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In between interviews

Feb 20th, 2007 by Rob Bradford

Wanted to run on over to computer just to let you know I am here. Also, someone mentioned Seth Mnookin’s site, which I forgot to single out. It is top-notch. As someone else said, there are tons and tons of sites. Maybe I’ll pick one per day and give it their due.

Some quick sights and sounds before heading back to get the story of the day:
- Talked to Wily Mo Pena. He’s in great spirit and as mammoth as ever. He said he is prioritizing his defense right from the get-go, as was evidenced by his work with DeMarlo Hale on the field today. He played exclusively in right field during winter ball, shelving the idea of working at first base. He said despite the change in success against lefty and righties compared to his time in the National League, he reported he didn’t notice a big change in how he was approached by pitchers last year.
- Coco Crisp seemed happy and healthy. His left pointer finger (the one he had surgery on last year) has a bump in it from some scar tissue, and stiffens up occasionally, but should cause no problems. He didn’t want to let on to his ailment during the season last year, he said, because it might give pitchers some sort of an advantage. “They would be saying, ‘This guy has nine fingers,’” he said.
- From Terry Francona: 1. Only players who aren’t here yet are David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and J.D. Drew. Alex Cora was just arriving. As for Manny, Francona said, “I know what his publicist (Julian Tavarez) said, but until I hear something it’s probably not correct to say something.” 2. Starting rotation all threw again, focusing more on off-speed pitches; 3. Catchers might leadoff during some spring training games to get them more at-bats; 4. Daisuke Matsuzaka’s legendary throwing routine (evidently, he once threw 300 pitches in a side session), will be harnessed by pitching coach John Farrell.

Also talked to Francona about fielding drill he did with pitchers, in which he lined soft baseballs at each as a competition. The team of Curt Schilling and Hideki Okajima stopped the most in their grouping. It begged a question I had of the manager: When did they stop playing Pepper? Francona said he didn’t know, but last remembered playing it as a coach in the minor leagues (early ’90’s).

Got to run, but will be back shortly. Keep questions coming …

Posted in Red Sox | Comments

  • //someone mentioned Seth Mnookin's site, which I forgot to single out. It is top-notch. As someone else said, there are tons and tons of sites. Maybe I'll pick one per day and give it their due.//


    No one had a problem with you promoting a single website, Rob. But for you to promote one that most fans equate with racism, anger and, basically, Red Sox hate, boggles the mind.

  • Jeesh! It's been that long since they stopped playing pepper! I'm old......

  • Anonymous

    You don't look like Fred Flinstone!

  • Tom, stuck in NY

    I'm hearing things on WEEI and on other sites about a trade for the Nationals Chad Cordero?
    Any word of that in sunny Florida?

    In you have heard anything, what are some of the names going to the Nationals from the Sox?

    If you haven't heard this, what would YOU be willing to give to get a proven closer on this roster.

    Keep up the good work, I have really enjoyed your blog!!

  • Anonymous

    Rob, two questions.
    1. The bullpen. What are the chances that the Red Sox do try the closer by committee plan again. I, for one, thought that circumstances and a lack of talent, not concept, prevented it from working the first time around. I think it might be worth another try.

    2. When do the old-timers arrive and what do they do. Specifically, I'm interested in Yaz. What's he up to these days?

  • Anonymous

    Also, I don't understand beazer's comment? Is he reffering to Mnookin? If so, not true, dude. Not true. Mnookin's stuff is great.

  • Anonymous

    beazer was refering to bostondirtdogs not Mnookin.

  • Anonymous

    Yup, got it now. I missed the replys to the previous post. BDD is supposed to be clever (although there is some debate as to whether it actually is.) Take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's trite. But it always beats the hell out of deadspin.com, which is just plain arrogant and self-important.

  • Anonymous

    BDD - three years - good, funny and had inside scoops
    ==

    BDD - now--> awful, owned by the Globe. No one at the Globe likes Silva, hateful and racist.



    remove it from your bookmarks.

  • //But it always beats the hell out of deadspin.com, which is just plain arrogant and self-important.//


    Steve Silva is a flat-out racist. Deadspin has its own problems, but it doesn't pretend to represent a fanbase the way BDD does.

  • Rob,


    Thanks for adding a great new blog to my RSS feed! I live out of town, and would rather read this than the Globe site. And thanks for the tip on Mnookin's blog.



    A couple of the good Sox blogs that I like are 'Over the Monster' (http://www.overthemonster.com/) and 'Firebrand if the AL' (http://mvn.com/mlb-redsox/). Both are great fan-based sites.



    And as long as we are on new media here, I will also throw out a couple of good podcasts. 'Corn, Gordon & Flanagan'(http://corngordon.mypodcasts.net/) has some great discussion (though only every 2 weeks), and 'The Original Red Sox Podcast' (http://redsoxpodcast.com/), a father & son team that has some more regular contributions.



    ANy other worthwhile podcasts out there?

  • btp

    Rob-
    is there a way to put direct links to your E-T articles? It's hard as hell to actually find your work on their website, and you seem to be the only journalist following the Sox that does any real work on a consistent basis.

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