It's Official: Jackie Bradley, Jr. Makes Sox Roster

Let The Era Begin!

UPDATE: JBJ Will Wear #44 Uniform Jersey
It took forever, but the Red Sox made it official today: Jackie Bradley, Jr. will be on the Opening Day 25-man roster. To make room for Bradley, infielder/DH Mauro Gomez was designated for assignment. Bradley will open the season in left field tomorrow against the Evil Ones. The soon-to-be 23-year old hit .419 this Spring with an on-base percentage of .507. Let's applaud the Red Sox front office for making the right decision. This could be the start of an epic career that we'll be talking about for years. Go get 'em, Jackie!

After Opener, David Ortiz Will Head Back To FL

Celtic Fan David Ortiz

While David Ortiz will be in the dugout at The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street on Monday, he will quickly turn tail and head back to his rehab regime in Fort Myers. As part of that program, it's expected that Papi will be able to take part in minor league games in about a week. His Achilles injury—now almost nine months in the past—is still not healed enough for the designated hitter to again take live batting practice (let alone run the bases). The only upside of this story is that the injury has allowed Jackie Bradley, Jr. to be where he should be on Opening Day—starting in left field for the Red Sox.

Jon Heyman: Bradley, Jr. Makes Red Sox Roster

UPDATE: JBJ Has Easter In NY
MLB Network is reporting that MLB Insider Jon Heyman indicates that Jackie Bradley, Jr. has made the Red Sox major league roster. This comes after Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said on The Baseball Reporters Show with Tony Massarotti that there was a "good chance" Bradley would come north with the team. Said BenCher, "I think things are looking good for Jackie. We expect him to come north, barring anything unforeseen, I think there’s a good chance he will be in New York with us. He’s had a great spring, and he certainly looks like a really good big league player and one that could help us right now." Finally.

Bradley, Jr. Starting In LF Today Against Twins

While there's still no official word on Jackie Bradley, Jr.'s status, he is in John Farrell's starting lineup today against the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. Will he be there at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Monday? We still don't know, but after all this build up, it would be yet another PR fiasco if the Red Sox flub this one. The lineup is: 1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF; 2. Shane Victorino, RF; 3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B; 4. Mike Napoli, 1B; 5. Will Middlebrooks, 3B; 6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C; 7. Jonny Gomes, DH; 8. Jackie Bradley, Jr., LF; 9. Pedro Ciriaco, SS.

New 'At Fenway' Video A Pathetic Embarrasment

The Crooner 'At Fenway'

Brian Evans, a Sinatra wannabee crooner, must possess 8X10 glossies of Liverpool football players in compromising positions. What other reason would Red Sox owners allow him full reign of Fenway Park last September to make the hideous new music video called "At Fenway"? To get the full measure of the awfulness of this thing, you have to view it yourself. We really don't want to spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that there are cameos by William Shatner (as the umpire) and Ernie Boch, Jr. (as Red Sox manager). Think of it as Captain Kirk meets Captain Beefheart. Apparently, Evans thinks this monstrosity will become the new "Sweet Caroline". Not bloody likely. Especially with cheesy lyrics like, "No matter where you sit, you're in heaven for a little bit." Mr. Evans has clearly not visited my obstructed view seats.

Sports Illustrated Picks Red Sox Last In AL East

Yet another big-time prognosticator has placed your 2013 Carmine Hose in the lowest of low spots: dead last in the American League East. Sports Illustrated—in its latest Baseball Preview issue—puts the Red Sox below the Orioles (4th place), Yankees (3rd place) and Jays (2nd place) in the division—giving the Rays the crown. SI projects an 8-game improvement over Boston's 2012 finish (77 wins versus 69). Oh, how the mighty have fallen! The publication goes on to predict that Tampa will win the American League pennant and face the Washington Nationals in the World Series. In that match-up, SI sees the Nationals as World Champs.

So, What's The Hold-Up On Jackie Bradley, Jr.?

In case you're wondering why the Red Sox have not officially put Jackie Bradley, Jr. on the Opening Day roster, so is the rest of civilized humanity. Apparently, the odd contortions of the MLB roster system are delaying any final decision until as late as Sunday. Put simply (if that's possible), the first problem comes with Ryan Sweeney. While the team has told the outfielder they will not be purchasing his contract, that reality will not become final until Sunday afternoon—when official rosters have to be submitted. Why? Only God, Scott Boras and Bud Selig know—not necessarily in that order. Anyway, before the Sweeney thing is settled, Bradley can't grab a spot on either the 25- or 40-man rosters. We think. In case this hasn't confused you enough, here's John Farrell's 'explanation' of Bradley's status: "Until it's official, yeah there would be a scenario, but that means someone's going to come who's already been sent out or we look to do something different. Again, we've got some things to get through over the next 48 hours. We're at the point where we're working through some final roster situations. We're at 40 currently, any changes to that are going to require a process to go through, so we're not at the final 25- or the final 40- yet.'' Thanks for clearing that up, John! Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald speculates that there are four roster moves the team could make by Sunday to free up a spot for The Phenom: cut either Mauro Gomez, Alex Hassan or Daniel Butler or put Franklin Morales on the 60-day DL. Come on, let's get this done!

Bradley All But Certain To Make Red Sox Team

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

While it's not official yet, all the tea leaves point to Jackie Bradley, Jr. doffing his cap at the National Anthem on Monday at The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street. The Red Sox told Ryan Sweeney they would not be purchasing his contract, and sent Daniel Bard To AA Portland. Those actions paved the way for Bradley, Mike Carp and Clayton Mortensen to join the big club as the final three pieces of the 2013 roster. It's all but official now. Said manager John Farrell of Bradley, "When you look at the consistency of his control of the strike zone, gets himself in good hitters' counts, what he does in those situations, I think that goes beyond the overall batting average. We've allowed him to go this deep in camp, so we're not afraid or unwilling to break camp with him. If that were the case, we would have sent him out four weeks ago." Think the kid made it?

Cy Young And His Boston Red Sox Legacy

One hundred forty-six years ago today, Denton True "Cy" Young was born in Gilmore, Ohio. At age 23 (the age Jackie Bradley, Jr. will be in a few weeks), he started 16 games for the Cleveland Spiders of the National League. He won nine of them. In 21 seasons after that, he complied the greatest career win total ever—511. We think of him as a great hero for the Red Sox—and he was—but he joined the fledgling Boston "Americans" in 1901 when he was 34 years old. In his eight years with the Red Sox, he collected 112 wins and the very first World Series Championship in 1903. While we don't tend to evaluate pitchers of that era with modern stats, it is interesting that Young's WHIP during his Boston years was a ridiculous 0.97. And his ERA was an even 2.00. No wonder he has a statue on the Northeastern University campus—site of that first World Series. Happy birthday, Cy.

Red Sox Are Third Most Valuable MLB Franchise

The next time the Red Sox ownership cries 'poor-mouth' about 'luxury tax thresholds' and 'declining attendance', keep in mind the following fact: Boston now has the third most valuable MLB franchise—trailing only the Yankees and Dodgers. According to FORBES magazine's analysis, the worth of your Carmine Hose is a whopping $1.3 billion. That's almost double what the NOG paid for the team, Fenway Park and NESN in 2002 ($700 million). Not a bad return during an otherwise bleak economic period. I think they can hack the reduced food revenues in April. What do you think?

Sox Fans' Skepticism Makes National Headlines

Apparently, we weren't the only ones who were cynical about the feeble April Food Discount Ploy by the Red Sox. The eye-rolling reactions were so widespread that TIME Magazine felt it was worth an article on the phenomenon. Citing talk radio backlash and scathing comments on various media websites, TIME was oddly shocked that Bostonians would so readily see through the team's transparent effort at 'mollifying' the fan base. We thought it was a pretty natural reaction—and pretty savvy, too. But then again, TIME has always been out-of-step, don't you think? It's a little bit sad that the NOG continually thinks it's connecting with the fan base, but whiffs nearly every time. The problem is simple: they're just not from here.

Dalton Jones Avg. Re-Calibrated To 61.3

UPDATE: DJIA Re-Set To 61.3
We have received our initial 2013 preseason reading from the Dalton Jones Industrial Average Panel, and the results show a "raw score" of 60.5 (out of a maximum possible score of 100.0). This number will be normalized and set to 100.0 as the benchmark reading for the remainder of the 2013 season. Readings higher or lower than the benchmark will be reported once a month through September. For comparative purposes, the initial "raw score" collected before last season was a more optimistic 65.1—4.6 points higher than this year's score. And, our DJIA pre-season reading before the 2011 season was a whopping 77.6—17.1 points higher than today's. This year's individual raw scores were: starting pitching—62.1; relief pitching—70.5; total offense—51.6; total defense—57.9.

Today Is Likely Decision Day For Bradley, Jr.

The Kid Must Come North!

UPDATE: No Decision Yet On Bradley
The Red Sox final roster spots are likely to be set today. So, the big question on the minds of most members of The Nation is, "Will Jackie Bradley, Jr. be coming north with the team?" All signs point to a resounding "YES!"—including the 71% who feel that way in our own poll. Of course, the Red Sox front office is notorious for being overly conservative in cases like this—and may opt to send the phenom down for a few weeks to gain an extra buffer year on free agency. But, as many commentators have pointed out: who the heck cares about what happens in 2019? Let's put the kid on this team to make it better now. No-brainer!

Muddy Chicken Is Having Equipment Issues

According to the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is having some problems with team-issued equipment. After dealing with game pants that had been patched over several times, he left them hanging on a staffer's desk with the following note, "I can get a pair of these at Dick’s Sporting Goods." Then, after difficulty finding a new style batting helmet that would fit him, he tried an alternate that was too small. He was asked whether his head was swelling—as happens with PED users. The Laser Show responded, "No way. My head keeps getting smaller. What’s that from? Rat poison?" Something tells us he's ready for the season.

Bard In The Seventh, Another Loss By The Ninth

Daniel Bard's nightmare continues. The reliever came into today's game in the seventh with the Red Sox leading the Marlins, 1-0. When he left, they were trailing 3-1. Bard gave up two singles, a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He's given up seven runs in the last three innings he's pitched. You have to wonder if the kid will ever recover from the botched "starter experiment" of 2012. On the brighter side, Jon Lester capped off his spring with another masterful 5-inning performance—lowering his ERA to a sick 0.75 ERA. Also, Jackie Bradley, Jr. was 1 for 4 with a walk.

Case Of Musical MRIs Finally Clarified By Sox

With the number of medical fiascoes experienced by the Red Sox over the last few years, you can forgive John Farrell for not knowing precisely who is getting MRIs and who is not. After he erroneously reported that Jacoby Ellsbury had an MRI on Tuesday, the team later corrected the manager by stating that Shane Victorino had the MRI. Who even knew the Flyin' Hawaiian was hurt? Apparently not Farrell! Anyway, the report that Ellsbury's rolled ankle showed up fine on the MRI is apparently bogus as well. No word on the results of the real MRI or Victorino's injured right wrist. You can't make this stuff up, folks!

Worst Kept Sox Secret: Lester To Open In NY

Once & Future Ace

Surprising absolutely nobody, Red Sox manager John Farrell announced this morning that Jon Lester will open the season on Monday at The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street. Lester has had a ridiculously good Spring on the mound, going 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA. Lester will be followed in the rotation by Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront and John Lackey. Buchholz will pitch the home opener on April 8th.

Dalton Jones Industrial Average Returns For '13

FenwayNation's exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average will return for another season in 2013. The DJIA (honoring the Red Sox all-time pinch-hit leader) gathers four key metrics from a select panel of FN readers from around the world. Each month, they assess the fortunes of the team on: starting pitching, bullpen, overall offense and overall defense. FenwayNation will publish the DJIA Index Score at the start of the season and at the beginning of each month during the season. If you are interested in becoming part of the select reader panel for the DJIA, send us an email outlining your qualifications for inclusion. SEND IT HERE.

Empire Snaps Up Sox Cast-Off Lyle Overbay

Well, that was fast. No sooner had the Red Sox jettisoned him than the Evil Ones signed Lyle Overbay to a minor league deal. According to reports, he will be in the Devil's Camp soon. Think about it, a player that the 69-93 Red Sox thought was eminently expendable is considered good enough by the Pinstriped Posers to sign him immediately. Kind of makes you realize how truly pathetic the Bronx Embalmers are.

Fred Lynn Thinks Jackie Bradley, Jr. Is Ready

Photo: fredlynn.net

Jeremy Hermida and Darnell McDonald also had great Springs for the Red Sox, but they were not Jackie Bradley, Jr. The soon-to-be 23-year old leads the team this Spring in batting average, OBP, slugging percentage, hits and walks. Hermida and McDonald did not. While Hermida was the 11th pick overall in the draft, he did not have Bradley's upside when he was with the Carmine Hose. So, maybe that's why Red Sox legend Fred Lynn thinks it's time for JBJ to start in the major leagues. As ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes points out, Lynn also broke into the bigs at 23, and all he did was win the MVP and Rookie of The Year awards. Says Lynn, "There's no erring on the side of caution. The kid's got some ability. Throw him in there. Throw him in there. He'll do fine.'' Indeed.

Red Sox To Overbay: "It's Over, Lyle"

Herald Photo: Matthew West

The Lyle Overbay Era in Boston came to an end today. The Red Sox released Overbay from his minor league contract—allowing him to try to hook on with another ball club. The first baseman was trying to secure a back-up spot on the Boston roster, but other options (Daniel Nava, Mike Carp) seemed more likely. A decision on another player with a deadline—Ryan Sweeney—should come by tomorrow. The Red Sox have still not divulged whether or not they will add phenom Jackie Bradley, Jr. to the Opening Day roster.

Dice-K Released By Tribe; Likely To Re-Sign

Photo by KYODO

UPDATE: Dice-K Re-Signed By Tribe
The Cleveland Indians released former Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka—nixing a minor league contract he had with the team. This move allows the Indians to avoid making a $100,000 payment if he did not make the major league roster by today. Both sides are likely to agree on a re-signing of the Japanese hurler to a new minor league contract. He will likely begin the year at AAA. So much for the vaunted reunion of Dice-K and Tito.

Dawn Breaks On Marblehed: Sox Reduce Prices

Go Crazy! (Until May)

In one of the slowest responses in marketing history, the Red Sox finally wised up to the fact that they are hardly the hottest thing in town. After not lowering ticket prices in the wake of the worst season in a generation, the team is now lowering some food concession prices—but just in April. During the first month of the season—when there are still plenty of seats to be had—hot dogs will be two for $5, a 12-ounce draft beer will be "only" $5, and a watered-down Dunkin' Donuts hot chocolate will only set you back $2 (instead of the regular $4.25). And, ever mindful of their duty to "the kids", the Sox will allow those under the age of 14 to have a hot dog, juice and snack for free. What a great bunch of guys, those owners! Of course, starting in May, you get gouged again. By the way, do we get a souvenir ball if we are at the game the snaps the sellout streak? Just askin'.

Three Sox Field Goals Fall Short; O's Win, 12-9

Gomes After 2-Run HR

So much for the old Spring Training adage about the pitchers being ahead of the hitters. Baltimore and Boston pounded pout 21 runs today, with the Orioles coming out on top, 12-9. If the Red Sox pitcher names Godfrey, Celestino and Martin don't ring a bell, you're in good company. They are three of the six Boston hurlers who coughed up 12 earned runs. Good news? Jonny Gomes hit a 2-run HR. Better still, Jackie Bradley Jr. (now hitting .444) went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs (a double and a triple off the bench!). How about Will Middlebrooks going 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs? Or Jose Iglesias having a 1 for 3 day? Notice a theme here? The future is getting closer and closer.

David Ortiz Has A Good Monday In Batting Cage

Papi Improving

David Ortiz had another good day in the batting cages on Monday—feel no ill effects in his Achilles tendon area. The Red Sox are being extremely deliberate in his recovery process and now say he might actually take BP on the field this week sometime. Said John Farrell about the big DH, “The biggest thing is the number of swings he’s taking, he’s not feeling any irritation or push-back from the volume he’s going through.” Again, unless Papi's bat is in the middle of the lineup most of the year (in excess of 140 games), this team has no shot.

Desperate Evil Ones Trade For Vernon Wells

Photo By USATSI

Not satisfied with the average age of their roster, the Yankees went out and spent $13 million trading for re-tread outfielder Vernon Wells. Wells is due $42 million over the next two years, but the Angels were willing to eat $29 million of that just to unload him. It gives you a sense of how truly desperate the Pinstriped Posers are that they feel the need to add a has-been like Wells. Last year, the 34-year old hit just .230 for Anaheim in 77 games. May he thrive similarly in the Bronx.

Ellsbury Injures Ankle In Victory Over Phillies

 Ellsbury Injury Play

Jacoby Ellsbury left Sunday's win against the Phillies with an injured ankle. The center fielder "rolled over" the ankle while getting back to first base on a pick-off move. The Red Sox are downplaying the injury as minor, but with Ellsbury's history, anything is possible. In the win Jackie Bradley, Jr. clouted a three-run home run and knocked in four in the 7-6 victory. Jose Iglesias went 3 for 3 with a double.

Red Sox Relievers Cough Up Another Loss

AP Photo

In a depressingly common Spring Training pattern, the Red Sox are getting great starting pitching, but losing games when various members of the bullpen gag away victories. Of course, this is directly counter-intuitive to the conventional wisdom that the bullpen is team's preeminent strength. Part of the issue, of course, is that Boston maddeningly keeps inserting pitchers who will never see the business side of Fenway Park. Why are they doing this so late in the Spring Training season? Yesterday, in a 5-3 loss to the vaunted Pirates, Clay Buchholz pitched a four-hitter into the sixth inning, but Anthony Carter gave up two runs for the loss (to be fair, Junichi Tazawa also yielded two runs from the 'pen). Jose Iglesias went 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Aceves Sharp In Five Inning Outing; Sox Lose

Aceves In A Somber Moment

Alfredo Aceves hurled five solid innings on Friday—giving up just two hits—but Boston's bats were again silent as the Blue Jays took a 1-0 victory. You guessed it, Jackie Bradley Jr. has one of those hits, the other going to another of the 'Killer Bees'—Bryce Brentz. Bradley was installed in left field—indicating the team may be closer to keeping the young phenom when the team heads north next week.

Stephen Drew Cleared For Baseball Activities

AP Photo

Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew has been cleared to resume baseball activities in the wake of his beaning back on March 7th. Since that date, he has been experience concussion-like symptoms. After passing a battery of tests, Drew returned to the field on Thursday. However, he is still likely to start the regular season on the disabled list. He will participate in minor league games only for the balance of the Grapefruit League season. Jose Iglesias will start the season at shortstop for Boston.

Sox Rank High As 'Biggest Mess' In Player Poll

Our Future?

According to a poll of 110 MLB players, the Red Sox are seen as the third 'biggest mess' in baseball. That's saying a lot, since the only two teams ahead of them were the Marlins and the Astros. The ESPN The Magazine Poll was anonymous and yielded the following comment by one NL pitcher, "The Red Sox will be a disaster." Care to guess which NL pitcher with the initials 'J.B.' made that assessment? So, we are not alone in our pessimistic view of the fortunes of the 2013 Carmine Hose. National writers, evaluation websites and now players.

Red Sox Cut Four Pitchers To Pare Down Roster

The Red Sox reduced their roster down to 42 by "reassigning" four pitchers today. The four are: Chris Carpenter, Terry Doyle, Oscar Villarreal, and Chris Hernandez. All were sent to minor league camp. By Opening Day, the team has to reduce the roster down to 25—and, we have been told, it will break down as 13 position players and 12 pitchers. Look for more slashing in the next few days.

Jose Iglesias Set For Big Break As SS Starter

Iglesias Goes Yard Earlier This Spring

Just when it seemed that Jose Iglesias would be back in the minor leagues, fate stepped in. Stephen Drew was hit in the head and is still suffering concussions symptoms. Iglesias is now thrust into the role of Opening Day starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. When he heard about Drew's signing, he wasn't happy, "I mean, it wasn't fun. I take that as a challenge. I prepared myself the best way possible to help this team win. I think that'll pay off." He has definitely looked more confident at the plate. Although his numbers are not great, he at least seems to be hitting the ball with more authority. In any event, the defensive phenom has the right mindset to succeed, "I feel pretty good. I'm trying to stay positive, stay with my plan. Even if you don't have a good game, stay with it. When you give 100 percent every single day, you're going to be happy with yourself."

POLL: Two-Thirds Pick Bradley Over Sweeney

Early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that about two-thirds of readers (65%) choose Jackie Bradley, Jr. to fill the final roster spot on the Red Sox. As the table shows, just over one-third (35%) opt for Ryan Sweeney as the last roster choice. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Red Sox And Yankees Team Up For Newtown

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees don't agree on much. But on Opening Day in the Bronx, they will join forces to honor the victims of the Newtown, Connecticut school tragedy. Both teams will wear a commemorative ribbon on their respective uniform sleeves, and both will engage in a moment of silence. The names of the Sandy Hook murder victims will be shown on the center field scoreboard. Red Sox owner John Henry stated, “Months have passed, yet we are still trying to come to grips with this incomprehensible tragedy. As our teams look to face each other on Opening Day, we will stand united in support of the families affected as we remember and honor those who were lost.”

Sox Expand Real Estate Empire To Lansdowne

PHOTO: Angela Rowlings

The Red Sox ownership group is involved in so many side ventures, its sometimes hard to remember that they're in the baseball business as well. In yet another non-baseball move, the NOG snapped up a building directly across from the Green Monster on Lansdowne Street for a mere $10.5 million (probably the equivalent of the Liverpool fish and chips budget). The building currently houses a garage, and can be expanded to rise as high as eight stories (from its current two), which would make it twice as high as the Monster. The Sox will not say what they'll use the building for—but it's a wise move, if only for defensive purposes. Kind of like the real estate equivalent of starting Jose Iglesias. One can foresee a number of options—from furthering their parking monopoly around the park to creating "Wrigley-Like" luxury condos overlooking the old girl. They'll think of something. They always do.

Poll: Bradley Or Sweeney For Last Roster Spot?

Bradley Versus Sweeney
If it comes down to Jackie Bradley, Jr. vs. Ryan Sweeney for the last roster spot, who should make the team?	Bradley Sweeney
	Current Results

Numbers Game Down To Bradley vs. Sweeney

Is Bradley Odd Man Out?

As Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald points out, the looming numbers game surrounding the Red Sox roster may not bode well for phenom Jackie Bradley, Jr. The Red Sox will start the season with 13 position players and 12 pitchers. Given the injuries to David Ortiz, Stephen Drew, Franklin Morales and Craig Breslow, the math is clear. Only two spots remain open—one for a position player and one for a bullpen arm. Amazingly, it looks like Daniel Bard will be sent back to AAA, since Clayton Mortensen is more valuable as a "stretched-out" reliever. We can only surmise what this demotion will do to the already fragile ego of Bard. On the position player side, another left-handed bat is sorely needed and Bradley would fill the bill. But Ryan Sweeney also hits from the port side and does not have any options left. The kid does. BenCher will probably go the conservative route and pick Sweeney—to the certain ire of The Nation. Let the Musical Chairs begin.

Will Red Sox Deal Bailey To Tigers For Porcello?

Porcello Coming To Hub?

Apparently a Rick Porcello for Andrew Bailey deal makes way too much sense to happen. The Tigers would get an All-Star caliber closer (at least in the past) and the Red Sox would get a young starter with huge upside (at least in the past). But, according to reports, the Red Sox are "not currently pursuing" Porcello. Especially given Felix Doubront's shaky outing today—not to mention his general out-of-shapeness—you'd think BenCher would actively pursue Porcello.

Evil Ones Shut Out Sox 4-0 At Bunker South

The Pinstriped Posers (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) defeated the Red Sox 4-0 this afternoon at the Concrete Bunker South in Tampa. Felix Doubront gave up four runs in a very shaky second inning, and Boston could only muster four hits on the day (two by Jackie Bradley, Jr.). Andrew Bailey, Joel Hanrahan, Clayton Mortensen and Andrew Miller pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings after Doubront departed. Some guy named "Kevin Youkilis" was 0 for 4. However, the most amazing fact of all was that a Red Sox-Yankee game was finished in 2 hours and 17 minutes.

A-Gon's Dad Suing MLB For Mexican Player

The father of former Red Sox first-baseman Adrian Gonzalez is suing Major League Baseball over an alleged infringement on the rights of a Mexican ballplayer he represents. David Gonzalez is suing on behalf of a Mexican pitcher named Daniel Pesqueira.  The 18-year old Pesqueira was set to sign a contract with the Red Sox after working out in Fort Myers in 2012. Then, a phone call let him know that he was headed back to Mexico because he was the 'property' of the Mexico City Diablos Rojos. Until that moment, Pesqueira had no idea that he had supposedly signed a "contract" with the Mexican team—thinking a document his Dad signed was just permission for the youngster to travel with the team. The outcome of the lawsuit could have huge implications for the odd relationship between MLB and the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB). Also at risk is a planned international draft. Stay tuned!

Sox Typically Vague On Jackie Bradley's Status

The New 'Kid'

About the only mystery of this year's spring camp is whether or not Jackie Bradley, Jr. will make the Red Sox Opening Day roster. After a 2-for-4 day against the Evil Ones today, Bradley is hitting .444 on the Spring. Typically, the Red Sox are about as forthcoming on this issue as North Korea's Kim Jong Un—or, worse yet, Bill Belichick. When asked if Bradley might play left, Red Sox manager John Farrell stated cryptically, "I can't say that we wouldn't... I wouldn’t say we wouldn’t put Jackie in left -- but I don’t see Jackie Bradley as a left fielder." Say what? And to further clear things up, regarding the kid's spring stats, "At some point, we can't totally neglect spring training. We're going to balance that as best we can with the long-term production they've had, and then where we see them fitting positionally on the field. We have to put some weight on what they're doing in these final 10 days." Cue the AFLAC Duck.

Some Positive News On The Papi Injury Front

Getty Images

UPDATE: Papi Takes 50 More Swings Wednesday
OK, we've heard the readers who want us to be more positive. So, Maureen Mullen of CSNNE reports that David Ortiz "isn't feeling any extra pain" today after taking 50 swings in a batting cage yesterday. This legitimately qualifies as "good news" and should allow the DH to start base running drills again soon. However, to be fair with our reporting, the very same CSNNE reports (via Sean McAdam) that a realistic timetable for Ortiz's return is May 1st. Let's hope Papi is right, and McAdam is wrong.

A Guaranteed Parking Spot For Home Opener!

When the Red Sox play the Orioles in the Home Opener on April 8th, you can avoid the hassle of finding a parking space around Fenway Park. Thanks to the good folks at ParkWhiz, you can have a guaranteed spot close to the park at a reasonable price. FenwayNation is happy to offer its readers this service throughout the season. Just think, you can tell the Brookline Parking Thugs to stick their un-usable spaces you-know-where. You can secure your parking space today HERE.

Springtime Brings More Angst To Red Sox Fans

Spring Breaks Over New England This Morning

As Spring officially dawns on New England (see photo for proof), Red Sox fans are met with a whole host of issues with less than two weeks until Opening Day. There are the injury woes of David Ortiz (probably out for the first month) and Stephen Drew (in Pittsburgh of all places for intensive concussion testing). The bullpen strength was diluted some with more injuries to Franklin Morales (disc in back) and Craig Breslow (shoulder). There's the question of whether BenCher will pull the trigger on a deal with either Texas (trading off some bullpen) or Anaheim (trading off some catching). There's the issue of whether the bevy of ThirtySomethings (Jonny Gomes, Shane Victorino, Ryan Dempster, Mike Napoli, David Ross) will be a boom or a bust. There's the agonizing question of whether Jackie Bradley Jr. (now hitting a mere .439) will be on the roster when the Carmine Hose take on the Empire on April 1. And, there's the question of whether Jose Iglesias (the default Opening Day SS) can hit enough to stay on the big club. Finally, there's the question of whether the generally good Spring starting pitching will translate into the regular season. Other than that, no angst at all.

Red Sox Explode For 6-Run 8th; Fall To O's, 8-7

The offense was fine, the pitching generally stunk. Sound familiar? After tying the game with six runs in the eighth inning, the Red Sox let Baltimore score one in the top of the ninth to take an 8-7 victory. All you really need to know is that Jackie Bradley, Jr. singled in the tying run. 'Nuff Ced. Oh, and Daniel Bard had a brutal outing.

Bobby Valentine To Work Mets TV Broadcasts

You knew he couldn't stay out of the limelight too long. Despite being tied down by his burdensome job as Athletic Director at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, Bobby Valentine will also do studio analysis for Mets games on the SNY Network. Just call him "Liveshot". We know he'll do "a helluva job". Now you have all the more reason to order the MLB Extra Innings package.

Sox Scouts Loitering Around Rangers Camp

Surprise! Sox Scouts Are Here

While the Red Sox have poo-pooed the idea of the team dealing surplus relief pitching to Texas, more reports say that Boston scouts are still hovering around the Rangers Spring Training Complex. As we reported last Friday, the Red Sox were snooping around at Ranger prospects. Hopefully, BenCher will consummate a spring deal with either the Rangers (who need our excess relief pitching) or the Angles (who need our excess catching) or both.

Tribe To Dice-K: 'Get Thee To Minor Leagues!'

Familiar Pose

The Great Dice-K Experiment: Part Deux may be over. The Indians today announced that Daisuke Matsuzaka would not be on Cleveland's Opening Day roster. The team said it "hoped" the Japanese right-hander would accept an assignment to AAA. If Dice-K agrees, he would get a $100,000 bonus and could exercise an opt-out clause if he isn't in The Mistake By The Lake by June 1st. Apparently, the rotation spot that Matsuzaka was slated for was swiped by another unlikely hurler—Scott Kazmir.

No Real Improvement For Either Ortiz Or Drew

Red Sox manager John Farrell had to report today that no progress has been made on either David Ortiz or Stephen Drew. On Papi, Farrell stated, “A concern in that it’s going to be a couple more days than originally thought or projected. To what extent progress is being made, and there’s some, but not to the point where he’s ready to take it to the next step.” Regarding Drew, the manager said, “Reports were that he had similar symptoms. If there’s no improvement by the end of the day tomorrow we’ll have him see Dr. Collins in Pittsburgh.” Functionally, it's now clear that neither player will be ready for Opening Day.