Former mayor Patricia Dowling gave a Lawrence baseball t-shirt to Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, who thought for a moment that it was a New York Yankees jersey at the South Lawrence East school on Sept. 20, 1999. (E-T file photo)
Cody Ross is headed to the DL with a fractured left foot. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Cody Ross will be placed on the disabled list tomorrow after fracturing his left foot’s navicular bone.
Dustin Pedroia fractured his navicular bone in June 2010. He made a two-game comeback in August but then returned to the DL for the rest of the season.
The Red Sox reportedly think Ross’ fractured foot is less severe than was Pedroia’s.
Ross had started the season pretty well, posting a .271 average with a .349 on-base percentage, .534 slugging percentage, eight homers and 28 RBI in 133 at-bats.
Kevin Youkilis reportedly will take Ross’ place on the active roster tomorrow.
Photos of Babe Ruth jersey that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction
May 20th, 2012 by Christopher Smith
This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction today. SCP Auctions says the uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and set a record for any item of sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)
Another picture of the Babe Ruth jersey auctioned today. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)
Another picture of the Babe Ruth jersey auctioned today. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)
Another picture of the Babe Ruth jersey auctioned today. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz takes the mound in Baltimore tomorrow. (AP Photo/Charles Krupaand)
Boston plays tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday against the first-place Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore.
Here are the pitching matchups:
Tomorrow —
Boston’s right-hander Clay Buchholz (4-2, 7.77 ERA) faces Baltimore right-hander Tommy Hunter (2-2, 4.78 ERA), 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday —
Boston left-hander Felix Doubront (4-1, 4.09 ERA) goes against Baltimore left-hander Brian Matusz (3-4, 5.36 ERA), 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday —
Boston right-hander Daniel Bard (3-5, 4.85 ERA) goes against Baltimore right-hander Jake Arrieta (2-4, 4.72 ERA), 12:35 p.m.
Chris Perez celebrates after getting the final out to defeat the Texas Rangers earlier this month. (Associated Press)
Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez brings the heat.
Since entering the majors in 2008, he has thrown his fastball an average of 94.2 mph, according to fangraphs.com.
A fastball/slider pitcher, Perez appeared in his first MLB All-Star game last year. Perez’s fastball has lost some velocity this year, averaging 92.9 mph. He entered Friday’s game with a 3.52 ERA and 12 saves.
Perez went one-on-one with The Eagle-Tribune to discuss his passion for the University of Miami football, the seafood he eats when visiting Boston and baseball’s most talented hitters and pitchers.
—Christopher Smith
E-T: Who are the best starting pitchers in baseball besides Justin Verlander and Roy Halladay?
Perez: Obviously, Verlander and Halladay are up there, but I like how (Philadelphia’s) Cole Hamels is doing. His walk-to-strikeout ratio is just tremendous and being a lefty helps. That great changeup that he has can neutralize the right-handed bats.
(San Francisco’s Tim) Lincecum is struggling a little bit this year, but I got drafted in the same class as him so I like watching him pitch when he’s on and dominating. He just throws fire out there when he’s healthy and throwing 100 percent.
Other than that, there’s a bunch of young guys who you’re just waiting to see how consistent they are — like (Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton) Kershaw.
E-T: Do you look at stats online a lot?
Perez: I just read what’s in the paper — usually USA Today. I’m not looking it up every night. I look to see how other people are doing for sure. They are our contemporaries — it’s our field. For example, what Josh Hamilton is doing right now, it’s just crazy. And for players to see that — we know it’s not that easy. All of us were kids, too, at one time so that’s how I am. I’m still a fan.
E-T: Are Hamilton and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera the best hitters in baseball?
Perez: Hamilton is the most dangerous. He’s got the most talent. I would agree with Cabrera. He’s the better hitter. Hamilton, you’re not seeing him get walked like Barry Bonds did that year just because you feel like you can get him out because he swings at everything. At the same time, if he hits it, he has a chance to do some damage. Cabrera works the counts more. It’s always like 2-0 or 3-1 with guys on base and he’s up waiting for a fastball. And he usually doesn’t miss it.
E-T: What team did you root for growing up?
Perez: I actually cheered for the White Sox before we got the Rays. I grew up in Bradenton (Fla.), which is close to Sarasota. And that’s where the White Sox had spring training. Frank Thomas was one of my favorite players. He was dominating at that time. And I was a big kid and his nickname is “Big Hurt.”
E-T: I saw you signing autographs for Boston fans. How tough is it to do when you also have to get your work in?
Perez: It’s tough. Sometimes you wish you could sign for everybody all the time. But sometimes you just can’t. You have to say “No, I’m working right now,” or “I’ll get you after.” It’s tough because they don’t understand. As a 4 year old, (they think), “Why can’t you take 5 seconds to sign?” I mean, you’ve got to be professionals first and foremost and worry about winning and getting ready for the game. I sign everything I get in the mail to the stadium. We’ve got a mailbox.
E-T: Do you receive a lot of autograph requests in the mail?
Perez: Yeah, I’d say probably about 100 a month.
E-T: Most players who visit Fenway dislike the clubhouse and love the actual park. What are your thoughts?
Perez: Lucky we only have to come here once a year. Maybe if I was in the (AL) East it would be a little different but I don’t mind the small clubhouse. We’re not here to hang out anyway. We’re here to win. It’d be nice to have maybe a little bit bigger area to stretch and stuff. But once you leave these doors and get to go out there, it’s definitely one of the best places to play baseball. It’s always sold out. There’s a great energy. It’s always loud and they’re trying to get on me to give it up. It’s fun. I love playing here. It’s old-school baseball. They (the fans) are right on top of you.
E-T: How much do you watch your diet?
Perez: You just kind of go week to week. You look down and be like “God, I feel a little sluggish.” And you start working out a little bit, doing a little extra cardio and maybe laying off the Powerades and start drinking some water. It’s pretty easy for me to maintain weight during the season. Half the time, the food is provided for us. It’s pretty healthy: fruit and nonfat stuff. As long as you don’t order too much room service late night, you’re usually pretty good.
E-T: Did you go to several Hurricane football games when you were attending the University of Miami?
Perez: I did. That’s the reason I went there. I was a football fan first growing up in South Florida. I’m always remembering those great ‘Canes games and teams. I never (rooted) for FSU. My dad liked them so I wanted to go against him kind of. Yeah, that’s what got me to like Miami. And then I was like “Oh, they have a good baseball team, too.” So it kind of just went hand in hand. And I’m still a big football fan. So as much as I could, I went to the home games. I still do in the offseason.
E-T: Which Florida school is Miami’s biggest rival?
Perez: FSU and Miami respect each other and we both hate Florida. That’s how it kind of goes.
E-T: So is college football your favorite sport to watch besides baseball?
Perez: Oh, yeah. September and Saturdays — I live for that. Just watching the games and (College) GameDay.
Mariano Rivera has vowed to return from his ACL injury. (Associated Press)
New York Yankees 42-year-old closer Mariano Rivera will miss the rest of this season with a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee, but he has vowed to return next year.
“I think he can pitch until he’s 50, honestly,” Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez said. “He’s still throwing 92 (mph). I think he’d be effective even at 88, 87 (mph) because he has such late movement and great control.”
Not many closers have long-term success. But Rivera has gotten better with age. So why would anyone doubt that he will return in 2013 and continue to be the best?
Here is statistical proof that Rivera, the all-time major league saves leader with 608, has gotten better with age: His highest single-season ERA from 2008-2011 was 1.91 in 2011. He posted an ERA of under 2.00 during every year from 2003-2011 except for 2007 (3.15).
Compare that to earlier in his career. From 1995-2002 he posted an ERA of more than 2.00 five times.
Rivera, who had a 2.16 ERA with five saves before his injury this season, also has remained incredibly healthy. He pitched in more than 60 regular-season games in 14 of his 16 seasons as a full-time reliever entering this year.
“It’s amazing just how healthy he has been,” Perez said. “Pitching, there’s a high risk of injury every time you go out there. You add that to the bullpen — getting up and down and not coming into the game maybe or throwing three days in a row — then add that on top of how much he has played in the postseason taking away from extra rest, and it’s just incredible.”
Rivera’s famous cutter has helped make him so successful. He has thrown it at an average speed of 92.2 mph since 2004, according to fangraphs.com. The pitched averaged out at 91.6 mph last year and 90.6 mph this season.
“He throws that cutter and it’s something that’s special for him,” Perez said. “Obviously a lot of pitchers have tried to throw it. None of theirs are as good as his.”
The more Rivera has relied on the cutter, the better he has pitched.
He threw it 47.5 percent of the time in 2004 and never threw it more than 73.2 percent in one season from 2004-2007, according to fangraphs.com.
He then threw it at least 82 percent of the time each season from 2008-2012, including 93.4 percent this season.
Bard’s thoughts on Rays
Daniel Bard says you have to pitch cautiously to three Tampa Bay hitters. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Red Sox starter Daniel Bard has an interesting take on the Tampa Bay Rays lineup.
On April 17, the day after Bard lost to the Rays 1-0, allowing just one earned run in 6.2 innings, he told The Eagle-Tribune: “There’s really three guys to me who can do a lot of damage in that lineup. They have more guys that can, but you really have (Evan) Longoria, (Carlos) Pena and (Ben) Zobrist — and (Luke) Scott if you make a mistake. To me, you pitch carefully to those guys and make sure you get the other guys out.”
Bard will start Wednesday but will miss the Rays when they are in Boston Friday-Sunday.
No interest in starting
Red Sox reliever Andrew Bailey never wants to be a starter. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Many relievers want to be converted into starting pitchers. Daniel Bard certainly expressed his desire in recent years.
Derek Lowe was a reliever his first four seasons in Boston before making the conversion. He would have preferred starting, he told The Eagle-Tribune last week weekend.
Red Sox reliever Andrew Bailey, who was cleared to start throwing again this week after having surgery on a torn UCL in his thumb in April, doesn’t want to start again.
“I love what I’m doing, man,” Bailey said. “I don’t have any desire to be a starter. I think being able to go out there and focus and use that adrenaline rush for one inning suits me well. As a little kid, you never really dream of being a reliever in the big leagues, but since I’ve done it I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Bailey was struggling as a starter in Double-A in 2008.
“They said my mentality fits well for the bullpen and so about halfway through the Double-A season, they had me make the transition,” he said.
Bailey would try to use the same aggressive approach he does as a reliever if he did ever start again.
“For me, if I made the transition now, I’d stay aggressive just like in the bullpen,” Bailey said in April. “That’s what I struggled with in Double-A — trying to be too fine. So if I was Bardo (Bard) I’d stay aggressive just as he was in the bullpen. He’s going to be good no matter what. He’s got ridiculous stuff.”
Odds and ends
Tim Lincecum's veocity has been down this season. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum, who won the Cy Young in 2008 and 2009, has a 2-3 record, 5.77 ERA and 1.557 WHIP this spring. His velocity has dropped significantly since 2008 when his fastball averaged 94.1 mph. This year, it’s dropped to 89.9 mph, according to fangraphs.com. …. Through Friday, Josh Hamilton led baseball with 18 home runs but hadn’t hit one in six games. … So far, the two-year, $26 million deal the Cardinals gave Carlos Beltran is looking good. Beltran entered Friday leading the NL in homers (13), second in RBIs (32), third in slugging (.642), fifth in OPS (1.046) and 10th in on-base percentage (.404). … Albert Pujols, who signed a 10-year, $254 million deal with the Angels, entered Friday’s game with three homers, 18 RBIs, a .214 batting average and .248 on-base percentage. … The Cubs couldn’t wait to trade Carlos Zambrano this past offseason. Now with the Marlins, the right-hander has a 1.88 ERA and has pitched seven or more innings in four of his seven starts.
Pawtucket Red Sox pitcher Alex Wilson was converted to reliever after his April 19 start. (Courtesy Pawtucket Red Sox/Jillian Souza)
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — The first time Alex Wilson attended a game at Fenway Park was during summer 2007. He went with his mother Ann Wilson, sat on the third-base side and didn’t talk much the first two innings.
“I was just kind of in awe,” Wilson said. “I remember my mom saying, ‘Hey, everything all right? You’re being awfully quiet.’”
Wilson had been playing for Falmouth of the Cape Cod League was on his way out of town to undergo Tommy John surgery when he attended that Orioles/Red Sox game.
And why not? Wilson had been a longtime Red Sox fan. His favorite player growing up was Nomar Garciaparra. He owned a Garciaparra jersey, received an autograph Garciaparra poster for his 15th birthday and even wore No. 5 in high school in honor of the Boston shortstop.
Flash forward five years. Wilson is a Red Sox minor league pitcher with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Wilson certainly has a better chance of being called up to Boston now that the front office has converted him from starter to reliever.
“I think I could make an impact,” Wilson said. “I’m just fighting for a chance.”
The 25-year-old 2009 second-round draft pick out of Texas A&M made his first 68 professional appearances as a starter, but was moved to reliever after his April 19 start this year.
The switch also indicates the Red Sox believe he can help the inconsistent bullpen this season.
The 6-foot, 215-pound right-hander has done well so far. Entering Friday, he had made eight relief appearances, going 3-0 in 11.2 innings with four runs (3.09 ERA) on 12 hits and five walks while striking out 14.
“(Being a reliever) actually plays well into my repertoire because I’m mainly a fastball, slider guy,” Wilson said. “I even was when I started (games). … I can throw fastball, slider to both righties and lefties and mix in a change-up when I need to. But for the most part, I’m sticking with the hard stuff.”
A Nomar fan
Wilson was born in Saudi Arabia, where his father Jim, a geologist, worked for Aramco.
“I did most of my childhood in Kingsport, Tenn.,” Wilson said. “I was there all through elementary and middle school and then I did all my high school in (Hurricane), West Virginia.”
So how did Wilson, a self-described “laid back country kid” who enjoys hunting and fishing become a Red Sox fan?
Well, he was a three-time all-state shortstop.
“Once (Nomar) kind of burst onto the scene (in 1997) I kind of just latched onto him and the Red Sox,” Wilson said.
Wilson didn’t have a TV package to watch Sox games. So he made sure he always tuned in for nationally televised contests.
“Or to see how Pedro (Martinez) was pitching,” Wilson said.
The Red Sox won the first game Wilson attended at Fenway.
“I remember sitting there being like, ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” said Wilson, who participated in a pre-draft workout at Fenway Park in 2008. “How many people were there and how the entire crowd was involved with the game — just kind of the whole aura of the stadium — it was just something I’ll never forget.”
Conversion to reliever
The Red Sox had talked with him during spring training about eventually moving to the pen. But the team also told him he was going to start this year.
“So when I was approached, it was pretty surprising to me,” Wilson said.
Wilson made 16 relief appearances in addition to eight starts during his final year at Texas A&M.
“I’ve kind of gone back to that and relied on that past experience,” he said. “Having the mental mind-set to come in every day ready to pitch — that’s the biggest adjustment.”
Wilson has learned quickly that there is no pacing yourself and wasting pitches as a reliever.
“You’re going right after guys,” he said. “For me, that works out really well.”
He is not dismissing a possible return to the rotation someday. But he is trying to settle into his new job right now.
Wilson said he is just waiting for his chance.
“Those guys (Sox relievers) have slowly turned it around and are starting to pitch a lot better,” he said.
FIVE ALEX WILSON FACTS:
1. He met his wife Kristin at Texas A&M, where she was on the dance team.
2. They still make their home in College Station.
3. Wilson spent his first two years at Winthrop (S.C.) University.
4. Wilson’s father Jim played quarterback at Hanover College in Indiana and tried out as a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals in the late 1970s.
