Boston Red Sox Spring Training Game Notes
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BOSTON RED SOX SPRING TRAINING GAME NOTES Boston Red Sox (4-3) at Pittsburgh Pirates (2-5-1) Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • 1:05 p.m. • McKechnie Field • Bradenton, FL GRAPEFRUIT STATUS: Today the Red Sox continue their FARRELL’S RETURN: John Farrell returns for his 4th sea- MEDIA GUIDE: The 2016 Boston Red Grapefruit League slate with a road game against the Pi- son as Red Sox Manger in 2016...He missed from August rates...This is the 8th contest (4-3 thus far) in a stretch of 14 through the end of the 2015 regular season on medical Sox Media Guide is available for down- 31 Grapefruit League games over 30 days, which began leave after being diagnosed with stage 1 non-Hodgkin’s load at http://pressroom.redsox.com. Wednesday and continues through March 31...The Sox Burkitt lymphoma...In his absence, Bench Coach Torey Members of the media may see a mem- conclude their exhibition schedule with 2 additional games Lovullo served as interim manager. ber of the Red Sox Media Relations De- against Toronto in Montreal from April 1-2. partment to request a print copy. RUBEN ADDED: The only change to the Red Sox’ major The Sox break for split-squad action on March 18 (vs. league coaching staff this offseason was the hiring of Ru- MIN, at TB) and March 30 (at PIT, at TB)...Boston’s IN CAMP: Boston has 56 players in ben Amaro Jr. as first base coach in October...The upcoming only off-day from today until the last of 2 games in Major League Spring Training Camp, season will be the first coaching baseball at any level for Montreal comes on March 23. including 16 non-roster invitees...The Amaro, who has over 30 years of baseball experience as Boston opens the regular season on April 4 at CLE and a player and front office executive...He most recently was breakdown: 29 pitchers (6 invitees), 6 plays its first home game on April 11 vs. BAL. Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Phillies catchers (3 invitees), 13 infielders (3 for parts of 7 seasons from Nov. 2008 to Sept. 2015. invitees), and 9 outfielders (4 invitees). YESTERDAY’S GAME: The Sox improved to 4-3 in Grape- Torey Lovullo returns as Bench Coach, Chili Davis as fruit League play yesterday, defeating the Orioles, 5-1, at HOW THEY WERE OBTAINED Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota...Boston jumped out to a 1-0 Hitting Coach, Carl Willis as Pitching Coach, Brian Butterfield as Third Base Coach, Victor Rodriguez RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER lead in the top of the 1st and never trailed, tallying single Amateur Draft Picks (16): Barnes (2011- runs in the 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 9th innings. as Assistant Hitting Coach, and Dana LeVangie as Bullpen Coach. 1st round), Betts (2011-5th round), Brad- 2B Brock Holt hit a solo homer to put the Sox on top ley Jr. (2011-compensation round), Brentz in the opening frame...CF Jackie Bradley Jr. reached in DOMBROWSKI ABOARD: 2016 marks David Dombrows- (2010-compensation round), Buchholz all 3 PA (1-for-1, 2 BB)...SS Marco Hernandez (2-for-2) ki’s first full season in the Red Sox organiztion after being (2005-compensation round), Coyle (2010- and David Murphy (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B) each had 2 hits...C hired as President of Baseball Operations last August 18... 3rd round), Jerez (2011-2nd round), Johnson Christian Vazquez (0-for-1) and RHP Roenis Elias (W, Among his offseason moves, Dombrowski acquired RHP (2012-1st round), Light (2012-1st round), 2.0 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 SO) made their spring debuts. Craig Kimbrel from the Padres (11/13/15), signed OF Chris Marrero (2012-1st round), Owens (2011-1st Young (12/2/15), signed LHP David Price (12/4/15), and ac- round), Pedroia (2004-2nd round), N. Ramirez SOX AND BUCS: Today’s game marks the first of 4 meet- quired RHP Carson Smith and LHP Roenis Elias from the (2011-4th round), Shaw (2011-9th round), ings between the Red Sox and Pirates this spring...They Mariners (12/7/15). Swihart (2011-1st round), Vazquez (2008-9th match up next on Monday at JetBlue Park. round), Workman (2010-2nd round). These clubs do not meet during the 2016 regular ON THE ROSTER: On Boston’s 40-man roster, only Wil- By Trade (14): Craig (From Cardinals, July season...They last met in September 2014, with the liams Jerez, Pat Light, Sean Coyle, and Marco Hernandez 2014), Elias (From Mariners, Dec. 2015), Sox being swept in a 3-game series at PNC Park... do not have major league experience...The youngest player Escobar (From Giants, July 2014), Hanigan Boston trails the all-time Interleague series, 5-7. in camp is non-roster invitee Sam Travis (22, born 8/27/93) (From Padres, Dec. 2014), Hembree (From Gi- and the oldest is Koji Uehara (40, born 4/3/75). ants, July 2014), Hernandez (From Cubs, Dec. The 1903 Boston club, officially known as the 2014), Holt (From Pirates, Dec. 2012), Kelly Americans, faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first Those in major league camp were born as close to (From Cardinals, July 2014), Kimbrel (From ever World Series and won the best-of-nine series, Boston as Danbury, CT (Matt Barnes)...Players in camp Padres, Nov. 2015), Porcello (From Tigers, 5-games-to-3. come from 7 foreign countries: Aruba (Bogaerts), Cuba (Castillo, Elias), Dominican Republic (Hernandez, Dec. 2014), Rodriguez (From Orioles, July SIM GAMES: Today on the main field at JetBlue Park, RHP Marmol, Mendez, Ortiz, H. Ramirez), Japan (Tazawa, 2014), Ross Jr. (From Rangers, Jan. 2015), Koji Uehara is expected to participate in a simulated game Uehara), Puerto Rico (Vazquez), Venezuela (Cuevas, Smith (From Mariners, Dec. 2015), Wright beginning at 11:30 a.m. Escobar, Leon, Rodriguez, Sandoval), and Mexico (Solis). (From Indians, July 2012). Free Agents (7): Layne (Nov. 2013), Ortiz In a simulated game at JetBlue Park yesterday, RHP BETTS & BOGEY: From May 19 through the end of the (Jan. 2003), Price (Dec. 2015), H. Ramirez Rick Porcello threw 55 pitches facing 13 batters over 2015 regular season, the top 2 hitters in the AL by AVG (Nov. 2014), Sandoval (Nov. 2014), Uehara 3 innings, RHP Craig Kimbrel threw 20 pitches facing were Boston’s Xander Bogaerts (.335) and Mookie Betts (Oct. 2014), Young (Dec. 2015). 5 batters over 1 inning, and RHP Junichi Tazawa threw (.315)...The now-23-year-olds were born within a week of 19 pitches facing 4 batters over 1 inning. International Free Agents (3): Bogaerts each other in 1992 on 10/1 (Bogaerts) and 10/7 (Betts). (Aug. 2009), Castillo (Aug. 2014), Tazawa HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUTTER: Red Sox third base coach Betts and Bogaerts were the 1st Red Sox teammates, (Dec. 2008). Brian Butterfield turns 59 today (born 3/9/57 in Bangor, both in their age-22 season or younger, to each total ME)...Butterfield is in his 20th year coaching at the ML level at least 174 hits in a season. INSIDE THE 2015 SEASON and has 37 years of experience in professional baseball... FINAL RECORD: 78-84 (.481) Also serves as the Red Sox’ infield instructor and base run- PANNING FOR GOLD: The Red Sox have 4 players among 5TH IN AL EAST, 15.0 GB TOR ning instructor. the first 20 of Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list, twice as many as any other team...They are: Yoan Moncada HOME: 43-38; ROAD: 35-46 FINALE BEGINS: David Ortiz announced on November 18, (3rd), Andrew Benintendi (15th), Rafael Devers (18th), and THE TURNAROUND: The Red Sox had his 40th birthday, that the 2016 season will be his last as a Anderson Espinoza (19th). the 4th-best record in the AL from 7/30 major league player...It will be his 20th big league season on, going 34-26 (.567), after posting an (debuted in 1997) and his 14th with Boston (since 2003). JETBLUE PARK: This spring marks the Red Sox’ 5th at AL-worst 44-58 (.431) record prior to the Fenway South Spring Training and Player Development A member of the Red Sox since 2003, Ortiz is the Complex in Fort Myers, FL since moving here in 2012... that point...From 8/18 on, the Sox went active player with the longest continuous tenure with The complex’s main field, JetBlue Park, mimics the playing 26-18 (.591), trailing only TOR (.651, his current major league team. dimensions of Fenway Park in Boston, including a Green 28-15) and TEX (.622, 28-17) in the AL. Monster in left field...JetBlue Park’s total capacity is ap- OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT: Be- FOND FORT FAREWELL: This marks David Ortiz’s 20th proximately 11,000, with 9,900 fixed seats. and final Spring Training in Fort Myers...He called Ham- ginning on 7/30, the Sox offense led mond Stadium his Spring Training home as a member of the The Sox have called Fort Myers their Spring home for MLB in AVG (.282) and ranked 2nd in Twins from 1997-2002, then trained at City of Palms Park 24 consecutive seasons beginning in 1993 at City of R/G (5.5)...From 8/14 to the end of the (2003-11) and JetBlue Park (2012-16) with the Red Sox. Palms Park (through 2011)...Only Winter Haven, FL year, Boston had the 2nd-best run dif- hosted the club for more springs (27 from 1966-92). In 331 career Grapefruit League games between the ferential in MLB at +70, with 266 runs scored (2nd in MLB) and 196 allowed..