The Minnesota Twins host the Boston Red Sox (split squad) at Fort Myers, Florida at Hammond Stadium. Game time is 19:05 EST. It can be seen on NESN, MLBN, or Sportsnet in Canada.
Earlier today in a 7 inning exhibition game, the Red Sox beat Boston College 7 - 1. Read about it over at Joy of Sox.
Tonight:
Boston
Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 1B
Bay, LF
Wilkerson, RF
Lowrie, SS
Bailey, DH
Bard, J,
Velazquez, 3B
Minnesota
Casilla, 2B
Punto, SS
Morneau, 1B
Cuddyer, RF
Kubel, DH
Young, LF
Buscher, 3B
Redmond, C
Pridie, CF
And Wakefield vs Glen Perkins on the mound.
As stated above, former Expo Brad Wilkerson makes his Red Sock debut, in right.
Since it is spring training, I won't elaborate too much. Instead, go here for spring training results and schedules.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Brad Wilkerson joins the Red Sox
It took a little while, as it looks like the Brad Wilkerson deal was done February 3, pending a physical, but it was officially announced February 16 that the Red Sox "signed OF Brad Wilkerson to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training."
Assuming he makes the team, it should be interesting to see if he returns to form. He has not played as well as he could have since leaving the Expos. And that includes the Nationals.
He will be trying to for roles as backup first baseman and fifth outfielder.
There are plenty of former Expos still around, including players that have been in the Expos system. I won't pretend to know where they all are. I pretty much only know the most familiar, and some up and coming players in the last few years. For a much better list, I recommend checking out this forum post: Ancien Expos - 2009 over at encorebaseballmontreal.com. To translate a bit, the first list is ex Expos in regular lineups, followed by non-roster invitees (NRI), former players in the Expos organisation in regular team lineups, and finally former players in the organisation that are NRI.
Speaking of encorebaseballmontreal.com, if you are reading this and you are located in Montreal, they have a baseball league in the summer, so you should join, and see me embarrass myself in the summer!
Links:
Now a Sox, Wilkerson aims high: Veteran in camp hoping to land a spot as backup for Boston. (note to the author/mlb, it should be now a Sock, or now a Sox member)
Also, unrelated, Baseball growing in Canada, says Bay.
Assuming he makes the team, it should be interesting to see if he returns to form. He has not played as well as he could have since leaving the Expos. And that includes the Nationals.
He will be trying to for roles as backup first baseman and fifth outfielder.
There are plenty of former Expos still around, including players that have been in the Expos system. I won't pretend to know where they all are. I pretty much only know the most familiar, and some up and coming players in the last few years. For a much better list, I recommend checking out this forum post: Ancien Expos - 2009 over at encorebaseballmontreal.com. To translate a bit, the first list is ex Expos in regular lineups, followed by non-roster invitees (NRI), former players in the Expos organisation in regular team lineups, and finally former players in the organisation that are NRI.
Speaking of encorebaseballmontreal.com, if you are reading this and you are located in Montreal, they have a baseball league in the summer, so you should join, and see me embarrass myself in the summer!
Links:
Now a Sox, Wilkerson aims high: Veteran in camp hoping to land a spot as backup for Boston. (note to the author/mlb, it should be now a Sock, or now a Sox member)
Also, unrelated, Baseball growing in Canada, says Bay.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Major League Baseball Spring Training 2009
With Spring Training 2009 getting underway, I updated my little Google Maps mashup, hopefully I will get around to make it somewhat better, but it works anyway.
MLB Spring Training 2009
So a few changes were made since last year. Most notable is the Dodgers leaving Vero Beach and Holman Stadium for the Cactus League. Spring training was held in Dodgertown for 61 seasons, from 1948 to 2008. Going back to when they were still in Brooklyn. Their brand new Cactus League park is Camelback Ranch in Glendale, just outside Phoenix.
The Cleveland Indians are the other team leaving the Grapefruit League for the Cactus League. There new location in Arizona is the Goodyear Park in Goodyear, AZ. They are returning to the Cactus League after 16 seasons in Florida. They were in Winter Haven, Florida, at the Chain of Lakes Park.
The Tampa Bay rays move slightly south, from St. Petersburg to Port Charlotte. They move to the "newly renovated state-of-the-art" Charlotte Sports Park after having been in the Progress Energy Park, Home of Al Lang Field.
The Chicago White Sox move from Tucson to Phoenix (Glendale to be more specific) to share Camelback Ranch with the Dodgers.
So now in 2009 the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are closer to the same number of teams. In 2008 there were 18 teams in Florida, and obviously 12 in Arizona, now however the ratio is 16 to 14. Next year the Cincinnati Reds will leave the Grapefruit League, and join the Indians in Goodyear.
For the geeks: Maps showing each teams move in plain old Google Maps (as I don't have the javascript knowledge to do a DIY site!).
Los Angeles Dodgers: Vero Beach, Florida to Glendale, Arizona.
Cleveland Indians: Winter Haven, Florida to Goodyear, Arizona.
Tampa Bay Rays: St. Petersburg to Port Charlotte.
Chicago White Sox: Tucson to Glendale.
MLB Spring Training 2009
So a few changes were made since last year. Most notable is the Dodgers leaving Vero Beach and Holman Stadium for the Cactus League. Spring training was held in Dodgertown for 61 seasons, from 1948 to 2008. Going back to when they were still in Brooklyn. Their brand new Cactus League park is Camelback Ranch in Glendale, just outside Phoenix.
The Cleveland Indians are the other team leaving the Grapefruit League for the Cactus League. There new location in Arizona is the Goodyear Park in Goodyear, AZ. They are returning to the Cactus League after 16 seasons in Florida. They were in Winter Haven, Florida, at the Chain of Lakes Park.
The Tampa Bay rays move slightly south, from St. Petersburg to Port Charlotte. They move to the "newly renovated state-of-the-art" Charlotte Sports Park after having been in the Progress Energy Park, Home of Al Lang Field.
The Chicago White Sox move from Tucson to Phoenix (Glendale to be more specific) to share Camelback Ranch with the Dodgers.
So now in 2009 the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are closer to the same number of teams. In 2008 there were 18 teams in Florida, and obviously 12 in Arizona, now however the ratio is 16 to 14. Next year the Cincinnati Reds will leave the Grapefruit League, and join the Indians in Goodyear.
For the geeks: Maps showing each teams move in plain old Google Maps (as I don't have the javascript knowledge to do a DIY site!).
Los Angeles Dodgers: Vero Beach, Florida to Glendale, Arizona.
Cleveland Indians: Winter Haven, Florida to Goodyear, Arizona.
Tampa Bay Rays: St. Petersburg to Port Charlotte.
Chicago White Sox: Tucson to Glendale.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Marlins Stadium and Selig
I am not one to usually post such short blog entries, but felt my last post was appropriate. It comes after the announcment of Allan 'Bud' Selig's salary of the fiscal year ending October 31, 2007 being $18.35 million. $17.47 million in base compensation, and "$461,540 in contributions to employee benefit plans, and $422,590 in expense accounts and other allowances." That is $7.15 million more than his NFL equivalent, Roger Goddell. Surely he could afford to give himself more (hopefully he won't!), however, that is still a huge sum. I have no idea how much of his personal money he gives to charity, but surely the MLB endorsed Boys and Girls club would not mind some!
My logic for being happy to see him go is mostly for his role in helping the demise of baseball in Montreal. He was there during the 1994 strike, where the Expos were the best in baseball at the time, and there all the time Montreal was struggling to keep a team, until becoming a lame duck team, and of course their departure. I'm sure there are plenty more reasons people do not like him.
In other news, the Florida Marlins new park which would be scheduled to open in 2012 comes down to two votes today (city, 9 a.m. county, 1 p.m.). Even if it indeed comes to fruition, looks like it will be just like Montreal's Olympic Stadium, being paid off for years to come. It took 30 years after the Olympics to pay off the Olympic Stadium, and for the new Marlins park it would look like this: "roughly $1.8 billion over 40 years, with payments starting small but escalating significantly over time." Read more, Florida Marlins stadium comes down to two votes Friday. Also check out Field of Schemes for this and other ballpark, stadium and arenafiascoes news. Oh, and check out the local coverage links to the side for respective newspaper coverage.
Finally, looks like 762* is back in the news (That, and all it encompasses is another story in itself to tie to Selig!)
My logic for being happy to see him go is mostly for his role in helping the demise of baseball in Montreal. He was there during the 1994 strike, where the Expos were the best in baseball at the time, and there all the time Montreal was struggling to keep a team, until becoming a lame duck team, and of course their departure. I'm sure there are plenty more reasons people do not like him.
In other news, the Florida Marlins new park which would be scheduled to open in 2012 comes down to two votes today (city, 9 a.m. county, 1 p.m.). Even if it indeed comes to fruition, looks like it will be just like Montreal's Olympic Stadium, being paid off for years to come. It took 30 years after the Olympics to pay off the Olympic Stadium, and for the new Marlins park it would look like this: "roughly $1.8 billion over 40 years, with payments starting small but escalating significantly over time." Read more, Florida Marlins stadium comes down to two votes Friday. Also check out Field of Schemes for this and other ballpark, stadium and arena
Finally, looks like 762* is back in the news (That, and all it encompasses is another story in itself to tie to Selig!)
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
