Column--4/15/13 (Red Sox road trip)

My first Red Sox game was September 28, 2007.  I have been to countless games since.  But never have I had the chance to eat for free at Fenway Park.  So when I heard that the Red Sox were giving free food away to kids under 14, I wasn't going to miss out on that opportunity.

It didn't take long for me to find myself on Yawkey Way for the fist time this year.  I spent the weekend at Fenway Park, taking in two games against the Tampa Bay Rays.

April baseball is a very special time.  Its the time when you are just coming out of spring training and everyone is coming together and trying to get used to the cold New England weather in Boston.  The Red Sox appear to be doing that well, as they just won the series over the Rays.

While being down there, I definitely saw some good things.  First of all, I’ll note the huge improvement of the pitching this year so far, even though it is a small sample size.  Last year, no Red Sox pitchers could string two wins together, and that is why no pitchers want to look back on it.

In Saturday’s game, Jon Lester was on the hill.  Lester tossed seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits.  Lester's command looks good, which is an improvement from last year.  He's able to put his pitches where he wants them, keeping the ball down and throwing strikes, and not allowing too many base runners.

In the game that I saw on Sunday, Clay Buchholz posted a carreer high 11 strike outs and tossing eight scoreless innings, with seven of them being hitless.  Buchholz improved to 3-0 on the season, with just a microscopic 0.41 ERA.

One disappointment for the Sox so far has been new closer Joel Hanrahan.  On the Saturday game, Hanrahan pitched to two batters, walking both of them.  I had high hopes for Joel at the start of the season, as he was one of the better closers in the National League for Pittsburgh.  I think its too early to give up on Hanrahan since we haven’t seen enough of him yet.  He also claimed that he now has a hamstring issue.  It is yet to play out whether that is an excuse or if it is actually an issue for him.  He did have a similar injury in Pittsburgh.  Andrew Bailey will close out games while Hanrahan is hurt.

One thing they say about new pitchers who are coming to Boston is that they need to have a "short term memory." This means that if they get blown up in one game, they have to be able to overcome it before their next appearance, which for many relievers is the next night.  The other thing that happens to players in Boston is that my friends in the press will beat them up if they have a bad night.  No matter how mad he is, the pitcher has to keep himself under control and be careful about what he says.  That can be hard for guys like Bobby Valentine who can't stop talking to the media, and sometimes things come out differently than guys like Valentine mean for them too.

Another note for the Sox this week is there sellout streak of 794 games came to an end last Wednesday.  The streak, which started in 2003, is the longest sellout streak in the history of US major league sports.

I think that the streak has greatly affected the mood and attitude in the park.  First off, there really are fewer people at the games.  Also, the fans just don't seem as into it and intense as they normally are.  Don't get me wrong, I love going to Fenway, and I always will, but the attitude of the fans after the last two years really is more subdued.

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Ortiz to be back in Boston on Fri.

Red Sox DH David Ortiz, who is recovering from a heel injury is expected to be back at Fenway Park on Friday to play with the big club.  Ortiz led the Pawtucket Red Sox to a win on Thursday, belting a home run in the sixth.  It will be great to see Papi in a Red Sox uniform.  He was missed.

Red Sox activate Drew, Place Lackey on 15-day DL

The Boston Red Sox activated offseason pick-up SS Stephen Drew from the disabled list on Wednesday, and placed SP John Lackey on the 15-day DL, due to a biceps strain.  Lackey will not start this Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, instead you will see Alfredo Aceves start on the hill for the rubber match of that opening series at Fenway Park.  Aceves has looked shaky coming out of the bullpen earlier in the season, so this will be his test-run to see how he does starting the ballgame on the mound.

Red Sox top Orioles 3-1 in home-opener

Clay Buchholz put in 7 lights-out innings today in the Red Sox' home-opener at Fenway Park.  Red Sox OF Daniel Nava tacked on a three-run homer in the seventh inning to break the scoreless tie, and give the Red Sox the lead.  On a 1-1 count, Nava blasted a middle-in fastball into the monster seats.  Adam Jones got the birds onto the board in the ninth with a solo blast off of Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan.

Ortiz headed back to Fort Myers for extended spring rehab

Red Sox DH David Ortiz is headed back down to Fort Myers, Fla. to begin his rehab stint at Fenway South.  Ortiz is expected to play in extended spring games on Monday and the Red Sox are hopeful that he will be playing in games for Tripple-A Pawtucket by the end of the week.  There is not yet a clear timetable for when Papi will be back in major league action.

Red Sox top Jays 13-0 in series finale

The Boston Red Sox finished up their six-game road trip to begin the season with a 13-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.  Red Sox 3B Will Middlebrooks tied the club record by hitting three home runs on the day, and contributing to the teams combined six-home run occasion.  It's great to see the Red Sox take two-out-of-three on the road against the team who I predicted to win the division.  The home-opener at Fenway is tomorrow--Monday, at 2:05.

Lackey diagnosed with biceps strain

Red Sox starter John Lackey left Saturday's game in Toronto in the fifth inning after going down in pain after throwing a pitch that ran in on Blue Jay's SS Jose Reyes.  Lackey went down holding the bicep area of his arm immediately after throwing the pitch.  He is currently diagnosed with a biceps strain, and he is due to have an MRI on Sunday.  I feel bad for Lackey.  He worked so hard to come back from Tommy John, and now he may have another injury on his throwing arm.

Column--4/2/13 (AL East predictions)

Yes, with snow on the ground, I know, it’s hard to believe it, but the 2013 baseball season did start on Monday.

Jasper’s AL East Predictions 1.  Toronto Blue Jays 2.  Tampa Bay Rays 3.  Baltimore Orioles 4.  Boston Red Sox 5.  New York Yankees

Even though I want to say that the Red Sox will lead the pack of the east this year, I just don’t’ see who they finish in front of besides the Yankees.  The Sox look better than last year, with an improved starting rotation and a strong middle of the lineup--if they’re healthy. But the rest of the AL East looks like a powerhouse division. 

Along with the Sox in the east, you have the Blue Jays who made a blockbuster deal with the Miami Marlins.  The Marlins sent all-star shortstop Jose Reyes, catcher John Buck, starter Mark Buehrle, and outfielder Emillio Bonifacio to the Jays in a deal that was initiated to clear salary space for Miami.  My very early prediction is that the players who they acquired will lead Toronto to a division title.

Also in the east you have the Tampa Bay Rays.  Even with the loss of former AL all-star pitcher James Shields, the Rays still have aces David Price, Jerremy Hellickson, and Matt Moore to lead the way.  If three-time all-star third basemen Evan Longoria can stay healthy, I see the Rays as a close second-place finish to the Blue Jays in the east.

In third place, I have the Baltimore Orioles.  I see the birds falling back slightly this year.  With everyone raving about their starting pitching, keep in mind that nobody on that staff last year won more than 12 games.  Also, the Orioles posted a 29-9 record in one-run games, and 16-2 in extra innings.  I often say that there’s no such thing as luck in baseball, but that’s a lot of luck.  I would be more than a little surprised to see any team go back-to-back seasons with those kinds of numbers in close games.

The team who I have finishing in fourth is the Boston Red Sox.  The Sox look to have a strong top of the rotation with the addition of starting pitcher Ryan Dempster in the off-season.  Dempster, a 14-year veteran, is a great guy to have around the clubhouse who can contribute greatly to the team. 

Another key for the Sox this year is the health of the players in the middle of the lineup.  Red Sox DH David Ortiz is set to start the season on the disabled list due to a heel injury.  Ortiz is a key bat in that lineup, and he’s tough to lose so early. 

Another question mark in my mind is whether or not new Red Sox first basemen Mike Napoli can stay healthy.  It looked like Napoli was a go for the Sox during the off-season when they were negotiating the deal, but when medical tests showed that he had a problem with his hip, the Sox drew back a bit.  They negotiated for a little while but then came to a deal which Napoli makes $5 million as opposed to the huge initial deal that they were talking about.

The best-case scenario for the BoSox is a middle of the lineup where everyone plays at the top of their game.  If all of the pieces of the puzzle line up, the Red Sox have lots of power.  Third baseman Will Middlebrooks has the potential to be a very strong offensive infielder.  Whether or not Middlebrooks can stay healthy is another matter.  He missed much of last year with a broken wrist.

Anchoring the cellar of the division, I have the New York Yankees.  The Yanks appear to be in trouble.  As sportscaster Mal Boright put it in the 2013 baseball preview show that I hosted Thursday on WDEV, “The Yankees are on Medicare.”  SS Derek Jeter, 1B Mark Texeria, CF Curtis Granderson, and 3B/DH Alex Rodriguez will all start the year on the DL.  With Granderson posting 43 homers for New York last year, losing him and Texeria at the same time, is a lot of runs.  However, the good news for the Yanks is that both Granderson and Tex are looking at returning in May.

Follow Jasper Goodman on twitter:  @Jasper_Goodman

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Column--3/19/13 (Spring Training)

While for most fans the words “Play ball!” aren’t heard until April 1^st, The crack of the bat and the pop of a glove are familiar sounds long before then at JetBlue Park at Fenway South.

            This spring, I traveled down to Fort Myers, Florida for the third year in a row to scout this years Red Sox team.

Spring training is baseball’s coming out party.   It is the time where young players get a shot at making the big team. 

The Red Sox spring training facilities are among the best in baseball.  USA Today Sports recently stated that JetBlue Park was the number one field in the Grapefruit League.

“I’ve had a chance to be around most minor league and major league spring training facilities, and this is second to none,” pitcher Ryan Dempster told me after pitching a side session.  Dempster is a 15-year MLB veteran who was acquired in the off-season by the Sox.

            The Red Sox spring training facilities are unique in the way that Minor league players in the Red Sox system are training right next to the big leaguers.  Throughout the course of a day, minor leaguers work on the six practice fields that sit just behind JetBlue Park.  While the minor leaguers are out there, they are getting training from the best coaches in baseball.

            One of the special things about spring training is that it’s common to run into Red Sox legends just strolling around the park.  For the second year in a row this year, I ran into former three time all-star Luis Tiant.

Tiant, just can’t seem to get enough of baseball.  He also helps out at camp

            “Watching the pitchers, if there’s something I see, I can tell the pitching coach what I see, and maybe he sees what I see, and maybe he can work it out with the pitchers,” said Tiant, while talking about his roles at spring training. 

Tiant doesn’t expect this year to be quite the horror show that last year was.  “I think we can put a good team on the field.  We can do some damage.”

            Tiant, however, isn’t the only familiar face at spring training.  Coming back in a different role this year is former three-time American League All Star and Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.  Varitek was hired this off-season as the Special Assistant to the General Manager.  Tek caught 1,488 games as a catcher, four of them being no-hitters, so he is a great guy to have around camp to work with up and coming players.

            Pedro Martinez, an eight-time all-star and three-time Cy Young award winner, and a member of the 2004 Red Sox championship team is also back with the Red Sox as a Special Assistant to the General Manager.  Pedro, who has a very impressive collection of championship hardware, is a fun and upbeat guy, who is definitely going to help the clubhouse atmosphere in Boston.
            Among the greats who come back every year for camp is hall-of-famer, eight time all star, and 1978 American League Most Valuable Player Jim Rice.  Rice is a fan favorite in Boston, and he currently also works as an analyst on the New England Sports Network (NESN).

            A familiar face who is back this year is our new manager, John Farrell.  Farrell is the 46^th manager in Red Sox history.  The consensus among players is that they are glad to see Farrell back.  “Great Man, I’ve known John for a long time,” said Red Sox slugger DH, David Ortiz told me.

Players aren’t the only ones who are glad to see Farrell back in a Red Sox uniform.  “He’s a new manager, but he’s not new to the Red Sox,” says Red Sox beat-writer for the Boston Globe, Peter Abraham. “Even the position players have a lot of trust in him.  I think that’s kind of filtered into the rest of the roster, there’s a lot more comfort than there was with Bobby Valentine.”  Farrell signed a three-year contract.

Spring training is for the die-hard Red Sox fans who just can’t wait another month to see the team.  This team is starting over.  Their pitching staff is rebounding, their middle of the line-up is beefed up with new power.  I think that this team is going to surprise the skeptics.  In my next column, I’ll tell you why.

Follow Jasper Goodman on Twitter:
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www.goodmansports.blogspot.com