell the pregame show. It works too.

I watched every pre-game show, tricked by the siren song of Tina Cervasio and Heidi Watney, only to hear information I already knew. Sorry if you have problem with this, but they are sort of a mousetrap in many ways. The allurements of a pretty face can and will always help a network.

My Take on Ms. Dell

I understand that this is Boston and every guy in the city fawns over any chick who can talk about baseball. But let’s be honest here, please. Of course, Jenny Dell is beyond pretty. It’s not hard to admit that she’s damn pretty, ok, just check out those pics online of her dressed up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz or Wonder Woman while she was attending UMass Amherst. They’ll drive you nuts.

But since this isn’t Barstool Sports, I’m not required by law to write a 1,000-word article about her camel toe. I actually want to critique the young woman’s performance and not just her looks. There’s probably already a bunch of diehard fans (stalkers) who unconditionally love her (send her hair/ask her for her used socks), but not me.

I’ll give her time – it’s only fair – but right now, I’m not a fan. From what I’ve seen, she’s coming off as overly rehearsed. You need some degree of magnetism do to this job. She doesn’t stand out much and right now, she’s really rigid in her mannerisms and reporting. She’s actually coming off as a little boring. She’s not letting her personality and her natural charm (which I’m sure she possesses) take over.

Heidi and Tina won me over with her entrancing disposition, and Hazel Mae won me over with how knowledgeable she was. So, my advice to Jenny Dull…I mean Dell, is to just relax. It’s not enough to just repeat the words you memorized. You have to add a little grace and allurement to your words.

Make yourself at home, Jenny, and pretend like you’re back at “zoo mass” and you’re the center of attention
at some out-of-control party (riot).

Red Sox Trade for OF Marlon Byrd

Matthew Bond — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:18:46 +0000

On Saturday the Red Sox finalized a trade that will send outfield veteran Marlon Byrd from the Chicago Cubs to Boston, where he will add depth to an injured outfield. In exchange the Sox send pitcher Michael Bowden, who had struggled up and down from the minor leagues in the Sox organization for years. Boston will also send a player to be named later and receive money towards Byrd’s $6.5 million contract.

This season Byrd is hitting just .070 with three hits in 43 at bats. In his career he’s played for the Phillies, Nationals, Rangers, Cubs, and now the Sox. He will likely take the everyday center field job until Jacoby Ellsbury returns from his shoulder injury months from now. The Sox are also still missing left fielder Carl Crawford, so expect Byrd to see some time playing left as well. Despite his low offensive numbers Byrd gives the Sox something they need; a player who can be penciled in everyday to start in center without question marks defensively.

Bowden a Lost Cause in Boston

Bowden was a pitcher with promise but never quite showed that talent at the major league level. He heads to a Cubs pitching staff where he could see significant time at the major league level in 2012, and even more notably he exists back under the eye of former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, who restocked the Cubs farm system with former Sox prospect Anthony Rizzo in January.

The trade is nothing special, but it’s a good one for the Red Sox. Even with the bullpen as horrible as it has pitched lately, Bowden wasn’t going to be the solution. His place on the team was trade bait at best, and by bringing in Byrd they add a good defensive option which may be the first step towards repairing parts of the roster.

Jacoby Ellsbury Injury Update: Out 6-8 Weeks with Right Shoulder Subluxation

KC Downey — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:31:53 +0000

Jacoby Ellsbury just can’t buy a break sometimes. Two years ago, he played just 18 games while he battled severely broken ribs. Last year, he had a career season but finished 2nd in MVP voting (behind a freaking pitcher!) after his team absolutely choked away their playoff spot.

And now this year, Ellsbury will miss 1-2 months with a right shoulder subluxation (which is a temporary and partial dislocated shoulder).

Ellsbury suffered the injury while performing a takeout slide in the fourth inning of Friday’s Opening Day game at Fenway. Rays SS Reid Brignac landed on Ellsbury after completing the throw to first, crushing his right shoulder.

The Red Sox now have only three healthy major league outfielders, with Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney and Darnell McDonald. Fortunately, all three can play in center field.

The team will likely call up 23-year-old PawSox OF Che-Hsuan Lin ahead of Saturday’s game.

Uh oh?

Beckett Sharp in Sox Home Opener Victory, Ellsbury Injured

Matthew Bond — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:24:28 +0000

The Red Sox put it all together on Friday afternoon in their home opener with a strong 12-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox had contributions all around, most notably a great start from Josh Beckett who rebounded from an ugly performance last Saturday to lead Boston to a 12-2 win. Despite all the good, an injury to Jacoby Ellsbury weighs over the positive outcome.

Pre-game ceremonies for the home opener included first pitches from recently retired Sox veterans Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek. The two were honored for their contributions throughout the time they spent as Boston Red Sox, including being contributors to both World Series titles in 2004 and 2007.

Beckett Leads Sox

The action commenced as Beckett took the ball, starting a game that hopefully was a sign of things to go for the Sox righty. He looked shaky early on, allowing hits here and there and getting mostly hard hit outs. He only allowed one run over eight innings, although he was hardly dominate as he only struck out one batter. Overall, it was a great step in the right direction for a pitcher looking to earn back the trust of Boston fans.

Tampa Bay Rays starter David Price was no so brilliant, getting chased from the game very early on. He allowed three runs to the Sox in an ugly third inning, including RBI base hits allowed to both Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz. That was it for Price, who threw 83 pitches over the 3 innings and was wildly ineffective.

Sox Offense Erupts in 8-run 8th

The game stayed close until the 8th inning when the Sox offense blew away the Rays bullpen with an offensive flurry. The inning began with a Darnell McDonald double, followed by consecutive walks to Cody Ross and Mike Aviles, and a big 2-run double from catcher Kelly Shoppach who had a big offensive day, going 3-4 with three runs scored. But the floodgates had barely opened yet.

Ryan Sweeney got a two run base hit to left to make it 8-1 Sox, followed by base hits by Dustin Pedroia and Gonzalez to reload the bases for Kevin Youkilis, still with no one out in the inning. He plated two more runs with a single, followed by an RBI double for Ortiz to make it 11-1. Then McDonald came up to bat again, this time getting hit by a pitch. The Sox tacked on one more run on the first out of the inning, a sacrifice fly by Ross.

The 12-1 lead was given to Mark Melancon to hold in the ninth, who had struggled this season. He didn’t look great here either, surrendering a solo home run to Ben Zobrist, but still managed to hold on for the 12-2 win. It’s the second win of the year for the Red Sox who will hope to look equally as good tomorrow when Clay Buchholz takes the mound. Of course, the most significant story is the health of Ellsbury after he was injured sliding into second base, so we’ll await to hear about his status and whether a DL stint is in his future.

Bats are Silent Once Again as Sox Fall to Jays, 3-1

Aryeh Rosenfield — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:34:40 +0000

The Boston Red Sox have started the new season almost as poorly as the last. With Wednesday’s 3-1 loss at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Sox will head back to Fenway with a 1-5 record, barely better than last year’s 0-6 opening.

Taking the loss was Jon Lester, who pitched the Red Sox’ first complete game of the season, albeit only eight innings long. The loss leaves Lester winless after two starts, despite giving up only four runs in 15 innings over his first two starts of 2012.

For the Jays, Ricky Romero was superb, going 8.1 innings while allowing one run on just three hits. Sergio Santos came in to get the last two outs and earn his first save of the season in his third try.

Both starters retired the first six batters they faced, but both struggled in the third inning. Cody Ross led off with a single in the top of the inning, but was cut down at third on a poor bunt attempt from Kelly Shoppach. Jacoby Ellsbury then singled home Mike Aviles to make it 1-0 Red Sox with runners on first and second.

An Adrian Gonzalez ground out ended the Sox threat, and Lester wasted no time in giving up the lead. A wild pitch allowed Eric Thames to move into scoring position, and Rajai Davis tripled to put the go-ahead run 90 feet away.

Yunel Escober hit a sacrifice fly to give Toronto the lead, and that was all the support that Romero needed to earn his first win of the young season.

The Red Sox’ next game is their home opener on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Josh Beckett (0-1) will face David Price (1-0).

Red Sox Spring Training Update (3/26-4/1): Boston Sets Rotation, Infield

Matt Goisman — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:43:40 +0000

Opening Day is less than a week away. Who’ll be starting Thursday in Detroit became a lot clearer this week, when the Red Sox hammered out their infield and starting rotation. They optioned both Jose Iglesias (.200 BA, five RBIs in nine games) and Lars Anderson (.343 AVG, eight RBIs in 18 games) to Pawtucket Tuesday, then announced Sunday that Daniel Bard and Felix Doubront would complete their starting rotation.

Only the outfield remains unsettled, but Cody Ross will certainly be on the roster. Ross went 5-12 this week, homering four times, scoring five runs and driving in 10. He also won this week’s Spring Training Player of the Week award!

Ross played a big part in Boston’s 4-1-1 week. Who else helped out? Here’s the update from the final full week of Spring Training.

Red Sox 6, Phillies 0

It seems Jon Lester can still dominate after all. Lester submitted the best start of the Spring, striking out 10 Philadelphia hitters while giving up just two hits and hitting a batter in seven scoreless innings. He threw six 1-2-3 innings.

Boston’s offense, meanwhile, banged out 11 hits Monday, including three home runs. Dustin Pedroia‘s first-inning home run made it 1-0, then Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled in the second and scored on a throwing error two batters later.

The Red Sox went up 5-0 in the fifth on David Ortiz‘s RBI single, followed by Ross’ third preseason home run. Non-roster infielder Mauro Gomez homered in the top of the ninth to make it 6-0.

Matt Albers struck out one in a perfect eighth inning.

Red Sox 8, Rays 0

Josh Beckett and a trio of relievers pitched a shutout Tuesday, giving up just three hits and three walks to Tampa Bay. All three walks belonged to Beckett, but so did five of the team’s nine strikeouts.

The same Ortiz-Ross tandem that proved so effective Monday worked the same magic the day after. Ortiz doubled following a Kevin Youkilis walk, putting men on second and third. Ross cleared the bases just two pitches later, homering to left to put the Red Sox up 3-0 in the second.

Following Pedroia’s RBI triple in the sixth, the Red Sox tacked on four more in the seventh, starting with a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch. Gomez then singled to center to drive in two more and make it 8-0.

Mark Melancon set the final four Rays hitters down in order, striking out two.

Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 2

Alfredo Aceves won’t be starting during the season, but he did so Thursday, holding the 22-4 Blue Jays to just two runs – one unearned – on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings. Aceves performed admirably as the long-reliever last season, and hopefully this game shows he will again this season.

Ryan Sweeney‘s RBI double gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the second, but two Boston Errors helped Toronto retake the lead 2-1 in the top of the sixth. Boston tied the game 2-2 on Ortiz’s home run in the bottom of the inning.

The Blue Jays went up 3-2 in the top of the eighth when non-roster center fielder Anthony Gose led off with a walk. Gose then stole second, third and home off Red Sox non-roster reliever Justin Thomas. Saltalamacchia (2-2) doubled with one down in the bottom of the ninth, but the next two Red Sox struck out to end the game and hand Thomas his first loss.

Red Sox 9, Twins 7

The Red Sox scored eight runs over the final four innings against the Twins, powering them to a slug-fest victory. Who did most of the damage? Ross, of course! Ross went deep twice Friday, putting the Red Sox up 2-1 in the second and 4-1 in the sixth. Ross finished 2-3, as did Sweeney.

Two Minnesota runs off starter Bard in the bottom of the sixth cut the lead to 4-3, but Boston added a run in the seventh and three in the eighth on a sacrifice fly and a two-run homer from Gomez.

A fielding error helped the Twins put up two in the bottom of the ninth, but Melancon induced an easy ground out back to the pitcher to complete the save. Bard, who went six innings and gave up three earned runs on four hits, three walks and seven strikeouts, picked up his second win.

Red Sox 7, Rays 7

The Red Sox didn’t exactly play their A-team Saturday, but even the scrubs still managed a tie, belting out 11 hits and taking advantage of four Rays errors, especially when down 5-1 entering the fifth. Boston scored on a throwing error following Pedro Ciriaco‘s sacrifice bunt in that inning. Then with two men on, Gomez singled to right to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-4.

The Rays added a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Red Sox tied it on an RBI double by Daniel Nava and another Rays fielding error. They took a 7-6 lead in the seventh on a single from Sean “Who is this guy?” Coyle.

Non-roster reliever Tony Pena Jr. couldn’t preserve the lead, however, giving up a one-out homer to Luke Scott to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Two innings later, they called it a draw.

Red Sox 5, Twins 1

Red Sox fans, rejoice: the Mayor’s Cup is back where it belongs. Bobby Valentine pieced together the win using only relievers, but it worked: five pitchers held the Twins to one earned run on five hits (one home run), two walks and eight strikeouts.

Boston entered the bottom of the sixth down 1-0, but Ross’ double scored Ciriaco (two stolen bases in the sixth) to tie the game 1-1. Two batters later, Sweeney drove in Ross with a single.

A double from Mike Aviles put Boston up 3-1, then Jacoby Ellsbury‘s triple scored Aviles. Ellsbury nearly had an inside-the-park home run, but he was thrown out at home.

The win went to Garrett Mock, who gave up the sixth-inning home run but came back to pitch a scoreless seventh. Vicente Padilla started, giving up two hits with two strikes in 1.2 scoreless innings.

Red Sox Spring Training Update (3/19-25): Lester to Start Opening Day, Jenks Charged with DUI

Matt Goisman — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:02:53 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new Spring Training Player of the Week! With a .571 batting average, three runs, four doubles and an RBI in four games, Mike Aviles takes over. Hopefully this award propels him to a fantastic season, finally giving the Red Sox some stability at shortstop.

In other Spring Training news, Bobby Valentine picked Jon Lester to start Opening Day for the second consecutive year. And in a moment of true stupidity, Bobby Jenks crashed his car after taking too many muscle relaxers early Friday morning. Lee County police officers arrested Jenks and charged him with DUI.

The Red Sox finally had a bad week, going 1-6-1, bringing their record back to .500. Sports of Boston’s weekly Spring Training Update fills you in on the rest.

Twins 8, Red Sox 4

Jacoby Ellsbury‘s RBI single in the third Monday capped a three-run inning, and he finished with two of Boston’s nine hits.

The Red Sox led 3-2 going into the sixth, but Mark Melancon gave up a bases-loaded double to Minnesota center fielder Joe Benson, earning a blown save and the loss. Another rough outing from Scott Atchison (4.91 ERA in five appearances) made it 8-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Felix Doubront started and went 4.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on eight hits, a walk and three strikeouts. Andrew Bailey allowed just a walk in a scoreless seventh.

Blue Jays 9, Red Sox 2

Daniel Bard started, giving up three runs in the second inning Tuesday but limiting Toronto to just a hit and a walk through his other four. Bard’s ability to let the second inning go suggests he has the composure to start games.

The Red Sox got two runs back in the bottom of the second on Aviles’ double and Kelly Shoppach‘s first home run of the preseason, but otherwise Blue Jays pitchers dominated, limiting the Red Sox to just five hits and a walk Tuesday.

Bard took the loss, but the bullpen really failed, allowing six additional earned runs. Of the five relievers Boston used, only Andrew Miller didn’t allow a run, and only because he left after two pitches with a strained hamstring. It was Miller’s second injury this March.

Pirates 6, Red Sox 5

Lester rewarded Valentine by struggling badly in his first start since Valentine chose him, giving up four runs on eight hits, two walks and a strikeout in just three innings Wednesday.

The Red Sox overcame that, however, thanks in part to a double by Adrian Gonzalez followed by a home run from Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the third that made it 4-3. Gonzalez tied the game an inning later with an RBI double. Both he and Saltalamacchia finished 2-for-3.

Non-roster first baseman Mauro Gomez‘s home run gave Boston a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, but Bailey gave up a two-run shot to Pittsburgh center fielder Nate McLouth. The Red Sox had a man in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, but Gomez flew out to end the game and hand Bailey his first loss.

Red Sox 4, Yankees 4

The Red Sox primarily used non-roster pitchers Thursday against the Yankees, with starter Aaron Cook giving up two earned runs on four hits and two strikeouts in four innings. Ross Ohlendorf gave up two more over the next three, giving the Yankees a 4-0 lead through seven.

Melancon’s perfect eighth may have inspired the Red Sox, because that’s when the bats finally came alive. The Red Sox strung together four consecutive hits, including three doubles. Lars Anderson‘s RBI double cut the Yankees’ lead to 4-3.

The Yankees sent minor leaguer George Kontos to the mound to close, but two hits including a double by Aviles put men on second and third. Jason Repko‘s sacrifice bunt tied the game. Does this mean Valentine’s Red Sox may actually play smallball?

Boston and New York will play each other 18 times this season. No wonder they opted to abandon this preseason game after nine innings.

Orioles 6, Red Sox 5

So far, the 2012 starting rotation doesn’t look any better than the 2011 rotation that derailed the team. Clay Buchholz started against Baltimore Friday, giving up five runs on seven hits including two homers. He walked one and struck out three.

Center fielder Adam Jones put the Orioles up 2-0 after one inning, but the Red Sox answered immediately. Repko’s single with two men on put the Red Sox on the board, and a passed ball tied the game 2-2 in the top of the second.

The Orioles went back up 4-2 in the bottom of the third on a two-run blast from Nick Markakis, then scored again in the fourth and sixth.

Boston nearly mounted a comeback, with Daniel Nava‘s single in the eighth cutting Baltimore’s lead to one, but Boston went 1-2-3 in the ninth, handing Buchholz his second loss of the season.

The Red Sox also optioned or reassigned six players Friday, headlined by Junichi Tazawa going to Triple A.

Phillies 10, Red Sox 5

Saturday’s game was over after four innings. Alfredo Aceves started and gave up nine earned runs on 10 hits – three for home runs – in three innings. Michael Bowden allowed another run, making it 10-2 Philadelphia.

The Red Sox never had a chance in this one, but they still managed a few note-worthy plays. Ellsbury’s triple cut the Phillies’ lead to 6-2 after two, and Peter Hissey‘s two-RBI double made it 10-5 after eight. Nick Punto also went 3-for-4.

Though Aceves and Bowden struggled on the mound, Franklin Morales and Vicente Padilla each pitched a perfect inning. Padilla’s inning was particularly encouraging, having strained a hamstring earlier in the week.

Saturday also marked the return of Dustin Pedroia, who’d suffered a bruised forearm after getting hit by a pitch against the Yankees. Results were negative, and Pedroia went 0-for-4 in his first game back.

Red Sox 4, Marlins 1

The Red Sox got a terrific start from Felix Doubront in their second game Saturday, with Doubront giving up just a (home) run on five hits, a walk and two strikeouts in six innings. The relief trio of Doug Mathis, Clayton Mortensen and Justin Thomas combined for three perfect innings with three strikeouts.

Boston’s hitters belted out 10 hits against Miami pitching, effectively winning the game with a three-run first. Pedro Ciriaco (2-for-3) put runners at the corners with a double, then three batters later Ryan Lavarnway (2-for-3) singled to put Boston up 3-0.

Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 5

Bard’s transition to the starting rotation just isn’t going very well. He gave up five runs in six innings Sunday, and unlike Tuesday allowed runs to score in four different innings. He also coughed up leads of 3-0 and 5-3, a very concerning problem for Bard this Spring Training.

The Red Sox scored first Sunday when Aviles led off with a double and Ellsbury drove him in with a triple. Gonzalez then scored Ellsbury with a sacrifice fly to center for a 2-0 lead.

The Red Sox went up 3-0 in the second on an RBI double from Aviles (3-4, two doubles, two runs, RBI) before Bard let the Blue Jays back in the game. The Red Sox re-took the lead when Darnell McDonald‘s triple scored both Aviles and Gonzalez, but the Blue Jays tied it again in the bottom of the sixth.

Boston’s next three relievers held Toronto to just one hit, but Toronto’s pitchers also dominated, leading to a 5-5 tie entering extra innings. Mathis loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the 10th, and Ricardo Nanita‘s single gave Toronto the walk-off win.

Red Sox Spring Training Update (3/12-18): Ciriaco Continues to Shine

Matt Goisman — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:00:22 +0000

Non-roster shortstop Pedro Ciriaco gave the Boston Red Sox some pretty good reasons to keep on the squad come opening day. After winning SoB’s inaugural “Spring Training Player of the Week,” Ciriaco followed it up by batting .538 with two doubles and a home run in six games this week. He scored four runs and drove in five.

The Red Sox as a team matched last week’s success, once again going 4-2-1. How’d they get there? Here’s this week’s Red Sox Spring Training Update.

Red Sox 5, Marlins 3 (10)

After Nate Spears bunted his way to first with one down in the bottom of tenth Monday, Ciriaco drilled a 1-0 home run to left, giving the Red Sox their first walk-off win in preseason.

Prior to Ciriaco, the Red Sox had gone up 1-0 in the second on a triple from Mike Aviles (2-3) and an RBI double from Nick Punto. As two likely major leaguers, this sequence is particularly encouraging. The Red Sox added two in the third on an RBI single from Cody Ross and a sacrifice fly from Kelly Shoppach.

Josh Beckett started and went four innings, giving up an earned run on a hit, two walks and three strikeouts. He also hit two batters. Scott Atchison blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth by giving up an RBI sacrifice fly, setting up Ciriaco’s game-ender.

Non-roster pitcher Jesse Carlson gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless tenth for the win.

Red Sox 1, Yankees 0

Red Sox swing-man Felix Doubront matched Yankee phenom Ivan Nova inning for inning Tuesday, with both allowing just two hits over four scoreless innings. Both struck out three, though Doubront also walked a guy and balked once.

Following a scoreless fifth from Michael Bowden (one hit, three strikeouts), Vicente Padilla took over and dominated, pitching three perfect innings with four strikeouts.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, caught a break to start the ninth inning. Ciriaco singled, but two errors by the Yankees – one in the outfield, one in the infield – allowed Ciriaco to score the game’s only run. Padilla got the win, while David Phelps suffered a hard-luck loss that really wasn’t his fault.

Junichi Tazawa‘s journey back from Tommy John surgery took a giant leap forward, as he earned the save by giving up just a single with three strikeouts in the ninth.

Cardinals 9, Red Sox 6

Well…. Thursday’s game was one Daniel Bard will want to forget as soon as humanly possible. Given a 4-1 lead to start the sixth, Bard coughed it all up with a solo homer and two two-out RBI singles.

A bases-loaded double from “Who Else But” Ciriaco (2-2) made it 6-4 Red Sox, but Bard struggled again in the eighth, allowing four two-out hits. The killer: a bases-loaded triple by St. Louis center fielder Shane Robinson that gave them a 7-6 lead.

The Red Sox put two men on to start the ninth, but Kyle McClellan retired the next three for the save. Bard took the loss, giving up seven earned runs on six hits and four walks with just one strikeout. Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-3, and Darnell McDonald went 2-2.

Twins 2, Red Sox 1

Boston made its first four cuts Friday, with Will Middlebrooks and six other players either optioned to Triple-A or reassigned to minor league camp. Minnesota finally fought back in the “battle” for the Mayor’s Cup that night, with starter Liam Hendricks limiting Boston to just a walk in three innings.

Jon Lester, meanwhile, gave up two runs in four innings. The Twins went up 1-0 in the top of the second on back-to-back-to singles, then took a 2-0 lead on another RBI single in the fourth.

A double by Ciriaco and single from Kevin Youkilis put the Red Sox on the board, but that’s all they got. With two men on in the ninth, Daryl Thompson struck out the last two Red Sox to finish the save. Hendricks got the win, Lester the loss.

As a small silver lining, Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey pitched a perfect sixth with two strikeouts.

Red Sox 7, Orioles 3

Two three-run innings helped the Red Sox put this game away by the sixth. Tied 1-1 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Red Sox went up 4-1 on an RBI double from Punto and a 2-RBI single from Lars Anderson (2-3). They went up 7-1 on two RBI groundouts and a homer from Ross (2-3).

Beckett started and earned his first win, allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in five innings. The Orioles got back three runs on Tazawa, but that just set up Bowden for his second save of Spring Training.

Red Sox 3, Orioles 3 (10)

Boston’s 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the ninth gave them a chance to sweep Saturday’s split-squad double-header, but non-roster pitcher Doug Mathis blew the save, giving up a double and RBI single with two outs. Both sides went 1-2-3 in the tenth, so they called it a draw.

The Red Sox drew first blood in the fifth, with Spears hitting a three-run homer. The Orioles got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth on an errant pickoff throw by Clayton Mortensen – Boston’s only non-roster pitcher in this game – and a passed ball by minor league catcher Luis Exposito.

Will Inman started for Boston, giving up a hit and a walk with a strikeout over 3.1 scoreless innings.

Red Sox 8, Rays 4

The Red Sox clobbered the Rays’ first two pitchers, putting up six runs in the first four innings. Ross and Josh Kroeger hit solo home runs in the first and second, and Kroeger added a sacrifice fly following a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-1 after three.

The Red Sox went up 6-1 in the fourth on an RBI single by Hassan and a run-scoring double-play. Hassan’s second single of the day put Boston up 7-1 in the sixth, and Ciriaco drove in his fifth run of the week with a single in the ninth.

Clay Buchholz continued his strong preseason with five innings of one run-baseball, giving up a solo home run in the second but otherwise holding Tampa Bay to three hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Padilla pitched the final three innings, giving up a run but locking down the win for his first save.

Red Sox Spring Training Update (3/5-11): Offense Clicking Early

Matt Goisman — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:25:17 +0000

One thing is clear a week into Spring Training: this Red Sox team can hit. In going 4-2-1 this week, the Red Sox averaged over five runs a game. Even with Jose Iglesias missing Sunday’s “B” game with a strained right groin, this crop of hitters look just as formidable as the league-leading 2011 Red Sox did.

Non-roster shortstop Pedro Ciriaco wins this week’s “Spring Training Player of the Week,” going 5-for-8. How did everyone else do? Here’s your weekly Red Sox Spring Training Update!

Red Sox 10, Twins 2

The Red Sox put Monday’s game away with a four-run second, beginning with a double by Darnell McDonald, who later scored on a single by non-roster invitee Josh Kroeger. A wild pitch moved Kroeger to second, Kelly Shoppach singled him to third, then Kroeger scored on RBI groundout. Shoppach scored on another wild pitch from Jason Marquis, and an RBI groundout by Ryan Sweeney chased Marquis and put the Red Sox up 2-0.

David Ortiz (2-3) led off the third with his first home run, and Boston scored five more in the top of the seventh to make it a 10-2 game. An RBI single by Will Middlebrooks (2-3) and an RBI ground-rule double by non-roster player Nate Spears made it 7-2, then Dan Butler‘s homer made it 10-2.

Clay Buchholz started and earned the win, pitching two scoreless innings while giving up just two walks with two strikeouts. Buchholz’s injury last year completely derailed both the pitching rotation and probably the season. A healthy Buchholz makes Boston’s top three starters as good as there is in baseball.

Red Sox 5, Orioles 4

Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia showed exactly whey they should be the Red Sox’s first two hitters Tuesday, with Ellsbury doubling to start the bottom of the first and reaching third on a single by Pedroia. Ellsbury then scored on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Lavarnway. Lavarnway added an RBI single immediately following Adrian Gonzalez‘s RBI double in the third.

Daniel Bard started, and Alfredo Aceves relived him in the third. Two players expected to play big roles on the Red Sox this season, Tuesday they combined for four no-hit innings, striking out four and giving up just one walk.

Red Sox non-roster pitcher Alex Wilson gave away the lead with four runs allowed over 1+ innings, getting lifted with none out and a man on second in the sixth. Clayton Mortensen came on, stranded the runner and threw 2 1/3 innings in which he gave up just one hit and struck out four.

With two out and Spears on second in the seventh, Ciriaco doubled to put the Red Sox up 5-4. Michael Bowden set the last five Orioles down in order for the save and a win for Mortensen.

Red Sox 3, Blue Jays 3

The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third Wednesday on a sac fly from Sweeney, but non-roster pitcher Justin Thomas gave up a bases-loaded single to Edwin Encarnacion to make it 3-1 after three.

The Red Sox got lucky in the top of the fourth, when Blue Jays non-roster shortstop Omar Vizquel threw away a grounder from Juan Carlos Linares. Two runs scored, tying the game 3-3.

After that, both pitching staffs took over. The Blue Jays’ final four pitchers limited the Red Sox to two walks and a hit over five innings, while the Red Sox’s final five only allowed two base runners in one inning once. After nine innings, neither team felt like continuing a meaningless game, so they called it a draw.

Red Sox non-roster invitee Justin Germano started Wednesday’s game, pitching two innings on one-hit baseball. Chorye Spoone, another non-roster player, struck out two with a hit and a walk in a scoreless seventh.

Cardinals 9, Red Sox 3

Josh Beckett looked impressive in his start Thursday against St. Louis, giving up just two hits with no walks and no strikeouts over three scoreless innings. Felix Doubront came on in relief, looking solid for two innings before faltering in the bottom of the sixth. He left with two on and none out, but non-roster pitcher Jesse Carlson allowed both to score on a bases-loaded triple by Cardinal first baseman Matt Adams.

The Red Sox tied the game in the top of the eighth on a bases-clearing triple of their own, this time by Iglesias.

The tie didn’t last long, however, as St. Louis scored six in the bottom of the eighth. Chris Carpenter – Boston’s compensation for Theo Epstein going to Chicago – gave up a bases-loaded walk, and replacement Garrett Mock allowed all three runners to score on a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded double. The Cardinals went up 9-3 on a fielding error by Kroeger, and the Red Sox went 1-2-3 in the ninth to lose for the first time this spring.

Carpenter took the loss.

Pirates 7, Red Sox 4

Buchholz’s second start of Spring Training couldn’t quite match his first, giving up two runs on three hits and a strikeout over three innings Friday night. The Red Sox began climbing back into the game in the bottom of the fourth with Ortiz’s second preseason home run, but non-roster reliever Vicente Padilla put the game out of reach in the fifth.

Padilla gave up back-to-back-to-back doubles in that ending, and only a 4-6-3 double-play saved him from giving up more runs. The Red Sox entered the bottom of the fifth down 6-1.

Kroeger immediately delivered an RBI double to cut the deficit to 6-2, and Cody Ross (2-3) added an RBI single in the sixth. McDonald (2-2) added a one-out homer to left to make it 7-4 in the seventh, but Boston couldn’t do enough to catch Pittsburgh.

Buchholz took the loss, while the win went to Pirates starter Shairon Martis. Tim Wood pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. Among the Red Sox relievers, Bowden and Brandon Duckworth combined for a perfect eighth and ninth.

Red Sox 5, Rays 0

Bard and Aceves delivered an even stronger 1-2 punch Saturday than they did Tuesday, combining for six scoreless innings, allowing just six base-runners and striking out three. They benefited greatly from a quick start from the Red Sox offense, who built a four-run lead over the first three innings.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a bases-loaded walk in the first, then the Red Sox went up 3-0 in the second on a two-run error by B.J. Upton. A double from Kevin Youkilis in the bottom of the third made it 4-0, while Kroeger’s ground-rule double in the eighth made it 5-0.

Bard got his first win in Spring Training, but the bullpen after Aceves allowed seven base-runners in three innings. That won’t do come Opening Day.

Red Sox 6, Orioles 1

Jon Lester didn’t exactly dazzle in his first start Sunday, giving up a run on a hit, four walks and two strikeouts in four innings. But he finished strong, retiring seven of the final eight Baltimore hitters.

Red Sox hitters, meanwhile, bashed out 11 hits – including nine singles – against the Orioles. They also drew four walks Sunday, with a single and a walk setting up Pedroia for a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the second. They turned a 3-1 lead into a 5-1 lead midway through the seventh on an RBI single by Lars Anderson and an Orioles throwing error during a possible double-play.

Anderson and Pedroia each finished with two hits, while Lester got the win. No Red Sox reliever pitched perfectly, but non-roster player Aaron Cook held the Orioles to just two walks over two innings.