Sox Sign Lyle Overbay To Minor League Deal

Continuing their efforts to sign every over-thirty role player in baseball, the Red Sox inked Lyle Overbay to a minor league deal today. The 36-year old Overbay played in 65 games last year between Arizona and Atlanta, hitting a combined .259, with 2 HRs and 10 RBIs. He will be a non-roster invitee to Spring Training, and will compete for back-up duties at first base.

Red Sox Hire Gregg As Media Relations Director

New Sox PR Director Gregg

The Red Sox announced that Kevin Gregg (son of former MLB umpire Eric Gregg) has been hired as the team's new Media Relations Director. Gregg replaces Pam (Ganley) Kenn, who has been promoted to Senior Director of Public Affairs. Gregg was  employed in a public relations capacity for the Philadelphia Phillies. Kenn joined the Red Sox in 2000 and has been media relations director for the past four years. Anyone who has interacted with the Red Sox during Kenn's tenure can attest to her professionalism, intelligence and good humor. She will be missed.

Sox Sign 2nd Knuckleballer In Charlie Haeger

Knuckleballer Haeger

The Red Sox added a second knuckleballer to their organization by signing Charlie Haeger to a minor league deal. Over five major league seasons, Haeger has compiled a 2-7 record with a 6.40 ERA. The Red Sox also have another Tim Wakefield clone on the 40-man roster in Steven Wright—who came over in the Lars Anderson deal. It will be interesting to see if either pitcher gets significant exposure in Spring Training.

FN Contest Winner Receives DVDs In Ukraine

Red Sox Fan Vitaly Vinar

Recently, our latest FenwayNation Trivia Contest was won by Vitaly Vinar of Ukraine. We dutifully shipped off the prize (a DVD set of Essential Games at Fenway) via the USPS—complete with bureaucratic customs forms. We weren't sure when or if the DVDs would ever arrive to Vitaly. We're happy to report that Vitaly has confirmed receipt of the prize via TWITTER. When we translated his message it came out as follows: "Recently received a collection of still-Essential Games of Fenway Park for winning the contest from @ FenwayNation. cool :)" Cool, indeed! Enjoy, Vitaly!

MLB Will Interview Players On Biogenesis Lists

According to Jeff Passan of YAHOO! Sports, MLB's Department of Investigations will interview all players who are listed on documents of the Biogenesis 'wellness' clinic in Florida. Included on the list—among others—is Alex Rodriguez. The New York Yankee third baseman claimed that he stopped using PEDs in 2003, but the Biogenesis lists allegedly show his name as late as 2009 (see pic). Depending on the veracity of the evidence, MLB could hand down suspensions to the players—some perhaps longer than the standard 50 or 100 game penalties based on the discretion of the Commissioner. The Biogenesis lists reportedly also include Nelson Cruz, Gio Gonzalez, Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal.

Realistic Timetable For Ryan Kalish Is Early July

Back In Around Five Months

Initially, all the Red Sox would say about Ryan Kalish's surgery timetable was that he'd miss "all of Spring Training". None of us took that ridiculously optimistic assessment seriously—especially after all the Red Sox medical debacles over the last few years. So, now we're told that we can look for Kalish to begin platooning with Jonny Gomes in left around July 1st—after the All-Star break to be real about it. So, another half-season lost to Kalish, who's "youth" is running out pretty quickly. There was so much promise for the kid after the 2010 season, but now we will have to wait and see—again.

A-Fraud's Days As An Evil One Are Numbered

Getty Images

The New York Daily News cites major league sources saying that Alex Rodriguez's days as a Yankee are—essentially—over. The story outlines two likely scenarios in the wake of the player's hip surgery and are basically independent of what comes out of the allegations that he was involved with a PED-related Florida "wellness" clinic. The two scenarios are: 1.) the hip injury forces Rodriguez to retire from baseball, with insurance giving the Yankees an 85% recovery of the $114 million left on his contract; 2.) Rodriguez comes back from rehab in a diminished role and then voluntarily retires, negotiating a settlement with the team on his remaining contract. In ether case, the Yankees appear done with their self-absorbed 'superstar'. Apparently, the Kevin Youkilis Era in the Bronx has begun in earnest.

Ryan Kalish's Shoulder Surgery Is Successful

Kalish With A Fan

Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish underwent successful right shoulder arthroscopy and posterior labrum repair yesterday. The surgery was performed by renowned Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles. Kalish is expected to miss all of Spring Training—at a minimum. Kalish has found it difficult to stay healthy since his 2010 debut season—missing virtually all of the last two years. Kalish has played in only 89 career games.

Boston Magazine Piece Rips Local Sports Media

The February edition of Boston Magazine runs a scathing article by Alan Siegel that blasts the Hub's mainstream sports media. Entitled, "The Fellowship Of The Miserable" (a term first applied to the media by former Celtics coach Rick Pitino), the article's main premise is that an increasingly stodgy and irrelevant set of beat writers keeps getting 'beaten out' on big stories by national writers. Examples used are Yahoo!'s Jeff Passan exposing the 'chicken and beer' antics of the 2011 Red Sox and the Globe's Bob Hohler (who is a news reporter) smoking out the dysfunction of the 2012 Carmine Hose. Both very true. But, as critical as we have been of 'The Lodge' (the term used to describe the sportswriter establishment), Siegel's piece seems a bit overdrawn. The beat reporters that cover the Red Sox are somewhat constrained by the very nature of their role: they need to keep the avenues of access open. It's true that it makes them less 'cutting-edge', but most of them still manage to eek out a lot of useful stuff over the long season. And Dan Shaughnessy (portrayed as the poster boy of loud, self-promoting scribes) just produced the best-written Boston baseball book in decades (Francona: The Red Sox Years). Nonetheless, you can't really argue with one of Siegel's final points: "Were the Globe to stop publishing sports tomorrow, how much loss would readers feel?" Probably not a whole lot. After all, have you forked over the money necessary to get online "access" to the Globe? I didn't think so.

Dan Duquette Signs Manny Delcarmen To Deal

Manny & Curt With A Fan

When he was general manager of the Red Sox, Dan Duquette drafted a kid out of West Roxbury High School in the second round of the 2000 draft. His name was Manny Delcarmen. Today, Duquette signed Delcarmen to a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Last year, Delcarmen pitched for the AAA affiliate of the Evil Empire—posting a 4.42 ERA over 57 innings. He last pitched for the Red Sox in 2010. In six seasons with the Red Sox, Delcarmen went 11-6 with a 3.97 ERA. He averaged 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings for the Carmine Hose. We wish Manny the best of luck in Baltimore!

Red Sox Appear In 2 Of 8 ESPN Spring Telecats

ESPN will televise a total of eight 2013 Spring Training games beginning on March 11th. Two of the eight games will feature your Carmine Hose—Wednesday, March 20th against the Evil Ones (1PM)  and Monday, March 25th against the pesky Baltimore Orioles (1PM). Both games are away from Fort Myers' jetBlue Park. Appearing in 25% of all ESPN's telecasts is pretty good.

Sox Have Six Prospects In MLB.com's Top 100

Since 2013 is likely to be another disappointing season for fans of the Carmine Hose, all we really have to look forward to is the coming of "the next great Red Sox team". There was some light at the end of The Beer and Chicken Tunnel last night, as MLB.com named six Boston prospects to their Top 100 List. Leading the Sox prospects were the three "Killer Bees": Xander Bogaerts (#20), Jackie Bradley, Jr. (#32), and Matt Barnes (#38). Also on the the list were pitchers Allen Webster (#71), and Henry Owens (#94) along with shortstop Jose Iglesias (#96). Only four other teams had as many as six prospects on the list: the Miami Marlins, the Minnesota Twins, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.

Kelly Shoppach Is Close To Deal With Mariners

Shoppach Confronts Ochoa Last August

Kelly Shoppach (considered one of the chief malcontents on the 2012 Red Sox) has reportedly agreed to a major-league contract with the Seattle Mariners. Shoppach had previously played for current Seattle Manager Eric Wedge when they were both in The Mistake By The Lake. Multiple sources identified Shoppach as a key troublemaker on the dysfunctional 2012 edition of the Carmine Hose—famously confronting Alex Ochoa in the dugout after a sunflower-throwing incident in Chicago.

Mets Sign Scott Atchison To Minor League Deal

Headed To Flushing

Former Red Sox reliever Scott Atchison has signed a minor-league deal with the New York Metropolitans. After being non-tendered by the Carmine Hose in November, Atchison was seeking other opportunities to avoid being sent to AAA again (the likely outcome had he stayed in Beantown). Despite a bout with an elbow injury, Atchison had a pretty decent year in 2012—going 2-1 with a 1.58 ERA over 51 1/3 innings. In his three years with the Red Sox he posted a 3.18 ERA over 141 2/3 innings. He was a solid right-handed option.

Gary Tuck Resigns As Red Sox Bullpen Coach

Prov. Journal/Bob Breidenbach

In an abrupt move made for personal reasons, long-time Red Sox bullpen coach Gary Tuck has resigned from the team. While Tuck had health problems early last season, it is not known if this action is health-related as well. Tuck had gained a solid reputation as a vital piece of the coaching staff—nurturing the relationship between pitchers and catchers for years. He is widely regarded as the best bullpen coach in all of baseball. Tuck was the only  holdover from the 2012 coaching staff. It will be interesting to see if this is an actual retirement or if Tuck hooks on with another club. Hello, Mistake by the Lake!

REPORT: NYY Seek To Void A-Rod's Contract

Apparently, the new allegations about possible PED use after 2003 by Alex Rodriguez have finally pushed the Evil Empire over the edge. "This time, you've gone too far" you can almost hear Brian Cashman screaming. Reports now suggest that the Yankees want to void the $114 million left on The Fraudulent One's contract. Rosriguez has already "lawyered-up" in anticipation of this and potentially more serious troubles to come. Once again, as we have said so many times before, all of this couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.

REPORT: A-Rod, Melky, Gio Linked To FL Clinic

The Fraudulent One

Following up on a report we posted on Sunday, a new report by the Miami New Times documents records that show recent interactions at a "wellness clinic" by several prominent baseball players. Most notable are Yankee Alex Rodriguez and former Yankee Melky Cabrera. Rodriguez, who has previously admitted PED use, claimed that he stopped in 2003. These records indicate he was doing business with the clinic in 2009—and possibly even later. Gio Gonalzez and Nelson Cruz are among some of the other players found in the clinic's records. The clinic, Biogenesis of America, closed last month amid reports that it sold performance-enhancing drugs—including HGH, testosterone and anabolic steroids. The newspaper says it has been conducting a three-month investigation since the records were provided to them by an ex-employee of the clinic. There are other names of baseball players in the records, and the newspaper is continuing to verify them before any public release. Stay tuned, sports fans!

Francona On MLB Network Wednesday Night

Tito The Younger

On Wednesday night at 9PM Eastern, former Red Sox manager Terry Francona will appear in a one-hour interview on MLB Network's 'Studio 42 with Bob Costas'. Francona will cover a wide range of topics, including his relationship with the NOG, the 2011 collapse, the 2004 team, and managing Michael Jordan and Manny Ramirez. He also talks about the irrepressible Dustin Pedroia. Says Tito: "He’s probably my all-time favorite player. I’ve never seen somebody wake up in the morning and the object of his day is to kick your [butt]. He’s as close to Pete Rose as anybody I’ve ever seen. He can be arrogant, loveable and humble all in the same sentence. He has no business being as good as he is, and he is that good." Appointment viewing.

The Third Way: How The Sox Can Win Again

There's been an awful lot of discussion lately about how Boston should approach building what Ben Cherington has called, "the next great Red Sox team". The new Terry Francona book has re-kindled this discussion—since it was really about two competing Red Sox World Views. You know, either Theo and BenCher's small, homegrown player development machine or Larry and John Henry's big, image-conscious free-agent ratings monster. Either/Or. Yin/Yang. Ginger/Mary Ann. But, in the real world (as we have seen in Washington, D.C.), poles apart leads to polls apart—and gridlock. The Red Sox don't have to be all one or all the other. What's wrong with a mixture of the two approaches? Why can't we have a core foundation of quality players born and raised in the organization—supplemented with a sprinkling of key free agents and trade targets? Isn't this the very formula that got us the 2007 ring? System kid Ellsbury's late season play pushed out veteran Coco Crisp when the chips where down. Home-grown Dustin Pedroia was maniacal. Like-wise with Jon Lester. Trade acquisitions like Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell energized the team in the post-season. And, free-agent J.D. Drew (while maligned everywhere) had two of the biggest post-season hits that year. In the Francona book, Theo Epstein daydreams about the "all-homegrown" team that might have been: Josh Reddick, Jacoby Ellsbury, Ryan Kalish, Anthony Rizzo, Pedroia, Hanley Ramirez, Will Middlebrooks, Ryan Lavarnway—along with Clay Buchholz, Lester, Anibal Sanchez and Felix Doubront. Hey, that's a hell of a lot more interesting than what we have now. But, honestly, probably not a World Series contender. On the other hand, the NOG's ideal of Carl Crawford, John Lackey, and Adrian Gonzalez did not exactly work out either. So, why don't we opt for the Third Way—and maybe get another ring in a year or so?

Yikes! 'Truck Day' Is Just Over A Week Away

Likely Our Only 'Rolling Rally'

The big green moving van will start loading up in a little over a week (February 5th) and start heading to Fort Myers. With general manager Ben Cherington stating that the offseason's "heavy lifting" is done, we have to surmise that 'what you see is what you get' in your 2013 Carmine Hose. An outfield of Jonny Gomes in left, Jacoby Ellsbury in center and Shane Victorino in right. Various platoon situations will also insert Daniel Nava and Ryan Sweeney. An infield of Will Middlebrooks at third, Stephen Drew at short, Dustin Pedroia at second and Mike Napoli at first. Jose Iglesias and Pedro Ciriaco will be the back-ups. Jarrod Saltalamacchia appears to be the main backstop—with David Ross getting a substantial share of games as well behind the plate. Your DH is, of course, David Ortiz. The Boston starting rotation lines up as: 1A.) Clay Buchholz, 1B.) Jon Lester, 3.) John Lackey, 4.) Ryan Dempster and 5.) Felix Doubront. Another arm might be brought in before Opening Day—or one of the "kids" (Rubby De La Rosa or Matt Barnes) might get elevated to the big club. The bullpen is probably the most solid part of the team—as it was in 2012. It will feature Joel Hanrahan as closer, and both Andrew Bailey and Junichi Tazawa in the 8th-inning set-up role. Also, you will see lefties Franklin Morales, Craig Breslow and Andrew Miller. The righty contingent will be newcomer Koji Uehara along with Alfredo Aceves and possibly Clayton Mortensen. And, that's it folks. As we have said before, despite all the "character guys" that have been added, this looks more like a fourth-place team than a contender. To wit, our 2013 AL East predictions (barring another big move by BenCher):

1.) Toronto Blue Jays
2.) New York Yankees
3.) Tampa Bay Rays
4.) Boston Red Sox
5.) Baltimore Orioles

Billy Beane's A's May Sign Hideki Okajima

Okajima

Word from the city by the bay is that Moneyball GM Billy Beane may be signing former Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima. Okajima spent last year toiling for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks—going 47 2/3 innings with a stellar 0.94 ERA. He had a 6-to1- strikeout to walk ratio with a WHIP of just 0.839. Of course, Red Sox fans remember his 3.11 ERA in 261 relief appearances for the Carmine Hose—along with his signature "OKIE-DOKIE" entrance song. By the way, Billy Beane has been stockpiling a bunch of ex-Red Sox players of late. The 2012 AL West Champions sported: Coco Crisp, Josh Reddick, Brandon Moss, and George Kottaras.

Remembering Red Sox Great Pete Runnels

Pete Runnels

Had he lived, Pete Runnels would have been 85 years old today. He passed away in 1991 at the far too young age of 63. Runnels was one of the few bright lights on the Red Sox teams of the early 1960s—winning two batting titles with the Carmine Hose (.320 in 1960; .326 in 1962). The left-handed hitting, All-Star second baseman (who also played first) got on base at a .400 clip or better in four of the five seasons he was in Boston—an early precursor to the Moneyball way of things. Runnels was destined to spend his whole career on "also-ran" clubs—starting with the abysmal Washington Senators, going to the almost as abysmal Red Sox and finishing with the expansion Houston Colt .45s. He deserved a better fate. As a young kid, I remember taking extra care of the 8X10 black and white glossy photos of Runnels, Ted Williams, Jackie Jensen and Frank Malzone ($1 for a pack of 10 at Fenway Park). Those were the only stars of those woeful Sox teams—but we loved them as if they were all champions. And Pete Runnels was one of the best.

FN Book Review: 'Francona: The Red Sox Years'

Right off the bat, there are two things you should know about Francona: The Red Sox Years: 1.) WEEI's Gerry Callahan is 100% correct that the real title should be Tito's Revenge, and 2.) you have to suspend all of your previously held prejudices against Dan Shaughnessy—because the CHB turns in one of the best Boston sports books ever. While there are some self-serving moments in the book, it's hard to come away from the 343 pages without realizing that Terry Francona got royally screwed—primarily by the NOG and the entitled players that populated the 2010 and 2011 rosters.

Larry Lucchino is the prime villain—although there are moments that indicate he is not the complete Mephistopheles that he is portrayed to be. Tom Werner is characterized as the ratings-obsessed "Fredo" of the ownership group—always looking to weasel his way into the process. And, principal owner John Henry comes across as the detached data freak, who creates confrontation by avoiding it. This is not the PR template the owners want out there. Theo Espstein is cast as Tito's protector—the go-between who smooths things over time and again with the NOG. Tito and Theo are almost seen as hardball soulmates—despite having totally different perspectives on the game.

In a larger sense, this book is about the tension between two Red Sox world views: the small, homegrown development machine versus the big, image-conscious ratings monster. For a few years, winning masked the divide, but in the end, everyone was caught in the cross-fire. This book is Tito's tale of what it is like to go from the innocent joy of two rings to the drudgery of losing games and pride. Aside from the compelling narrative, scores of weird little tid-bits are revealed that—by themselves—are worth the price of the book. For example:

• the fact that Night Shift is Tito's favorite movie (endearing him to us forever);
• details of the 2011 market research study that called for the signing of big, "sexy" stars;
• the image of Pedroia's mother chewing him out for swinging at a pitch in the dirt;
• the revelation that John Henry paid for a clubhouse worker's uninsured medicine;
• the $20,000 bet between Lucchino and Tito for the manager to quit chewing tobacco;
• Derek Jeter's nod to Tito when he came to bat—and A-Rod's feeble attempt to copy it;
• Aceves' comment when the '11 Sox finally broke .500: "Now we flip the tortilla";
• the revelation that Mike Cameron started the Popeye's fried chicken tradition in 2010.

All in all, this is a masterful work of sports journalism. It is a must read for every Red Sox fan. You can buy it HERE.

Miami Vice: MLB Targets So. Florida For PEDs

MLB is focusing on "wellness clinics" in South Florida as key outposts in the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. League security officials have fanned out across the region to track down sources of banned HGH and testosterone. The DEA is working in conjunction with baseball officials to investigate any ties to players. The operator of one clinic in Coral Gables has been linked—according to the New York Daily News—to current Yankee Alex Rodriguez and former Yankee Melky Cabrera. He had also been linked to former Red Sox player Manny Ramierz. The investigation could spill into the 2013 season and may result in a number of players being named as involved with the clinics. Stay tuned.

Will Middlebrooks Is Ready For The 2013 Season

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Emerging Red Sox star Will Middlebrooks is raring to go for the 2013 season. Fully recovered from his broken wrist (on his throwing hand), he is fit and ready to head to Fort Myers. Meeting with the press yesterday, Middlebrooks made it clear that he is taking nothing for granted, “I’m going to go in like I’m fighting for a position because for one thing I haven’t played since August and I need to get ready and get back in game form.’’ One of the few bright lights of 2012, the young third baseman could join a core of Red Sox hitters that can put some thump back into the line-up. Already a more than adequate defender at the hot corner, Middlebrooks is not satisfied, “I want to be as solid as I can on defense. I feel like I can hit, I feel like I can produce offensively but I want to be solid on defense and be able to help our pitchers out as much as I can.’’ The new #16 will be fun to watch.

Kalish Hurt Again; LF Platoon Plans In Disarray

Kalish With A Fan

You've got to feel for Ryan Kalish. Just when it appeared that he could finally claim a meaningful role on the Red Sox (platooning in left with Jonny Gomes), it was revealed that Kalish will have right-shoulder surgery and completely miss spring training. This is not only a personal blow, it throws a monkey wrench into the 'bold' LF platoon plan. Ryan Sweeney was immediately re-signed by the team to replace Kalish. Honestly, the LF plan was never a good option—now it seems even more foolhardy. We wish Ryan the quickest possible recovery—for him and the team.

Theo Stalker Shows Up At West Roxbury School

Kathleen Kearney

A woman who was charged with stalking former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein was found inappropriately walking around a West Roxbury elementary school. Kathleen Kearney was arrested in 2012 in Chicago after showing up at Wrigley and approaching Epstein. She was wearing a GPS bracelet, but somehow, it was no longer functioning when she entered the Boston school. Parents are understandably outraged that Kearney could so easily find access to the school building—although she had just applied for a job as a library assistant at the facility. She was apprehended and civilly committed to a mental institution and will be sent back to Chicago.

A-Gon Involved In Minor Dodger Bus Accident

Former Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez—dealt to LA in the Great Punto Trade—was involved in a minor accident today while traveling on the annual Dodger Bus Caravan. Also on the bus were Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, relief pitcher Brandon League and Dodger manager (and former Yankee great) Don Mattingly. There were no injuries. In 36 games with the Dodgers last season, Gonzalez hit .297 with three home runs and 22 RBIs. In 123 games for the Red Sox in 2012, A-Gon hit an even .300 with 15 homers and 56 RBIs.

REPORT: A-Fraud Could Miss Entire '13 Season

Boston Herald Photo

According to no less a source than Yankee GM Brian Cashman, there's a "chance" Alex Rodriguez could miss the entire 2013 season due to his recent hip surgery. Appearing on WFAN radio in New York, Cashman made the admission—while also saying he could return around the All-Star break or "something in between". Thanks for clearing that up, Brian. It's appearing more and more likely that the third base job will default to former Red Sox hero Kevin Youkilis for the entire year. Isn't that special?

Pavano Ruptures Spleen While Shoveling Snow

Former Red Sox farmhand Carl Pavano—one of the chips traded for Pedro Martinez—reptured his spleen after falling in his Vermont driveway while shoveling snow. Pavano had been seeking a contract with either the Rockies or the Mets after having two decent seasons out of his last three (2010, 2011) with the Minnesota Twins. Pavano—a Connecticut native—never saw major league action as a member of the Red Sox. He has suffered numerous injuries over his 14-year career—reaching 200 innings just four times. Pavano had stints with the Expos, Marlins, The Evil Empire, the Indians and the Twins.

Boston's Swihart Is On MLB.com's Top 10 C List

Blake Swihart (FN Photo)

Blake Swihart, the 20-year old catching prospect of the Boston Red Sox has been ranked ninth best overall by MLB.com. Swihart is a switch-hitter and is ranked as the 8th best overall Red Sox prospect by the influential SoxProspects.com. The 6-1, 175 pound backstop is rated as having a plus arm. Last year at Single A Greenville, Swihart hit .262, with 7 HRs and 53 RBIs in 92 games. FenwayNation had a chance to speak with Blake at a recent Jimmy Fund event and asked him about how he views the crowded catching position in the organization. His response showed an admirable maturity for a young player: "You've just got to keep working, prove yourself on the field and hope you're given a chance at some point." Realistically, the logjam at catcher will be broken soon—either through trades or departure via free agency. The current bevy of backstops (Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Ross, Ryan Lavarnway, Mike Napoli, Christian Vazquez, Dan Butler along with Swihart) is a prime example of the "deep depth" the Sox keep talking about these days. Chances are they will spend some of that depth and, thus, Swihart may be knocking on the Fenway door sooner rather than later.

Lars Anderson Released By Diamondbacks

AP Photo

Former Red Sox first-base prospect Lars Anderson was designated for assignment today by the Arizona Diamondbacks. After the trade of Justin Upton, the D'Backs needed to clear roster space, and Anderson was the odd man out. For years, Anderson was considered the heir apparent to the Boston first base job, but never really reached his potential in the Sox system. The Sox traded Anderson to the Indians last year for knuckleballer Steven Wright. Ironically, Anderson might be a cheap insurance pick-up for Boston as they look to back-up Mike Napoli at first.

Pedro Is Back With Red Sox In Advisory Role

Exclusive FenwayNation Photo

Slam-dunk first-ballot Hall Of Famer Pedro Martinez is back in the Red Sox organization as a special assistant to general manager Ben Cherington. The three-time Cy Young winner will serve as an advisor to the team with special emphasis on "evaluation, mentorship, and instruction". From 1998 to 2004, Pedro was "appointment viewing" whenever he took to the hill for the Red Sox—compiling a ridiculous 117-37 record along with a 2.52 ERA. His 1999 and 2000 seasons are arguably the most dominant of any starting pitcher in MLB history. Welcome back, Pedro.

New Sox Met By Chill And A Broken Down 'T'

Welcome To Beantown!

A bunch of new Carmine Hose were on their Hub Acclimation Tour today, and what better way to fully understand the uniqueness of Boston than to be greeted by sub-zero wind chills and a broken down trolley line? Yes, newcomers David Ross and Jonny Gomes, were passing out ticket vouchers and Dunkin' Munchkins in the freezing cold—far removed from their Arizona and Florida homes. The weather also ditched their planned Freedom Trail tour. But the frozen icing on the cake was their encounter with the 'T'. Their Green Line excursion was nixed due to a fire on the famed trolley line that shuttles fans to Fenway. Hey, they might as well get used to our world-renowned 'Vapid Transit' system sooner rather than later. As Mayor Menino might say, "It's part of their transmission period from one team to another."

Hopeful Sign: Youkilis Disses Joba The Mutt

N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

In what we can only hope is a harbinger of things to come, Joba Chamberlain has let it be known that new teammate and former target Kevin Youkilis has not responded to his voice mails from earlier in the winter. Isn't that special? Maybe Kevin harbors some ill will toward The Mutt for his head-hunting tactics of the past. You think? Nothing like a little bad blood running between the pinstripes. Chamberlain led the American League in hit batsmen in 2009, but has tailed off since—hitting only two in 20 2/3 innings all of last year. His WHIP in 2012 was a career-high 1.548. We wish him nothing but continued success.

Boston's Henry Owens Is MLB.com Top 10 LHP

Owens Delivers For Greenville

For the first time in three years, a Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect had made MLB.com's Top Ten List. Henry Owens, who is ranked as the #9 overall Sox prospect, gets the same rank on the MLB Top Lefty list. Owens is a lanky 6-7 and 200 pounds and was a sandwich pick in 2011. He won 12 games last year in 'A' ball. He has the potential to have three plus pitches—a mid-to-upper 90's fastball, a solid curve and a change-up. He is viewed as a number two starter down the road.

John Farrell Likes What He Saw Of Daniel Bard

All On 'Bard' For 2013?

After traveling down to Mississippi to see him first hand, Red Sox manager John Farrell says he likes the way Daniel Bard is throwing. Both in terms of mechanics and attitude, Farrell was impressed with Bard's approach. Said Farrell, "His arm slot is back to a normal position...His mindset is more clear and his approach is more simplified." Bard had a forgettable 2012, appearing in just 17 games and compiling an ERA of 6.22 in his abortive attempt at starting. He seemed to have lost all confidence and needed extended stays in the minors to work things out. Hopefully, this visit is a sign that he's back on track. When he was right, there was no better eighth-inning option in major league baseball.

Is Sox Mound Talent As Good As We Think?

Top RHP Prospect Matt Barnes

There's been a lot of talk lately about how well-stocked the Red Sox organization is with young starting pitching. Even we here at FenwayNation have commented on the bevy of young mound talent—particularly after the Punto Trade—in the Sox farm system. However, as true as this might be, MLB.com—for the third straight year—fails to rank any Boston system right-hander in their top ten right-hander list. The list is topped by Baltimore hurler Dylan Bundy and Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker. So, no Matt Barnes, no Allen Webster, no Rubby De La Rosa, no Brandon Workman. All of these right-handers rank among the Top 12 prospects in the Sox organization—but none of them cracked the MLB list of Top Ten Right-Handers. Most of the Sox hurlers were drafted around the same time as those on the MLB list (2010 or 2011)—although the two plucked from the Dodgers system (Webster and De La Rosa) were drafted even earlier. So, maybe we're overvaluing our right-handed pitching depth—which could push that "next great Red Sox team" even further down the road.

Milton High's Rich Hill Likely Headed Elsewhere

Hill On The Hill For Sox

Boston-area native Rich Hill spent pieces of three seasons with the Red Sox, and as the Providence Journal's Brian MacPherson points out, was stellar in the few innings he actually pitched for the Carmine Hose (1.14 ERA in just 31 2/3 innings). But, Hill is looking for a major league deal and the Red Sox will probably only offer a minor-league option—if that. So, Hill will more than likely be a lefty specialist in someone else's bullpen in the 2013 season. It's a shame he couldn't stay healthy with Boston—there's nothing better than real homegrown talent succeeding at Fenway. Good luck, Rich.

FenwayNation To Review New Francona Book

We just received our copy of the new Terry Francona book and will be devouring it to get you a review as soon as possible. The book, Francona: The Red Sox Years was written with controversial local scribe Dan Shaughnessy, so you know the little tidbits already released to Sports Illustrated are just the tip of the iceberg. And don't try to weasel anything out of us before our formal review comes out, because, as you know, "There's no prying in baseball."

Two Sox Attend Marvin Miller's Memorial Service

AP Photo

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Marvin Miller—longtime head of the players association—was a transformational figure in baseball. As such, he deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame. Last night in New York, current and former players gathered to press for Miller's induction—when he becomes eligible this December. Miller died last November at the age of 95. The best way to measure Miller's impact on the game is to look at the average player salary when he became the head of the union ($19,000) and when he left the job ($241,000). His breakthrough achievement of free agency has changed the game forever. There were five active players in the crowd last night—two of whom were Red Sox (Craig Breslow and Andrew Bailey). Fittingly, Breslow just signed a 2-year, $6.25 million contract. As Rusty Staub said, "Every time somebody signs one of these wonderful contracts, and there are so many of them out there, I think before they get the first check they should have to write an essay on Marvin Miller. " Indeed.

Craig Breslow Signs Two-Year Deal With Sox

Mark L. Baer/US Presswire

Craig Breslow, who appeared at today's Jimmy Fund event at Jillians's, also signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox today. The deal will give Breslow a guarantee of $6.25 million—with a third year option. The deal is contingent on the lefty reliever passing a physical. Breslow hurled 20 innings for the Carmine Hose last year, compiling a 2.70 ERA and a WHIP of 1.150. This is the second term of service for Breslow with the Red Sox—the first coming in 2006.

Red Sox Prospects Shine At Jimmy Fund Event

Swihart (L), Marrero (R)

General Manager Ben Cherington has often referred to the organization building toward "the next great Red Sox team". This morning, at Jillian's Boston, some of the nucleus of that team was present to greet Jimmy Fund Clinic pediatric patients. The New Stars for Young Stars VIII event brought out the following young Sox stars: Deven Marrero, Blake Swihart, Anthony Ranaudo, Garin Cecchini and Brian
Workman. We had the chance to speak with two of the prospects—SS Marrero and C Swihart. Given the degree of depth at both of their positions, we asked them how they approach their likelihood of getting to The Show. Marrero said, "That's not something you can worry about. You just have to play your game, and have fun." Swihart stated, "You've just got to keep working, prove yourself on the field and hope you're given a chance at some point." We also asked Marrero about the Arizona State connection with Dustin Pedroia. He acknowledged that they've spoken about that "family" connection, and said "it would be pretty cool" to play with his fellow alum some day. All is all, this was a fantastic event for the kids from the Jimmy Fund to interact with kids from the Red Sox organization.

Hanrahan Avoids Arbitration, Signs For $7.04M

Elise Amendola

Boston's new closer, Joel Hanrahan, has agreed to a one-year, $7.04 million contract—avoiding arbitration. Over the last two seasons, Hanrahan has saved 76 games and compiled an ERA of 2.24. The Sox are counting heavily on Hanrahan, as former closer Andrew Bailey has been a disappointment due to both injury and poor performance. Hopefully, John Farrell can arrest the disturbing trend that Hanrahan exhibited last year—with his walk rate skyrocketing over what it was in 2011.

Ellsbury Avoids Arbitration, Signs For $9 Million

Elsa/Getty Images

Jacoby Ellsbury and the Red Sox reached agreement on a one-year, $9 million deal. Ellsbury was limited to only 74 games in 2012, yet ended up with around a million dollar raise for 2013. Of course, Jacoby is setting himself up for a Boras-inspired free agent haul next year. Hopefully, this will result in a mammoth walk year in 2013, while we set our sights on Jackie Bradley, Jr. as the centerfielder of the future.

Expanded Replay Delayed Until The 2014 Season

While there were expectations that baseball would adopt some form of expanded replay in 2013, it's now clear that won't happen. Despite the fact that everyone wants it, and that current labor agreements allow for it (at least the addition of fair/foul and trap calls), the natural inertia of baseball means nothing will happen until at least 2014. And, honestly, there is good reason for this. There is a consensus building that any expanded replay should be more comprehensive than just the addition of fair/foul and trap calls. Plays on the bases are where the real need for replay exists. To do that right requires a more complex—and at the same time simple—system. There is talk of an NFL-style situation with an extra replay umpire in the booth to make the calls. This would please the umpires, since a.) they get more union members and b.) it's one of their own fraternity making the critical decisions. One wrinkle that's also being considered is using the 'coach's challenge' methodology of the NFL. We think this is a dumb idea—the sight of John Farrell pulling a red flag out of his red sock to issue one of his two challenges is silly. No matter what they end up deciding, let's hope baseball starts using 20th century technology before we get too much further into the 21st century. Let's get true instant replay in 2014.

John Farrell Goes On A 'Hello To Arms' Tour

FenwayNation Photo

Ernest Hemingway may have penned the classic "A Farewell To Arms", but new Red Sox manager John Farrell will be saying "Hello!" to a bunch of arms in the next several days. Farrell will take off today to visit with John Lackey in Dallas, then confab with both Felix Doubront and Franklin Morales on Saturday at the Fort. Then, in perhaps his most important meeting, he will sit down with troubled hurler Daniel Bard on Sunday in Mississippi. The conventional wisdom is that one of the benefits of hiring Farrell is that he can fix whatever ails Bard. This will be the first step in the quest to recapture the magic that tabbed him as the 'closer of the future'. It's not surprising that Farrell is eagerly doing this due diligence with the pitching staff, but it's still good to see.

MLB Network Tabs Koji Uehara Top 10 Reliever

New Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara will be named as a 'Top 10 Right Now' relief pitcher by MLB Network Friday night at 10PM Eastern time. The top ten rankings were derived via the so-called "Shredder", an MLB Network statistical tool measuring performance. Bill James and John Smoltz will also chime in on the show with their personal relief pitcher picks. The 37-year old Uehara carries a 2.89 ERA in four seasons in the US.

Schilling To Auction Off Sacred 'Bloody Sock'

The Grail

Apparently due to his recent financial troubles, Curt Schilling is auctioning off the hallowed 'bloody sock' he wore during the historic 2004 season. While the first bloody sock he wore in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Evil Empire was thrown away in Yankee Stadium, the sock to go up for bid is from Game 2 of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Schilling's video gaming firm, 38 Studios, went bankrupt in 2012 and he has faced numerous lawsuits—including by the State of Rhode Island. The auction house thinks the sock can fetch at least $100,000.

Salty Avoids Arbitration, Agrees To 1-Year Deal

Joy R. Absalon, US Presswire

One of the interesting things to watch for on your 2013 Carmine Hose is how the cluttered catcher situation shakes out. At the center of it all is last year's incumbent, Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Reports indicate that he has avoided arbitration by signing a one-year. $4.5 million contract. Of course, the Red Sox also have Ryan Lavarnway, David Ross and (as of a few hours ago) Mike Napoli who can all don the 'tools of ignorance'. It looks like Lavarnway is destined to start the year at AAA, and now it seems clear that Ross will only be a back-up to Salty—despite the earlier talk that he would carry a heavier role.