MLB Spring Training 2010

[Benz]

how're the braves holding up?

 

Today's game against the Cardinals was Canceled due to rain (several others were too, and the Sox game got cut short because of it too...)

 

In the standings they are currently 2nd with 11 wins, 6 losses, with Tampa Bay just ahead of them at 12 - 6. Florida's in 9th, followed by Boston in 10th.

[Benz]

Today was a tough double loss for the Sox, losing to the Cardinals (8-13) and the Rays (9-11). Sox are now 9-11. *sigh* The good news? In the Rays game, "Red Sox at the plate: Center fielder Mike Cameron went 2-for-3. Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, Adrian Beltre and Kevin Youkilis all had hits." At least there's that and the fact that none of our star pitchers participated in either game.

 

Braves and Marlins did not play today.

[Benz]

3/23/2010 Part 1...

 

Let's see... The Marlins beat the Orioles 5 - 2 today. Jorge Cantu and Nolasco each had two-out RBI singles in the first two innings to give Florida a 2-1 lead. Hanley Ramirez went 1-for-3 with a run scored and drew a full-count walk, and catcher Brett Hayes doubled. Dan Uggla went 0-for-4 and left four runners on base and is now batting .175 this spring. Chris Coghlan, meanwhile, finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. (That's kinda ugly for Uggla... I had to.) Nolasco's sounding good though... Nolasco, who came in with a spring ERA of 3.00 in 12 innings, gave up just one run on six hits in six innings while striking out three and -- once again -- walking none. Nolasco has 19 strikeouts and no walks in 18 Grapefruit League innings this spring. Marlins are now 11 and 9.

 

The Braves fell today to the Mets, just short 6-7. Yunel Escobar hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Chipper Jones continued his hot spring and his career-long torment of the Mets with an RBI single. Jason Heyward went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. He's hitless in his past seven at-bats. Hanson allowed four hits and, oddly, three walks in five innings in his fourth start. Jonny Venters allowed a run on a hit and a walk in the sixth. Wagner struck out two in his inning. Braves are now 11 and 7.

 

Still waiting for the start of the Red Sox - Twins game. It begins at 7:05 EST.

[Benz]

Red Sox fell to the Twins 2-7, unable to clinch the Mayor's Cup tonight. *sigh* Hope things pick up for the Sox, or at least they're ready (and Win) on Opening day.

 

Red Sox at the plate: Kevin Youkilis doubled to lead off the second and Adrian Beltre singled to left later that inning. David Ortiz also hit a double to right field in the seventh. Boston's first run scored in the eighth after Jason Varitek's leadoff double.

 

Red Sox on the mound: Clay Buchholz had a tough night, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked three and also threw three wild pitches. Jonathan Papelbon pitched one scoreless inning, striking out two and walking one. Hideki Okajima allowed one hit over his 1 2/3 innings. (Buchholz isn't looking too good IMO..)

 

Worth noting: Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia left the game in the bottom of the second inning with a mild left wrist sprain. He is listed as day-to-day. ... Mauer was given a loud ovation in his first at-bat at Hammond Stadium since signing his new deal.

[Benz]

The Padres won a game last night? lol?

Today was better for the Red Sox, winning over the Pirates 6-4. Catcher Victor Martinez went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in his first at-bat. The homer was the first for Martinez this spring. Bill Hall and Mike Cameron each connected for solo homers. Hall drove in two runs to give him five RBIs this spring. Jacoby Ellsbury went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly. Josh Beckett made his longest appearance of the spring with a five-inning start. Beckett struck out nine Pirates and limited the hosts to one run on three hits and two walks. (Great news for Beckett!) Reliever Joe Nelson, who is fighting for a spot in Boston's bullpen, pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two of the three hitters he faced. Reliever Brian Shouse allowed one hit in his scoreless inning of work.

 

Worth noting: Alan Embree, who the Red Sox signed to a Minor League contract Saturday, made his spring debut on Wednesday in a Minor League game against the Orioles. He struck out one in a scoreless inning of work and threw 11 of his 12 pitches for strikes. (Awesome! I'm kinda rooting for Embree to get back to the Majors with the Sox, since he was one of the 25 back in '04) Also, Dustin Pedroia had X-rays on his sprained left wrist Wednesday morning and the results were just what the Red Sox had hoped -- the star second baseman is fine. "He's good," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "The X-ray is fine, which we kind of thought, but [we did it] just to be careful."The surest sign that Pedroia was as good as the X-rays said was that he was already lobbying Francona to be back in the lineup for Thursday's home game against the Marlins."I think what we'll do is let him take BP tomorrow and play him [Friday]," Francona said. "He's OK. There's no swelling. Actually, he's a little bit sore higher, which is real good. He got a clean bill of health."The injury was sustained Tuesday night, when Pedroia dove awkwardly for a ground ball by Twins leadoff man Denard Span in the bottom of the first inning. Pedroia made a throwing error on the play. (Thank God Pedroia's ok.)

 

The Marlins didn't have as good a day, falling to the Minnesota Twins 1-4 Hanley Ramirez doubled in two of his three at-bats in the contest, and the second led to a run that scored on Dan Uggla's RBI fielder's choice. Anibal Sanchez, who is in line to be Florida's No. 3 starter, pitched six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. Leo Nunez gave up one run on two hits in an inning of work.

 

The Braves cleaned house today against the Phillies winning 8-0! Brian McCann's three-hit afternoon included a pair of homers and three RBIs that came at the expense of left-hander J.A. Happ. The All-Star catcher began the bottom of the second with a shot over the right-field wall and then knocked the next pitch he saw from Happ over the right-center-field wall. These two homers stood as half the total he hit off of left-handed pitchers all of last year. Hudson provided his strongest outing of the year while allowing just three hits over six scoreless innings. The veteran right-hander notched four strikeouts, issued just two walks and recorded nine ground-ball outs. Takashi Saito pitched around a walk while not allowing a run or hit in his one inning.

[Benz]

Another good day for the Red Sox! (Yay! We need more of these... mostly during the regular season though. Especially Opening Day, please God!) Not as good for the Marlins though. Red Sox won over the Marlins 6-4.

 

The Red Sox: Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run. Marco Scutaro, batting in the No. 2 spot, had a triple and two RBIs. Victor Martinez produced an RBI double and Kevin Youkilis went 2-for-4. Adrian Beltre also had a good day, smashing two hits, scoring a run and driving in one. Jeremy Hermida went 2-for-2 to raise his Grapefruit League average to .432. Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield turned in a quality start, giving up six hits and three runs over six innings. He walked two and struck out five. All three runs Wakefield allowed came in his final inning. Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, slowed earlier in camp by a sore back, made his Grapefruit League debut out of the bullpen, giving up two hits and a run over two innings.

 

The Marlins: Dan Uggla belted a two-run homer in the sixth, putting Florida on the board. Mike Lamb, trying to make the team as a left-handed bat off the bench, had two doubles and an RBI. Chris Volstad, who appears to be on the inside track for a spot in the rotation, turned in a solid performance. He gave up eight hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking none and striking out three. Of the four runs Volstad surrendered, just one of them was earned. Rick VandenHurk, who has been in the hunt for a rotation spot, gave up two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

 

Grapefruit League records: Red Sox 11-12; Marlins 11-11.

 

The Atlanta Braves fell to the Pittsburg Pirates today 6-7. WTF?! Nate McLouth connected for a first-inning leadoff homer, which marked just his third hit in 39 at-bats. He did not get a hit in his final three at-bats of the game. Eric Hinske, who was in Pirates camp last spring, hit a three-run homer in the fourth. He reached base in three of his five plate appearances. David Ross finished 2-for-2 while making the start behind the plate. Top prospect Jason Heyward went 1-for-4 with a single and a run scored. Starter Kenshin Kawakami pitched six scoreless innings in his longest appearance this spring. Kawakami limited the Bucs to four hits and one walk and finished with two strikeouts. Lefty Jonny Venters allowed one run and struck out two in his inning of relief. It was a rough afternoon for former Pittsburgh reliever Jesse Chavez. The right-hander was chased in the eighth after getting just one out and allowing five runs on six hits and a walk.

 

Oh and the Yankees? They lost to the Orioles 8-0. LOL!

[Benz]

Starting off, as always with the Red Sox, they (thankfully) rallied in the 9th inning today to beat the Blue Jays 3-2. Jason Varitek and Josh Reddick had the only hits through eight innings before a three-run ninth, in which David Ortiz, Dusty Brown and Tug Hulett had RBI singles. Red Sox corner infielder Mike Lowell had to leave the game in the bottom of the first inning after suffering a left knee contusion. Lowell fouled a ball off his knee. (hope he's ok) Right-hander John Lackey will take the ball for the Red Sox on Saturday in Sarasota, Fla., against the Orioles in a game that starts at 1:05 p.m. ET. Lefty Alan Embree will pitch for Boston for the first time since 2005. Signed last week, Embree worked in a Minor League game earlier this week. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia will play for the first time since straining his left wrist on Tuesday. (Really glad about Embree) Red Sox are now 12 and 12.

 

The Marlins had a Tie game today with the New York Mets, 8-8, The Marlins scoring 8 in the 3rd inning, while the Mets' runs were spread throughout. After falling behind by five, the Marlins posted eight runs in the third inning, sending 11 to the plate. Jorge Cantu had a pinch-hit RBI single. Chris Coghlan had a run-scoring triple. Cameron Maybin drove in a run with a single, and Hanley Ramirez had an RBI double. Hector Luna added a two-run double, while Bryan Petersen delivered a two-run single. Ramirez added his second double in the seventh inning, but he was stranded. Emilio Bonifacio had a triple in the eighth inning. Gaby Sanchez led off the 10th inning with a double, but pinch-runner Logan Morrison was tagged out at the plate on fielder's-choice grounder from Peterson. After Josh Johnson was scratched due to a stomach virus, Hayden Penn made the start. Penn gave up five runs in three innings, throwing 51 pitches. Seth McClung, competing for a bullpen spot as a non-roster invitee, gave up one run on three hits in two innings. Catcher John Baker is expected to start for Florida on Saturday, after Ronny Paulino was behind the plate on Friday. ... Outfielder Cody Ross, who has a sore right calf, may not appear in any more Grapefruit League games. The reason is because Friday is the retro day for players who may open the season on the disabled list. Ross is still expected to be ready for Opening Day, however, and he's set to be the designated hitter in a Minor League game on Saturday. Marlins now 11-11-1.

 

Braves beat the Tigers 5-3 as Johnny Damon does jack shit. Brian McCann went 2-for-3 and scored two runs, and Nate McLouth went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Melky Cabrera, hitting in the leadoff spot since McLouth has had such a rough spring, went 0-for-4. The first three hitters in the order -- Cabrera, Martin Prado and Chipper Jones -- went a combined 0-for-10. But the Braves went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Derek Lowe had a much-needed solid start against a formidable Tigers lineup. The Braves' Opening Day starter went a spring-high six innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out four and walking none. Lowe's ERA dropped from 5.25 to 4.00 in Grapefruit League play. Scott Proctor and Takashi Saito each hurled a scoreless frame. Braves manager Bobby Cox said he was "really pleased" with Proctor. Though the righty's status for Opening Day is still up in the air, Cox added that he "figures in big time." Braves catcher David Ross tweaked his groin during Thursday's game against the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla. Ross, out of the lineup on Friday, could miss a couple of games as a precaution, but Cox said he could play if he had to. ... The Tigers got a run in the second inning on an errant throw by Jones, who barehanded a slow roller and threw way over the head of first baseman Troy Glaus. ... Cabrera recorded an assist in the fourth, when he threw out Laird trying to score on a Santiago single to end the inning. ... Lowe will have one more outing this spring before he opens up against the Cubs on April 5, but this may have been the last time he gets stretched out before the regular season. The Braves now 13-8-1

[Benz]

*sigh* Tough day for the Sox, but Lackey did great. Embree? Not so much. Still, one game is too much to already be giving up on him. Red Sox fell to the Orioles 6-1. Dustin Pedroia singled and sent a ball to the right-field wall in his first game back since straining his left wrist on Tuesday. (Very good news about Pedroia!) Jacoby Ellsbury and Victor Martinez also singled off Baltimore starter David Hernandez. Boston starter John Lackey allowed two runs on six hits over five innings, fanning a pair of Orioles and walking none. The pair of runs were the first official ones surrendered by Lackey in four spring starts. (Lackey now has like a 1.02 Earned Runs Against for the Spring) .Lefty Alan Embree, who was signed by the Sox on March 20, struggled in his first appearance for Boston since 2005, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Boston outfielder Jeremy Hermida was replaced by Mitch Dening prior to the bottom of the third inning. Hermida exited the game with right hamstring tightness. Hope he's ok. Red Sox now 12-13

 

The Marlins also lost in a close game today against the Cardinals. 3-2. Cameron Maybin had three hits. Hanley Ramirez rapped two singles and had an RBI, and Gaby Sanchez doubled and scored. Starter Clay Hensley, vying for the last rotation spot for Florida, almost certainly helped his cause. Hensley allowed three runs in six innings, but only one was earned, as the Marlins committed three errors behind him. Hensley permitted three hits, struck out four and walked one. Closer Leo Nunez pitched a clean seventh inning. Marlins now 11-12

 

The Braves shutout the Washington Nationals 4-0 today. Brian McCann and Omar Infante continued their hot spring. McCann went 2-for-3 with a double to raise his spring batting average to .514, while Omar Infante went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and is now batting at a .413 clip in Grapefruit League play. Serving as the leadoff hitter once again, Melky Cabrera went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts but added an RBI groundout. Jair Jurrjens turned in a solid outing, holding the Nationals hitless for the first three innings and finishing it with five shutout frames. Jurrjens, who will have one more Grapefruit League start before taking the mound against the Cubs on April 7, gave up just one hit and two walks while striking out two. Forty of his 59 pitches went for strikes. Braves super prospect Jason Heyward showed off some of his speed in the second inning, when he beat out a would-be double play, then stole second base for his fourth steal of the spring. Braves are now 14-8-1.

[Benz]

Well, next Sunday, Easter Sunday the real baseball season begins. For the Red Sox, they'll be playing back in Fenway against A-Roid and those hateable bums from the Bronx, the Yankees. Game time is at 8PM, I believe. But for now, we have one more week of training...

 

The Red Sox had a great day today, beating the Twins and clinching the Mayor's Cup 11-5. (Twins and Sox compete for this cup every Spring Training. They both play in Ft. Myers.) Several Boston hitters had big days at the plate. Victor Martinez had four runs, four hits and three RBIs. Kevin Youkilis also had a four-hit day. Dustin Pedroia was 3-for-4 and scored three times. David Ortiz belted a three-run homer, his third long ball of the spring. Tug Hulett pinch-hit for Ortiz in the sixth and ripped a three-run shot of his own. Right-hander Clay Buchholz gave up five hits and four runs over 4 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out seven. Buchholz gave up all four runs in the first two innings and settled down for the rest of his outing. Scott Atchison, fighting for a bullpen spot, gave up two hits but no runs over 1 1/3 innings. Lefty Hideki Okajima had a solid day, striking out two in his one inning. Closer Jonathan Papelbon went 1 1/3 innings, giving up an unearned run. With the win, the Red Sox clinched the annual Mayor's Cup trophy against the Twins, who also train in Fort Myers. The Red Sox have won four of the first six meetings, and the sides play one last time at City of Palms Park on Thursday. Red Sox right-handers Boof Bonser, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Manny Delcarmen will all get some work in over at the Minor League complex on Monday afternoon. Bonser is expected to pitch four innings, with Matsuzaka going three innings and Delcarmen working two innings. Red Sox are now 13-13.

 

The Marlins also had a great day over the Astros, winning 4-0. Gaby Sanchez, the frontrunner to win the first-base job, connected on a solo homer to open the fifth inning. It was Sanchez's second homer of the spring. Jorge Cantu opened the second inning with a double and scored on Ronny Paulino's RBI single. The Marlins added two unearned runs in the sixth inning. Dan Uggla added a two-out double and scored on Paulino's grounder that was thrown away by Maysonet. Mike Lamb added an RBI single. Nearly perfect is the best way to describe Nolasco this spring. The righty was perfect through 5 1/3 innings, retiring the first 16 batters he faced. In 7 1/3 shutout innings, the right-hander allowed one hit and one walk. The lone walk was issued to the last batter Nolasco faced, Chris Johnson. The count was full. In 25 1/3 Grapefruit League innings, Nolasco has 23 strikeouts and one walk. Of his 95 pitches, 69 were strikes. In retiring the first 15 batters he faced, Nolasco compiled 64 pitches with 48 strikes. Cody Ross was used as the designated hitter in a Marlins' Minor League game on Sunday. Ross is recovering from a sore right calf. He is expected to play the field in a Minor League game on Monday. Marlins are now 12-12

 

Atlanta didn't have such a good day, falling to the Washington Nationals 9-3. Chipper Jones drove in two of Atlanta's three runs with a pair of sacrifice flies. Freddie Freeman drove in the third run with a single in the top of the eighth. Scott Proctor and Jesse Chavez gave up a combined six runs in two innings. Tommy Hanson was scheduled to pitch, but the team thought it was going to rain and didn't want to waste his start. He made a Minor League start, giving up one run in six innings. The Braves optioned outfielder Gregor Blanco to Triple-A Gwinnett, bringing their spring roster to 36 players. The 26-year-old lefty hitter, who played in 24 games in 2009, hit .241 (7-for-29) with four RBIs in 20 Grapefruit League games. ... Atlanta also optioned right-hander Luis Valdez to Triple-A Gwinnett. The 25-year-old right-hander has been in the Dominican Republic all spring because of visa issues. The Braves are now 14-9-1.

[Benz]

Still waiting on the Boston story to be published, but today they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 9-3. Looked like Beckett made a good start allowing 2 runs. Hopefully he shuts out the Skankees when we face them on Sunday when he's scheduled to start. Mike Lowell belted two hits after missing the previous two days with a right knee contusion. Marco Scutaro also had a two-hit game. Dustin Pedroia delivered a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh for Boston's first run. (Glad to hear it about Lowell!) Beckett had a successful last tuneup before his Opening Night start against the Yankees, allowing six hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings. Beckett walked one and struck out eight, though he did give up two homers. The righty threw 94 pitches, 61 for strikes.

 

Lefty reliever Scott Schoeneweis struck out the first two batters he faced in his debut for the Red Sox but struggled thereafter. Over two-thirds of an inning, he gave up two hits, two runs and two walks. Alan Embree also had a rough time of it, giving up two hits, two walks and three earned runs over two-thirds of a frame. It was Embree's second outing since being signed on March 20. (Not looking real good on either one, but especially Embree...) Joe Nelson, another pitcher vying for a spot in the Boston bullpen, went one-third of an inning, walking one and allowing no runs. (He could be interesting...)

 

Marlins fared better, but not much. They fell to the Mets 7-6. Jorge Cantu had a two-run single in the Marlins' four-run rally in the third. He and Bryan Peterson had two hits each. Hanley Ramirez and Mike Lamb contributed doubles. Anibal Sanchez was responsible for the seven runs the Mets accumulated in the first five innings. He allowed nine hits and walked three. Cameron Maybin took a home run away from David Wright in the first inning, extending his glove and most of his arm over the center-field wall. ... Niese said he has moved past the last lingering doubt about his surgically repaired right leg. He threw 81 pitches, his high this spring, and experienced no problem. ... Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said he will keep a close eye on the final utility role over the next few days. Non-roster invitees Brian Barden, Donnie Murphy and Hector Luna are on equal footing. Barden appears to have the edge based on his ability to play shortstop and corner outfield positions. Marlins are now 12-13.

 

The ATL won their game today over the Phillies 5-4. Right-hander Kris Medlen allowed three hits, one run and one walk and struck out two in two innings. Jo-Jo Reyes tossed two scoreless innings, and Jesse Chavez, Craig Kimbrel and Eric O'Flaherty each pitched a scoreless frame. The Braves took a one-run lead when Happ walked shortstop Brandon Hicks with the bases loaded to score Brian McCann in the fourth. Earlier in the inning, Omar Infante drove in a run on a fielder's choice. Brooks Conrad ripped a two-run shot in the seventh. Leading off the ninth, Eric Hinske went deep to snap a tie. Braves now 15-9.

 

Updated for the Red Sox!

[gunsmithx]

your thoughts on that crazy switch pitcher the yankees are trying out now?

[Benz]

your thoughts on that crazy switch pitcher the yankees are trying out now?

 

Interesting... Potentially could be dangerous if he's good with both arms... Today's the first day he played. 1.1 innings at 2 hits and one Earned Run. I'll have to watch. I'm not too worried. Especially since there's new rules about Ambidextrous pitchers:

 

The new rules regarding ambidextrous pitchers are as follows:

 

• The pitcher must visually indicate to the umpire, batter and runner(s) which way he will begin pitching to the batter. Engaging the rubber with the glove on a particular hand is considered a definitive commitment to which arm he will throw with. The batter will then choose which side of the plate he will bat from.

 

• The pitcher must throw one pitch to the batter before any "switch" by either player is allowed.

 

• After one pitch is thrown, the pitcher and batter may each change positions one time per at-bat. For example, if the pitcher changes from right-handed to left-handed and the batter then changes batter's boxes, each player must remain that way for the duration of that at-bat (unless the offensive team substitutes a pinch hitter, and then each player may again "switch" one time).

 

• Any switch (by either the pitcher or the batter) must be clearly indicated to the umpire.

 

• There will be no warm-up pitches during the change of arms.

 

• If an injury occurs the pitcher may change arms but not use that arm again during the remainder of the game.

 

Pretty fair. He still could be dangerous, but I'm kinda wait and see. Ultimately though, I don't think the Yankees made as many good moves as the Red Sox did during the off-season. I'm biased, but I think the Red Sox are going all the way this year.

 

Speaking of the Devil (Seriously, the Yankees are the Devil. I need to get that book... The Devil wears Pinstripes...) The Yankees lost to Atlanta in their first game today (I think Venditte (the ambidextrous pitcher) gets to pitch tonight too) losing 9-6. (Good Job Braves!) Sabathia ended his exhibition season on a rough note as the Braves damaged him with five earned runs and eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings. First-inning doubles by Melky Cabrera and Chipper Jones set the tone for the big left-hander, who also allowed a fourth-inning two-run homer to Clint Sammons. Sabathia allowed 15 earned runs and 22 hits in his final 16 2/3 Grapefruit League innings. (Guess who's pitching Opening Day to the Red Sox? Yup! I'm pumped! This is good news for us!) Troy Glaus displayed some of the power he has lacked this spring with a pair of doubles off CC Sabathia. His fifth-inning RBI double appeared to clear the center-field wall for what would have been his first homer of the exhibition season. But after Yankees manager Joe Girardi argued, umpires ruled the hit to be a ground-rule double. Coming into the day, just one of Glaus' 14 hits had gone for extra bases. Kawakami provided a second consecutive strong start while limiting the Yankees to two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in five innings. The odds of Proctor beginning the year in the Braves bullpen were further reduced when he allowed Posada's homer. The right-handed reliever, who is less than 11 months removed from Tommy John surgery, has allowed homers in each of his past two outings. Ah here it is... The ambidextrous Pat Venditte allowed one earned run and two hits while working 1 1/3 innings for New York in his first appearance against Major Leaguers. The 24-year-old reliever pitched right-handed to four of the seven batters he faced and was only damaged by Matt Young's sacrifice fly. Venditte ended his outing by throwing right-handed to switch-hitter Brooks Conrad, who grounded out.

 

Now for the Red Sox (Yep, going in a bit different order today...) they Tied with Tampa Bay Rays 9-9 today. Looks like Bard let in a few runs... Starter Casey Kelly recorded two scoreless frames before the Rays reached him for two runs in the third. Reliever Daniel Bard had a rough outing, however, allowing four runs on five hits over two-thirds of an inning. Adrian Beltre hit a two-run triple off Joaquin Benoit in the first inning for his first extra-base hit of the spring. Anthony Rizzo ripped a two-run homer off Rafael Soriano in the third to give the Red Sox a six-run lead. Josh Reddick hit a solo home run off Lance Cormier in the fifth. The Sox are 13-15.

 

And for the Marlins, they had a good day as well, beating out the Washington Nationals 9-5. Chris Volstad not only has won a rotation spot. The right-hander collected three hits, including a double and two RBIs. In the second inning, Volstad put the Marlins on the board with a run-scoring double. Bryan Petersen, who singled, scored. Ronny Paulino's two-run double in the third made it 3-1. And in the fifth inning, the Marlins scored five runs, with three earned. Brian Barden had an RBI single, and Volstad had a run-scoring single in the inning. Volstad enjoyed his third consecutive solid outing, working 6 2/3 innings while giving up two runs on seven hits. The right-hander struck out six and didn't walk a batter. Volstad was around the plate, throwing 92 pitches with 63 strikes. Brian Sanches, who will be used in a setup role, worked out of a first-and-third jam in the seventh. The Marlins are now 13-13-1.

[Benz]

Little more than 3 days left in Spring Training!

 

Red Sox kicked ass today! They beat the Orioles 14-6! Victor Martinez cracked two homers off two different Orioles arms, collecting a total of six RBIs in Boston's offensive onslaught. Martinez also singled in the eighth inning and Kevin Frandsen blasted a grand slam. Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while J.D. Drew added an RBI single, walked and scored. (Way to go V-Mart! Glad I got him on my Fantasy teams!) Jon Lester yielded just one run on three hits in seven total frames. The lefty yielded just one extra-base hit, walked three and struck out three. (Lester's doing awesome!) Red Sox are now 14-14

 

Still waiting on the Marlins story, but they fell short, losing to the Mets 6-3

 

The Braves did well in their game today, beating the Astros 10-5. Troy Glaus led the way with a three-hit performance that included a pair of doubles. Before concluding his day with a fifth-inning single, Glaus had doubled in four consecutive at-bats. Eric Hinske, who was a late lineup addition when the clubs opted to use designated hitters, cleared the bases with a three-run, third-inning double. Brian McCann's third-inning, two-run single gives him a .500 batting average with just three games left in the exhibition season. Making his final preparations before his Opening Day start, Lowe worked four innings, allowing three earned runs and six hits. After enduring a three-run first inning, the veteran sinkerballer was able to pitch around trouble the rest of the way. Jesse Chavez, who is bidding for one of the final spots in the bullpen, provided a second consecutive scoreless appearance.

[Benz]

Red Sox had another good day. Lackey's been awesome, and today is no Exception (being his last day before the regular season). The Sox won 5-2 over the Twins. Lackey made his final tuneup before his start against the Yankees on Wednesday, giving up six hits and a run over five innings. He walked one and struck out two, throwing 77 pitches. Manny Delcarmen struggled, giving up two hits and two runs over 1 2/3 innings. He walked one and hit two batters. Scott Schoeneweis, still fighting for the last spot on the roster, fired a scoreless inning, walking one and not allowing a hit. Shortstop Marco Scutaro, who is starting to heat up late in camp, had two hits and two RBIs. Mike Lowell, playing on back-to-back days for the first time this spring, went 1-for-3 and scored a run. Catcher Jason Varitek also had a hit and scored a run. Nate Spears broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with an RBI triple. The Sox are 15-14-1.

 

Marlins also had a good day today winning over the Cardinals 3-1. Leadoff man Chris Coghlan went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Brian Barden added two doubles while scoring a run. Dan Uggla went 1-for-4 to finish Grapefruit League play with a .197 batting average. Jorge Cantu went 2-for-3 and sported a .327 Grapefruit League batting average. Acquired in exchange for Minor League pitcher Jay Voss and cash considerations on Tuesday, Robertson shined in his debut with the Marlins, the team he was drafted by in 1999. Robertson, who will be the Marlins' fifth starter, went seven innings, giving up a run and two hits while striking out six and walking one. He even came up with an RBI single in the seventh. Marlins are now 14-14-1

 

And for the Braves.. they didn't fare so well against the Tigers, falling 4-1. (Fuck Johnny Damon. He's on that team. Serously. Fuck him in the ear. I hate that asshole.) Atlanta was scoreless until Cole Miles scored as a pinch-runner for Matt Diaz, who reached on an error in the eighth. Yunel Escobar, Brian McCann, Joe Thurston, Matt Young and Adam Milligan all singled. Former Tiger Jair Jurrjens shut down his old squad for five innings until Kelly took him deep in the sixth. Jurrjens scattered six hits over six innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Jo-Jo Reyes gave up two runs, one earned, in the seventh. Braves are now 17-10-1.

 

Well, back to Drafting.. Gotta get the perfect Boston team. Some fucker keeps taking my V-mart or my Youkilis/Pedroia in Yahoo. I have Facebook perfect (by the way we have a Hondo's league on there... It's next to impossible to not get your perfect team on there.) I have ESPN perfect... Now I just need Yahoo.

[Benz]

Next to last report on Spring Training! Tomorrow's the last day! Woohoo! I'm psyched!

 

The Red Sox had another good day, and looks like Buchholz is getting his act together! Red Sox beat out the Nationals 7-2. Right-hander Clay Buchholz finished Spring Training on a solid note, giving up two hits and a run over six inning. Closer Jonathan Papelbon worked a scoreless ninth. Daniel Bard retired the only two batters he faced. Catcher Jason Varitek came off the bench and clocked a three-run double, highlighting a six-run sixth inning. David Ortiz lofted a double off the wall in left and scored a run. Marco Scutaro also had a hit. Prospect Josh Reddick had another hit to raise his Grapefruit League average to .404. Red Sox reserve outfielder Jeremy Hermida, who had been sidelined for five days with a tight right hamstring, returned to action at the Minor League complex, getting several at-bats. Sox are 16-14-1

 

Uh.... fucking interspacez here seem to be messed up here. Running slower than a turd down a Sarlac pit... gonna reboot and see if that helps...

 

There we go.

 

Marlins suffered a tough loss today in an Exhibition Game, falling 4-3 to a Jacksonville AA team. can't get the story because the internet is acting up on me... GRRRRRRR... fuck.

 

4/3/10

Ah. there we go. I think...

 

The Marlins' loss yesterday was apparently to their own AA team, the Suns in Jacksonville. Ouch. I would only wish something like that on the Yankees. Here's how it broke down: Marlins at the plate: The top of the order handled its business against the Suns. Leadoff hitter Chris Coghlan singled, scored and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, Cameron Maybin went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Hanley Ramirez added an RBI double. John Baker and Wes Helms -- thrown out at third trying to leg out a triple -- also doubled.

 

Suns at the plate: Marlins super prospect Mike Stanton showed just why he's so highly regarded, and Ricky Nolasco was the victim. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Stanton hit a two-run homer off Nolasco to left field that traveled an estimated 420 feet. The ball easily cleared the left-field wall (321 feet down the line) and also went over a fence about 50 feet beyond it.

 

Marlins on the mound: Stanton may have homered, but Nolasco didn't give up much otherwise. The Marlins' No. 2 starter went five innings, giving up just those two runs on two hits while walking none and striking out seven in his final start before the regular season. In Grapefruit League play, Nolasco put up a 1.78 ERA while striking out 21 and walking just one in five starts.

 

Suns on the mound: Jacksonville starter Todd Doolittle pitched two shutout innings, giving up two hits and striking out two. Adalberto Mendez followed him and had less successful results. He was charged with three earned runs in his 1 2/3-inning outing.

 

Worth noting: The Marlins suffered two in-game injuries. Second baseman Dan Uggla left in the second inning after being hit in the left hand, and possible setup man Brian Sanches exited before even throwing a pitch in the bottom of the seventh with an apparent right knee injury. ... Donnie Murphy made a nice play after checking in for Uggla at second base. The 26-year-old sprinted to his right to field a grounder up the middle, then threw across his body to get slow-footed designated hitter Lee Mitchell out at first base. ... Suns outfielder Scott Cousins -- who will fill in for Cody Ross in right field if Ross goes on the disabled list -- showed veteran poise on a fly ball to center field in the top of the fourth. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Helms hit a fly ball that was going to fall in for a hit, but Cousins decoyed that he was going to catch it. When it fell, he showed off his strong arm to get a hesitant Baker out at third base.

 

For the Braves, they also suffered a tough loss to the Chicago White Sox, 7-2. Troy Glaus continued his recent hot-hitting ways with a sixth-inning RBI single that followed Brian McCann's two-out double off Matt Thornton. Glaus has six hits, including four doubles, in his past 10 at-bats. Hanson said that he felt strong while allowing two runs -- one earned -- and three hits over four innings. The 23-year-old right-hander will make his regular-season debut on Thursday against the Cubs. Medlen retired the first batter he faced and then issued a walk that was followed by three consecutive singles. He then retired five of the last six batters that he faced.

 

Well, one more round of Spring Training left today!

[Benz]

THIS IS IT! LAST DAY OF SPRING TRAINING!!! 4/3/2010

 

The Red Sox couldn't have ended it on a better note, winning their last game over the Washington Nationals 6-1! Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and J.D. Drew homered in the second. Bill Hall drove in two runs with a double. Jason Varitek drove in a run with a pinch-hit single. Right-hander Tim Wakefield pitched four shutout innings and gave up three hits. He also struck out two batters. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched four innings and gave up the one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out one. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry will begin in earnest Sunday night at Fenway Park to open the regular season. Right-hander Josh Beckett will be on the mound for Boston, while ace Cock Craver Sabathia toes the rubber for New York. The Red Sox end their Spring Training with a 17-14-1 record.

 

Uh... damn... The Marlins fell again to one of their minor league affiliates... this time to their Class A Team the Greensborough, NC Grasshoppers. Ouch. Again, I wish this kind of shit would happen to the Yankees. Not the Marlins. They fell 8-7 in 10 innings. Marlins at the plate: The heart of the order rallied Florida from an early 4-0 hole. Cameron Maybin, Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla -- batting second through fifth in the order -- combined for five hits and six runs while driving in five over the first five innings before leaving the game. Maybin hit a solo home run and Cantu added a two-run shot as the Marlins rocked Greensboro relief pitcher Jose Alvarez in the fifth.

 

Grasshoppers at the plate: Jose Torres was the late-inning hero, hitting a solo home run off Brian Lawrence to tie the game in the ninth. Torres also drove in the winning run off Lawrence in the 10th by legging out a two-out infield single to score Carlos Paulino. Catcher Kyle Skipworth, the Marlins' first-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, slammed a two-run second-inning home run off Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez. Skipworth's blast flew well over the fence in right field. Kyle Jenson had two hits, including a double off Sanchez. Taylor Krick's two-out, two-run double off Kasey Olenberger pulled Greensboro within a run in the eighth inning.

 

Marlins on the mound: Skipworth's long home run was another black mark for Sanchez, who compiled a 6.38 ERA in Grapefruit League play. Sanchez struck out Skipworth on three pitches the next time he faced him. But that was a rare bright spot for the right-hander on Saturday. The Grasshoppers touched him for six hits and four runs in four innings. The Marlins' bullpen trio of Renyel Pinto, Dan Meyer and Leo Nunez each tossed a scoreless inning.

 

Grasshoppers on the mound: Alejandro Sanabia held the Marlins scoreless on one hit over the first three innings before running into problems in the fourth. The Grasshoppers committed three errors behind him, but Sanabia also issued a walk and allowed a pair of RBI hits in a four-run Florida rally. Five Greensboro pitchers combined to keep the Marlins scoreless on three hits over the final 5 1/3 innings.

 

Worth noting: Saturday marked the five-year anniversary of the first game at Greensboro's downtown stadium, NewBridge Bank Park. The Marlins and Grasshoppers christened the stadium with an exhibition on April 3, 2005. Saturday was the big league club's first trip back since, and it was greeted by a crowd of 9,362. ... Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez returned to the city where he played as a Minor Leaguer in 1984.

 

Up next: The Marlins open the regular season against the Mets at Citi Field on Monday at 1:10 p.m. Josh Johnson gets the start for Florida with Johan Santana pitching for New York.

 

ALSO NOTE: The Marlins' new baseball park remains on schedule... I'll make a new topic for this. It's scheduled to open in 2012 (which happens to be Fenway Park's Centennial year) You can watch the progress here.

 

Marlins ended with a 14-14-1 record (Not counting the 2 losses in exhibition games)

 

The Atlanta Braves also had a hard ending to their Spring training, losing to the Chicago White Sox 12-4. The top two spots in Atlanta's lineup accounted for the four hits tallied through the first six innings. Melky Cabrera and Martin Prado began the game with back-to-back singles before White Sox starter John Danks rebounded by inducing three consecutive ground balls. Brooks Conrad followed Matt Young's one-out double with a triple that helped the hosts compile a two-run sixth inning against Scott Linebrink. Hudson certainly wasn't happy that he surrendered eight hits and five runs -- one earned -- in four innings during his last start before the regular season. Nor did he enjoy accounting for one of the four errors that were committed by his team during his short outing. But he righted himself in time to strike out three of the last five batters that he faced. Reyes allowed seven runs -- five earned -- and four hits in just one inning of work. Scott Proctor followed with a perfect sixth inning that included a pair of strikeouts. Once Proctor is deemed ready to return from Tommy John surgery, there's a good chance Reyes could be sent back to the Minors to once again work as a starting pitcher.

 

The Braves ended Spring Training with a 17-12-1 record.

 

Well, that's it for Spring Training for this year! NOW ON TO BASEBALL SEASON!