Latest from the Fort

Will Middlebrooks took a half-swing & soreness returned to his right wrist. It's nothing serious, but it conjured up the memory of his broken wrist from last year. Middlebrooks said he has worked his butt off in rehab & it's probably a good thing he did or the wrist could have been worse. Will should be OK to resume his training in a day or two. The only other story is David Ortiz leaving the team for a few days to attend to a personal matter in the DR. Several of my friends & family think Ortiz is lazy, a slacker if you will, & not putting out enough effort to return to the lineup. After all, he has his 2-year deal now. I say let's see if he's ready in one month on April Fools Day when the real games count.

Dempster the New Millar

Ryan Dempster had a clean outing yesterday. As we know, that means nothing. Who knows how he will fare in his 2 years with the Sox? But one thing is for sure. He is a pretty funny guy. The press should love him as a cross between Kevin Millar & Jon Papelbon. I can remember one reporter giving him several non-baseball questions & his answers cracked me up. I think one was aboutr space travel to Mars & he was in! If nothing else, Dempster will be a fun guy to listen to.

Bobby Still Bobby

Bobby V got hired as the new AD at Sacred Heart in Fairfield, CT. Who made that decision! Regardless, it appears Bobby is still running his mouth about his days as Red Sox manager, saying that he did what he needed to & was never going to win with the players he had in the dugout. If a manager's job is to get the best performances out of his players, then Bobby got a grade of "F." Back to school, Bobby. I think he should take a Truth & Ethics Class at Sacred Heart to clear his brain of excess testosterone which is clouding his recollection of the facts.

All Business At the Fort

Just another day of players getting their work in at Fort Myers as the Sox beat the Blue Jays 4-2. Steven Wright & Allen Webster both turned in good pitching outings. Dustin Pedroia hit a tater & Mike Carp doubled in his first at bat. John Farrell got booed by his former team's fans. All in all, just a good day of getting ready for the regular season.

Don't Read Anything Into Results

Here we go again. It's Spring Training. Results don't mean a thing. My biggest example that I can remember is watching Cliff Lee. He was getting killed every appearance in March in the Cactus League a few years ago. And he ends up having a super year & winning important games for Texas in the playoffs. Yes, it is nice that Lester pitched 2 scoreless inning. Yes, Lackey's control sure didn't look great in his 1st outing. But don't read anything into it. Remember, nothing matters until April 1st at Yankee Stadium.

Granderson Joins A-Rod on DL

Curtis Granderson gets hit on the forearm & breaks his arm, out about 10 weeks. If you add a rehab stint before re-joining the team, that puts his return at late May, early June. A-Rod is already out most or all of this season. Swisher & Martin are gone via free agency. Jeter is slowly coming back from a broken ankle in the playoffs last year. The Yankees are taking a page out of the Red Sox book when the Sox were a MASH unit a few years ago. The season is not starting well from the pinstripers.

Lackey An X Factor

No one knows what to expect out of John Lackey this year. Many, including me, thought he would dealt by the Sox before the start of spring training. Almost shockingly, Lackey reported to camp as a much thinned-down player having lost almost 20 pounds in the off-season. And he made it through his first mound session against the Rays with no problems. Who knows what he can contribute this year? With his contract set to expire in 2014 other teams may have interest, particularly by the trade deadline. Lackey is not quite in the same position with the Sox as Jacoby Ellsbury, but pretty close. If Lackey finishes the year with the Red Sox, it will be because the team is performing better than anticipated & Lackey is performing better than anticipated. Otherwise, I still think he could be gone at the trade deadline.

Spring Training Games Start

I'm lucky enough to be going to a Spring Training game today. After all these years it's still exciting to kick-off another season of hope. As they say, hope springs eternal. Baseball is a wonderful distraction, a 3-hour break from Washington partisan gridlock, from corporate greed & from nuclear proliferation by North Korea & Iran. You can only imagine how hard it is for the families in Newtown, CT to get along with their everyday lives. So if you are one of the lucky ones to watch a baseball game in person or on TV, count your blessings. I know I'm am.

Aceves Gets Speech from Farrell

Good. Crazy or not, I'm glad Farrell had a talk with Aceves about his behavior. Either you have one set of rules for everyone or you have no rules. Whether the message gets across or not is something else as Alfredo is in "Aceves-land" some of the time. If this is the worse thing that the Sox deal with this spring, life is good for all parties. Just get your work in, players, & be ready for once to play at the start of the season in April.

Camp of Low Expectations

Nick Cafardo wrote an article for the Globe whining about the fact that the Red Sox of 2013 have low expectations about improving their performance & their place in the AL East standings from 2012. Really? What happened to the super team in Boston that was slated for 100 wins a few years ago? Did anyone pick the Oakland A's last year to win the AL West over the Texas Rangers & LA Angels of Anaheim? Did anyone see the Baltimore Orioles getting a Wild Card over Boston, Tampa Bay, Chicago & Texas? The fact is that you can't tell a single thing at the start of any season. Baseball is a fickle game over a 162 game season. Things can change. Look at September 2011 in case anyone forgot. If you're a baseball scribe, I guess you have to write something to sell papers. But wouldn't it be great if this edition of the Red Sox outperforms the so-called experts & their predictions. It can happen. Let's let the season play out.

Staying Up With the Yankees

The Evil Empire & the Beantown boys are even. We both have one starter with a minor injury. Phil Hughes, like Clay Buchholz, had a minor setback at camp. While Buck tweeked his hamstring Hughes came up with back stiffness yesterday & will miss a few days. I believe Buchholz is scheduled to throw a live BP session today, so he seems back from his few days off. Hughes isn't expected to miss any significant time either. The AL East will be tough this year with Baltimore trying to repeat a trip into the playoffs, Toronto getting a bunch of new free agents & Tampa Bay who still has good young pitching. 85 wins may be enough to get you into the playoffs this year.

Lackey In Shape, Doubront Not

I hear from my sources that John Lackey reported to camp in very good shape, having shaved off some 17 pounds in the off-season. OK, that's a step in the right direction for the last of the beer & chicken pitchers as he makes an effort to help the team this year. Effort is always a good sign. On the contrary, it appears Felix Doubront has come into camp out of shape - again. Out of shape usually leads to injury as pitchers & hitters need to ramp it up quickly in Spring Training. Doubront is in a crucial year after melting in the 2nd half last year. While he needs to show management & coaches that he can handle the grind of 200 innings Doubront now is potentially leaving millions of dollars on the table by reporting out of shape. Like our kids, some of them take longer to grow up. Unfortunately, Doubront may be one of them. Opportunity may knock sooner than later for guys like Webster & De La Rosa.

Aceves Goes Goofy in BP

According to the Red Sox website, Alfredo Aceves did not pitch batting practice as intended by the coaching staff. He lobbed the ball up to home plate instead of throwing at normal speed for the better part of his session. When pitching coach Juan Nieves asked if he was injured & found out he was not, the lobbing continued a little further before Aceves finally threw at normal speed. Question: why is Aceves still part of this team after his childish antics in 2012? Yes, he has good stuff most of the time & can be a long man or spot starter. But, for a team that is looking to change its culture of entitlement by players, Aceves is a square peg in a round hole. He doesn't fit. And his first BP session shows why he can't be part of this team in 2013. Hopefully, there's a trade brewing & Aceves is part of it. There's no place in Fort Myers or Boston for his antics on the field this year. Not if the Sox truly want to change their culture.

Manny & Pedro

I'm only on chapter 5 of Francona's book, but it details the clubhouse beehive that Tito walked into in 2004 with individualists like Manny & Pedro, not to mention that Nomar was pissed that he almost got traded the year before. Given the situation, it's truly amazing that Tito kept them all together to win a World Series. Something had to give & it was Francona who bent his own rules that he grew up with in baseball to protect his players & get the most out of them. I'm shocked that he lasted in this job from 2004 through 2011 in the fishbowl that is Red Sox baseball. Between players, management & media 8 years of 12 hour days would put 50 years on anyone's life. There is no doubt that Theo picked the right guy for the job.

Sellout Streak At Fenway to End

Not much to talk about at Spring Training, so Larry Lucchino, the main protagonist of Francona's book, tells reporters that he expects the Sox fake sellout streak to end in April. Well, if that's news, OK then. Larry is the business & branding guy on the team & he has certainly expanded the Red Sox brand over the last 10 years. But, even last year, there were camera shots of many empty seats at Fenway Park. Personally, we enjoyed a family & friends event to Fenway last year & we have already been contacted by the Sox to see if we would like to do it again with a 15% discount. That never happens. Usually you have to go through a broker to get tickets. Maybe the carnival atmosphere of the past few years at Fenway will end & the real die-hard Sox fans who just care about baseball will return. I like it! Give Sweet Caroline a rest.

Cody Ross Back Home

Cody Ross will be an Arizona Diamondback for the next 3 years. This guy has the biggest smile, well since the old David Ortiz. Many fans hoped that the Red Sox would re-sign the RF who had a good season with Boston in 2012. But Ross, a native of Scottsdale, AZ, is back home where he lives with his wife & 2 kids. With the trade of Justin Upton to Atlanta Ross figures to be the everyday right-fielder for the D-Backs. Ross is one of those guys that you wish good luck to. Too bad that a 3-year deal for Ross was too long for the Sox since we have so many kids coming up in the next few years. Our loss. D-Backs gain. Good luck, Cody!

No Drama in Spring Training

Beat writers & media folk need to look hard for a story on the Sox this year in Fort Myers. All players reported on time. Most positions & roster spots are set. There is no drama, just on the field work to get ready for the season. Expectations are not high. This will be as calm a Spring Training as any in recent memory. Maybe the ownership will take more heat from comments in Francona's book.

Odd Couple - Jeter & A-Rod

Derek Jeter is working his way back from a broken ankle sustained in last year's playoffs. A-Rod is recovering from hip surgery amidst new allegations of more PED use. What an odd couple! Jeter is Mr. Yankee & he has the respect of teammates & opposing players for playing hard every day, running out his ground balls & for fostering a winning attitude & culture. A-Rod will set numerous individual records & he has the largest contract in baseball history, even though his bat rarely shows up in the playoffs. Since A-Rod's arrival the Yankees have managed only 1 World Series ring. (The Red Sox have 2!) Jeter & A-Rod play on the left side of the infield next to each other for 6 months straight. They are truly Oscar & Felix. I wonder how much better the Yankees could have been without A-Rod.

Here Comes the WBC

The World Baseball Classic should be renamed the World Pre-Season Injuries Games. Someone always gets hurt & it messes up their big league season for the team who is actually paying them. In the past it's been injuries to Mike Timlin, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia to name a few. This year Shane Victorino will play for the USA, Alfredo Aceves (a/k/a Crazy Man) will play for Mexico & Xander Bogaerts will play for the Netherlands. Let's hope all 3 can return to Fort Myers in one piece.

Spring Training Starts Today

You really don't need to say anymore. The start of spring training is like the beginning of a new chapter in Red Sox Nation. Even though Buck tweeked his hamstring today, it's still great to see the pitchers & catchers back on the field. Position players won't be far behind. Doesn't it feel like winter is almost over?

Curt Schilling - Stop Talking!

If Curt Schilling could just keep his big yap closed, he would be remembered as one of the very best short-term pitchers that the Red Sox ever had, bloody sock & all. But no. First, it's his default on a multi-million dollar loan from the State of Rhode Island after his gaming company went bust. That would be enough to keep me off the tube & not in front of cameras. But no once again. Now Schilling is spouting off about being offered PED's in 2008 by someone affiliated with the Red Sox team. No coaches. No players. Just someone affiliated with the team that he won't name. Here's a big news flash for you, Curt. Nobody cares about 2008! So shut up & go away.

Deja Vu for Tito & Dice-K

Terry Francona's Cleveland Indians signed Dice-K to a minor league contract. Can you believe it? You think Tito would have had enough of the incessant injuries & wrangling over his pitching routine over the past 3 years. But that's the life of a small team manager. You look for bargains & hope one or two perform. Watch it be the luck of Red Sox Nation that Dice-K turn it around & have a year for the Tribe like 2007 or 2008.

Does King Felix Has Elbow Issues?

Felix Hernandez & the Seattle Mariners were close to signing a 7 year, $175 million contract extension. That was until Buster Olney from ESPN reported that there are concerns about Felix's elbow. Hernandez suddenly pulled out of the World Baseball Classic for the Venezuelan team last week due to "contract negotiations." Management of the Mariners deny the Olney report & say Hernandez is scheduled to report to spring training in Peoria, AZ as scheduled on Tuesday. Felix is a game changer & he has thrown well over 200 innings in each of his last several seasons. An elbow injury at 26 years old could cost him millions.

Marrero Invited to Spring Training

A 4th shortstop is in camp for the Sox. Top pick Deven Marrero joins Stephen Drew, Xander Bogaerts & Jose Iglesias. Most scouts sign shortstops as they tend to be one of the better athletes on the field. Many move to other positions once they join their big league teams. ESPN Boston said that Cherington hopes to stop the revolving job at SS with these 4 guys within the system. I guess time will tell.

Brentz Has Gun Accident

Spring Training is barely off & running & here we go with the first casualty of the season. Highly-touted prospect Bryce Brentz will miss spring training due to an accident while cleaning his gun. He took a through & through bullet to his leg & was lucky the damage wasn't more severe. Seems like in all walks of life we just can't get away from the issue of guns & gun control. After the CT shootings I started wondering how many of my neighbors have guns. Then again, maybe I don't want to know. The Sox said that they have no formal policy on guns, but I assume that they are not allowed in the clubhouse. It's a complicated world out there & athletes with guns are part of it.

Spring Training Is Here

Soon it will be the crack of the bat & the sound of balls zipping into mitts. As always, the start of camp is a time to focus on the team's perceived strengths & weaknesses by sports reporters & fans. Very little said is actually the way things turn out in the regular season. For example, was anyone picking the Giants last spring to win a 2nd world series in 3 years? There will be talk about the new Sox acqisitions - Drew, Napoli, Gomes, Ross, Victorino, Hanrahan, etc. But it will all comes back to the same question that started in September of 2011 & remained throughout all of 2012 -- starting pitching. Can Lester ever take the jump to become a true ace? Can Buck stay healthy? Can Doubront stay solid over the 2nd half? Do Lackey & Dempster have a good year left in their arms? Will the starters go deeper into games & save the pen? Talk throughout February & March will be about everything for sure, but make no doubt about it - that the Sox will only go as far as the starting rotation will take them. Nuf ced!

Braun & A-Rod Ties to Miami PED's

Ryan Braun. A-Rod. Gio Gonzalez. Nelson Cruz. These are some of the athletes tied to the Miami clinic that MLB investigators are now reviewing records from in regards to the purchase of illegal PED's by several players. For Braun & A-Rod this is the 2nd time around the block with banned substances. Braun actually got off on his 1st positive test thanks to the some good ol' legal wrangling. I guess the lure of the next big contact or the need to be #1 outweighs the risk of putting this stuff in your body. Not great role models for high school & college kids who see cheaters make their way to the top.

"The Truck" Leaves

Spring can't be far behind when the Red Sox truck leaves Boston for Fort Myers. You might say that it doesn't take much for Red Sox Nation to get excited, but there are worse thing. That truck may carry equipment, but it also hauls the dreams of another year of baseball. Every team & their fans start the dream of a World Series ring in Spring Training. Red Sox fans are no different. Dream away!

Flacco - Best QB in Playoffs

I guess that Felger will be eating crow for awhile about his comments that Joe Flacco just isn't that good. Flacco was good, in fact he was the best QB to lead his team through the playoffs & to a Super Bowl win. He had a great stretch of 4 pressure packed games & he stood & delivered 11 TD's with no picks. Give the guy credit. Can he do that on a year by year basis? That remains to be seen. But for the 2013 playoff run no one was a better QB than Joe Flacco. Now the Ravens have to deal with his contract renewal.

Sox Sign Overbay for Depth

Just in case Mike Napoli can't go everyday or if he injures his hip, the Sox now have a veteran backup in Lyle Overbay. Red Sox fans remember Overbay from his days in Toronto. Overbay has had injury issues as well in recent years, but he brings a left-handed bat & he hits mostly against right-handed pitchers. It was a cost-effective move for the Sox to sign him to a minor league deal. Think of Overbay as a 6th or 7th starting pitcher. You never know about injuries & who will end up on the field.

What is WHIP?

As opposed to the run-producing stat of OPS, WHIP is a measure of how many batters reach base against a pitcher. WHIP stands for "walks & hits per inning pitched." By formula for you math majors, WHIP = BB + H / IP. A good number for WHIP is something around 1.10 to 1.20. For example, Pedro Martinez set the season low for WHIP in 2000 with a number of 0.7373. For Pedro's entire career his WHIP number is 1.05. By comparison closer Mariano Rivera's WHIP number in over 1,100 innings of work is 1.0012. So again, anything under 1.20 is good.

Super Bowl Almost Over

Anyone besides me had enough of the Harbaugh's, the Harbaugh wives, the Harbaugh families, etc.? I'm sure they are all nice folks like the Mannings, but enough is enough. How about Ray Lewis' rants, raves, dancing around, crying, etc.? You can expect more of all the above on Sunday as CBS exploits these angles to get a following & ratings. I am looking forward to taping the game & to seeing Beyonce at halftime & watching the Super Bowl commercials. Not so much interest in the game. On Monday all eyes focus on pitchers & catchers reporting to spring training in less than 2 weeks.