Red Sox: 2015 news and game stories ..

by **Tom Nolette** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:41 am

Twins 9, Sox 8: Pedroia's power is back

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Takeaways from Boston’s 9-8 loss to the Minnesota Twins in its Grapefruit League exhibition opener Thursday night in Hammond Stadium:

• Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia wasted no time in making his case that he is fully recovered from the thumb and wrist issues that plagued him the last two seasons, hitting a grand slam as part of a 3-for-3 night in which he also doubled and singled.

“I knew I was back to normal in the offseason,’’ said Pedroia, who seems to have taken as a personal affront any suggestion made last year that his injuries might not bode well for the future. “Obviously I told you that, but you can only believe it if you see it.’’

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... er-is-back

by **Tom Nolette** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 6:31 am

Sox 6, Mets 3: Porcello, Bogey on mark

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Takeaways from the Port, where the Red Sox beat the Mets, 6-3, Sunday afternoon but did the Metropolitans a good turn by helping them set an attendance record of 7,733 at Tradition Field, even though they left most of the big boys back in Fort Myers.

• Rick Porcello, the only member of his north Jersey clan to grow up a Mets fan, was quite satisfied with his day’s work, one in which he pounded the strike zone (30 strikes in 41 pitches) while giving up an unearned run on four hits in three innings. This was the first of what figures to be six Grapefruit League starts for the 26-year-old right-hander, who struck out two and did not walk a batter.

“I was pretty pleased with the amount of strikes I threw,’’ Porcello said. “Most of my misses were around the plate. My fastball, curveball, four-seamer were working really well. The changeup was a little iffy, I started feeling a lot better with it in the third inning, threw a couple of really good ones. Overall, I felt very good.’’
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... ey-on-mark

by **Tom Nolette** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:28 am

Sandoval felt disrespected in S.F.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval said in a recent interview that he felt disrespected by the San Francisco Giants' negotiating stance toward him and knew as early as spring training last season that he would leave the team as a free agent.

Sandoval told Bleacher Report that it wasn't hard to leave the Giants after winning a third World Series title in five years and that the only people in the organization he misses are manager Bruce Bochy and outfielder Hunter Pence.

"If you want me around, you make the effort to push and get me back," he told the website.

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/i ... -easy-bolt

by **Tom Nolette** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:29 am

Cecchini continues to learn by example

JUPITER, Fla. -- Spring training hadn't even begun, and one Cecchini already had gotten a big promotion.

It wasn't Gavin, the 21-year-old shortstop prospect with the New York Mets, who this spring got his first invitation to big-league camp as a nonroster player.

It wasn't his brother Garin, the 23-year-old third base prospect with the Red Sox, who last season spent 11 heady days in the big leagues.

And it wasn't Raissa, who may have no rival in the "Mothers Who Are Also Hitting Coaches" competition.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... om-example

by **Tom Nolette** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:30 am

Takeaways: Miley holds Cardinals scoreless

JUPITER, Fla. -- Takeaways from the first spring training game Wade Miley ever warmed up for with a two-hour-plus bus ride -- the sacrifice Miley had to make when traded from a team that trains in Arizona (the Diamondbacks) to the Red Sox.

* Pablo Sandoval’s comments this weekend to Scott Miller of Bleacher Report that he left San Francisco because he felt "disrespected" and misses only manager Bruce Bochy and outfielder Hunter Pence is a stark departure from what he said after the Giants’ victory parade last fall.

Check out what Sandoval said on that day.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... -scoreless
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by **Tom Nolette** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:31 am

Sandoval lets actions do the talking

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Third baseman Pablo Sandoval made news when he told Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller that the San Francisco Giants didn’t seem interested in keeping him. “If you want me around, you make the effort to push and get me back,” Sandoval was quoted as saying.

He was asked about it again Tuesday morning.

“Nothing to say,” Sandoval said. “I’m happy to be in Boston.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... he-talking

by **Tom Nolette** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:31 am

Takeaways: Strong start for Masterson

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Takeaways from Tuesday afternoon's Sox-Rays game at JetBlue Park, where the highlights included a strong outing from starter Justin Masterson, a ringing double by Hanley Ramirez, and a smart, hustling play by shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

Oh, and the Red Sox extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-1 victory.

• Masterson pitched three perfect innings with four strikeouts. Through his first five Grapefruit League innings, his earned run average is 0.00.

• Pablo Sandoval drove a ball nearly into the triangle in deep center in the second inning but Rays right fielder Steve Souza Jr. tracked it down in front of the Toyo Tires sign.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... -masterson

by **Tom Nolette** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:14 am

David Ortiz: 'You always need spring training'

BRADENTON, Fla. -- There’s this notion that David Ortiz doesn’t need spring training, fueled by his spectacular start in 2013, when he did not play in a game in Florida, started the season on the disabled list with a sore Achilles, then hit .500 (18-for-36) with 3 home runs and 15 RBIs in his first nine games after being activated.

Just another urban legend, Ortiz revealed Thursday after he hit a home run off the batter’s eye in center field here for his first home run of the spring.

“I wish I could [skip spring training], but it’s not true, because it doesn’t matter how good you are, how easy it is for you to get to the point you’re ready to go, you always need spring training,’’ he said. “That’s how you get there.’’

Ortiz may not have appeared in any exhibitions in 2013, he said, but that should not be mistaken for an idle spring...

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... g-training

by **Tom Nolette** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:23 am

Takeaways: Betts stars, but Red Sox lose

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- A few takeaways from the Fort, where Mookie Betts is shaping up to be an all-time great Mookie.

But it wasn’t enough Saturday. The visiting Pirates beat the Red Sox 5-2 at JetBlue Park.

• Betts did the same thing Saturday afternoon that he did Friday night. Well, not exactly the same thing, but very close.

Betts robbed the opposing team’s leadoff hitter with a diving catch. This time he dove to his left to snare a sinking liner hit by the Pirates' Jaff Decker.

On Friday, the game-opening diving catch was to Betts’ right.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... d-sox-lose

by **Tom Nolette** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:24 am

Notes: A refreshed Napoli goes deep twice

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Some notes from the Fort, on a day when Mike Napoli showed what being rested and healthy can mean for the Red Sox. Napoli blasted two no-doubt homers in his only two at-bats of a 5-2 Red Sox loss to the Pirates before a crowd of 9,770 at JetBlue Park. In 2014 he dealt with nagging injuries, but the biggest problem may have been sleep apnea, which prevented him from getting proper rest. Handling a normal job without proper rest would be tough, but Napoli is a major league baseball player. He underwent an eight-hour operation on Nov. 4 that including breaking his lower jaw to correct the problem...

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/ ... deep-twice