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Jonathan Papelbon can do his Irish jig on Broad Street.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday that the Philadelphia Phillies and Papelbon have agreed to a $50 million, four-year contract that’s the largest ever for a reliever.

Papelbon, who turns 30 on Nov. 23, had 219 saves over seven seasons with the Boston Red Sox, including 31 this year, when he made $12 million. The former Mississippi State standout will replace Ryan Madson, who also is a free agent.

B.J. Ryan’s $47 million, five-year contract with Toronto signed before the 2006 season had been the largest for a reliever.

Madson’s agent, Scott Boras, and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. were close to a $44 million, four-year deal Monday. But Amaro told Boras the following day that team president Dave Montgomery wouldn’t approve the deal.

The right-handed Papelbon, a four-time All-Star, helped the Red Sox to the 2004 and 2007 World Series titles. He donned a kilt and danced his trademark Irish jig at both championship celebrations.

Papelbon has converted 88.3 percent of his save opportunities to go with a 23-19 record and a 2.33 ERA in 396 career appearances.

Other developments

Pujols visits Marlins, receives offer: A surprising visit by star first baseman Albert Pujols is sending the message: The Miami Marlins will be a much different franchise than the Florida Marlins.

Pujols, who spent his first 11 seasons with St. Louis, began his free-agent tour Friday when he was courted in Miami by the Marlins, only hours before they officially changed their name during a ceremony at their new ballpark. Pujols had lunch with team officials, checked out the stadium and received a contract offer.

The notoriously thrifty franchise, suddenly in the mood for a spending spree, declined to disclose details of the proposal. Free agents Jose Reyes and left-hander Mark Buehrle also received offers after taking ballpark tours earlier this week.

Ramos found: Venezuelan police rescued Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos on Friday, two days after he was kidnapped, officials announced.

Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said on state television that Ramos was “safe and sound” and that he was rescued by police. He said the circumstances weren’t immediately clear.

Armed men seized Ramos at gunpoint Wednesday night outside his home in a working-class neighborhood in the city of Valencia. Authorities said Thursday that they had found a stolen SUV used by the kidnappers abandoned in a nearby town.

Security has increasingly become a concern for Venezuelan players and their families as a wave of kidnappings has hit the wealthy as well as the middle class.

Major League Baseball officials said it was the first kidnapping of a major leaguer that they could recall.

Cubs, Red Sox search for managers: Both the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox continued their interviews Friday for new managers.

Cleveland Indians first-base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. interviewed with the Cubs, who already have interviewed Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum and Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux as possible replacements for the fired Mike Quade.

Toronto first-base coach Torey Lovullo became the fourth to interview with Boston. Lovullo has managed in the minor leagues, including the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket, R.I.

Alomar, Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum and Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin have already been interviewed. Former Pirates and White Sox manager Gene Lamont is scheduled for today.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis, who has had hip problems off and on all season, returned to Boston and underwent an MRI on Friday, manager Terry Francona said.

Youkilis just returned Sept. 1 from a 15-day stint on the DL with a lower back strain. He has just five hits in 27 at-bats since his return, and was noticeably limping the past couple of nights, Francona said. The left hip has never fully healed since Youkilis first injured it with a slide during a game in Baltimore back in late April, but he has tried to play through the discomfort all season.

Youkilis got off to a slow start this season, batting just .218 in April, but had lifted his average to as high as .288 on July 16, with his on-base percentage (.410) and slugging percentage (.513) similar to his career norms (.394, .497). But in 32 games since then, Youkilis is batting just .192/.302/.358, and there is little question that his physical ailments have contributed to his slide.

“We were going to give him the day off, but he was really limping the last couple of days and his hip was bothering him, so we decided to get him back to Boston,” Francona said. “Hopefully, we’ll get some answers.”

Pitcher Erik Erik Bedard, whose start here Friday was skipped because of lingering soreness in his left knee, also went to Boston from Toronto and was diagnosed with a mild lat strain, Francona said, the manager asserting that Bedard strained the muscle while compensating for his knee in his last start. Bedard was scheduled to rejoin the team later Friday night.

Gordon Edes covers the Red Sox for ESPNBoston.com.

Follow Gordon Edes on Twitter: @GordonEdes

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(Sports Network) – One reason the Boston Red Sox are immune to prolonged slumps at the plate is because of the depth in their lineup. They showed that while Adrian Gonzalez went through his first rough patch in a Boston uniform.

While the rest of the Red Sox have been there to pick up their first baseman, the whole lineup will need to be at its sharpest on Friday night when the club returns home to begin a three-game series against Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park.

Boston is the top run-producing club in baseball and Gonzalez has been a big part of that. The prized offseason pickup is hitting .343 with 17 homers and 78 runs batted in over 95 games, but has just one homer this month and two in his past 26 games.

Gonzalez went 0-for-4 in Tuesday’s 6-2 setback at Baltimore, putting him in a 2-for-24 skid.

“I’m just getting ready late and not recognizing pitches and swinging at pitches I don’t normally swing at,” Gonzalez said after the defeat.

The All-Star first baseman did return to form in Wednesday’s finale with the Orioles, contributing four hits in a 4-0 victory. He failed to drive in a run for the seventh time in eight games, but Jacoby Ellsbury picked up the slack with his second career multi-homer game. The speedy outfielder has four homers since last Friday and has already surpassed his career-high total of nine set in 2008 with 15 this season.

“He kind of put us on his shoulders today,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Ellsbury. “He has a way of doing that from time to time.”

Dustin Pedroia had an infield single in the fifth inning to extend his career- high hitting streak to 18 games. He has also reached base in a personal-best 30 games in a row and is batting .367 over his hit streak with seven homers and 16 RBI.

While Gonzalez has a good chance of contributing to the offense in Friday’s opener given he is 9-for-30 in his career against Hernandez with a homer and four RBI, things are less certain for Ellsbury and Pedroia.

Boston’s second baseman and 2008 AL MVP has six hits in 22 career at-bats versus the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, while Ellsbury is just 2-for-14 when facing Hernandez.

Those three won’t be alone in facing Hernandez as designated hitter David Ortiz is eligible to return from his three-game suspension earned for his role in a July 8 melee versus Baltimore. He has one homer in 19 career at-bats versus Seattle’s ace.

While Boston is slated to throw its ace Josh Beckett in Saturday’s game, the Mariners will give the Red Sox the best they have to offer in Friday’s opener. Hernandez is an excellent 4-1 with a 2.87 earned run average in nine career starts versus the Red Sox, including a perfect 3-0 with a 1.49 ERA in five games at Fenway Park.

The right-hander got a no-decision in Boston on May 1 despite allowing two runs on six hits over seven innings with 10 strikeouts. The Red Sox won that game, 3-2, but it was the lone win over the M’s in that three-game set.

Hernandez (8-8, 3.26) is winless in his past four starts, going 0-2 in that span. The 25-year-old lost to the Rangers on Saturday, yielding four runs on nine hits and two homers. He has yielded four home runs over his drought, including the first leadoff long ball of his career last time out, but remains among the leaders in the AL with 146 strikeouts.

Boston enters this series ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East and winners in 14 of its past 17. It hopes John Lackey (7-8, 6.70) can continue that success as he comes in having won two straight starts since a personal three-game losing streak.

The righty got on track with 6 2/3 scoreless innings to beat the Orioles on July 9, then picked up a victory over the Rays on Saturday. Lackey allowed four runs — three earned — on 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven for a second straight start.

Lackey, who is pitching to a horrid 7.68 ERA in eight home starts, lost to the Mariners on April 30, but gave up only two runs over six innings. The 32-year- old long-time Angel is 13-10 with a 3.62 ERA versus the club lifetime.

He won’t exactly be facing a club playing its best baseball right now after the Mariners lost their 12th straight game on Thursday. The season-high losing streak is their longest since a 12-game slide in 2008.

Seattle failed to win a game in its three-game set with Toronto, losing the finale by a 7-5 margin. Miguel Olivo had tied the game for the M’s with a grand slam in the eighth inning, but the Blue Jays’ Rajai Davis came through with a two-out double in the home half of the inning that brought home two runs.

The Mariners have lost 16 of their last 20 overall.

The Sports Network

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– Regional Editor

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Jul 14, 2011 – Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has been suspended four games by Major League Baseball for his role in an altercation with Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kevin Gregg, who was also suspended four games, during a game between the two clubs last Friday. Here’s how it went down.

Ortiz had alleged that Gregg had tried to hit him during an eighth-inning at-bat, causing the benches to clear before cooler heads briefly prevailed. Then when Ortiz ultimately flied out on a 3-0 count in a 10-3 game, Gregg began yelling at Ortiz, and the DH charged the mound, fists flying, while players from both sides emptied the benches and bullpens to meet again along the first-base line. (via WEEI)

Ortiz’ suspension will begin on Friday when the Red Sox face the Tampa Bay Rays while Gregg’s suspension begins on Thursday night, barring appeals from either player.

In addition, Orioles reliever Mike Gonzalez was suspended three games after allegedly attempting to retaliate by throwing at Ortiz in their game last Sunday. O’s manager Buck Showalter was also suspended one game for the stunt.

John Lackey and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were both fined – Lackey for throwing at Derek Lee on Saturday and Saltalamacchia for participating in the Friday brawl.

For more Boston Red Sox coverage, visit our team page and blog, Over The Monster.

Read More: David Ortiz (DH – BOS), Kevin Gregg (P – BAL), Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox

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The Associated Press

Posted:

May 26, 2011 4:03 PM ET

Last Updated:

May 26, 2011 4:03 PM ET

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

By Stephen Summer
Epoch Times Staff
Created: May 21, 2011
Last Updated: May 21, 2011

Kevin Youkilis #20 and David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate after they scored against the Chicago Cubs on May 20, 2011 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts (Elsa/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox trounced the Chicago Cubs 15-5 in what might have been a historic Cubs’ return to Fenway Park.

Coming fresh off a win in Miami, the Chicago Cubs were somehow not able to pull it together as they commited four errors and walked six. In addition, the Red Sox’s Kevin Youkilis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia took two massive home runs off rookie reliever Scott Maine. In all, the Red Sox had a season-high 19 hits against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, of which Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits.

Other Cubs’ pitchers didn’t fare too well either. Starter Doug Davis (0-2) had eight hits and seven runs scored off him.

This was the Chicago Cubs’ first game in the historic Fenway Park in 93 years after the 1918 World Series. In that series, the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs in six games, with Babe Ruth as the winning pitcher for the Red Sox. And what ended up happening this Friday night was that the game dashed what might have been another memorable historic event—the winning of three consecutive games.

It was also revenge time for the Boston Red Sox, who lost two of three games to the Chicago Cubs the last time they met in Wrigley Field in 2005.

In the meantime, the Boston Red Sox have, with this game, won seven games in a row. Their first game ended in such a loss that it had their fans in panic.

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Updated: Friday, 01 Apr 2011, 12:15 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 01 Apr 2011, 12:15 AM EDT

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – The first two words of Josh Beckett’s post-game remarks said volumes.

“Results aside, I think I did some things we’d been working on and felt comfortable for the first time,” the Boston Red Sox right-hander said after Friday night’s 11-8 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Results aside – that is the slogan for these Red Sox, who have lost eight straight but look at spring training as preparation time and nothing more.

“I want to win at everything, be it checkers or spring training. But I think (keeping) perspective is huge here,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

“I don’t think Oscar Tejeda making an error will cost us a game in Texas.”

No, a seventh-inning error by a minor league second baseman won’t be a fact by next week, when the Red Sox open against the Rangers. But no one questions that the time when results will matter is coming into view.

No player is relying on the meaning of meaningless results more than Beckett, who is coming off an injury-plagued 2010 season and says he feels great.

But he is not pitching great. In six-plus innings, Beckett allowed seven runs and 11 hits, raising his spring ERA to 6.64.

“The results are not good. They stink, but there were some good things,” Beckett said.

“I have to take positives from this.”

Big innings have hurt him in recent starts. This time, it was a more consistent attack.

Beckett thought he made particular strides in working out of the stretch.

“I had plenty of practice at that,” he said.

“Two good things – he got really stretched out and he felt great,” Francona said.

“He made some mistakes. Some pitches wandered back over the plate, but when that happened, he also made some good pitches.

“You’re just glad he feels good and the runs don’t count.”

Beckett will have one more spring training start, against the Astros in Houston on Wednesday. After he left Friday’s game, lefty reliever Dennys Reyes didn’t steady his balance on the roster bubble.

On the last night before the Red Sox had to decide whether to keep him, Reyes was raked for three runs (two earned) on two hits with a walk in the seventh.

In an 0-4 spring, Beckett has allowed 27 hits and 19 runs (15 earned) in 20 1/3 innings.

Boston’s good signs Friday involved solid hitting up and down the lineup. The Red Sox had 17 hits.

Adrian Gonzalez hit the ball solidly and had two hits. So did David Ortiz, Carl Crawford, J.D. Drew and Jason Varitek

Jonathan Papelbon looked crisp in a one-hit, scoreless ninth with two strikeouts.

“He had good offspeed stuff, and even on the double, his fastball was down,” Francona said.

For Beckett, Friday’s start began ominously. Corey Patterson slammed his first pitch to the base of the wall in center – one of three leadoff doubles by the Jays in this game, all on first-pitch fastballs.

In the sixth, Adam Loewen broke a 4-4 tie in the sixth with monster home run. As the ball was disappearing into the palm trees behind the facade in right, Beckett’s hopes of escaping with a decent line vanished, too.

He said it was actually a good pitch, a two-seam fastball on the corner – but perhaps the wrong pitch for that situation.

Beckett came out for the seventh, threw one pitch and plunked Mike McCoy. After 91 pitches, he was done.

He said he will do “whatever (the team) wants” in Houston. Francona said he will taper off with a lower pitch count, as is standard for the last preseason start.

After he left, Reyes came in and turned the seventh into a four-run inning. Tejeda made it hard, committing one error and failing to turn a double play on another play.

There was nothing cheap about catcher J.C. Arencibia’s three-run home run, though. Reyes has been fighting for a one of the last two roster spots.

The left-hander’s opt-out clause says he can seek another team if the Red Sox don’t commit to him by Saturday.

Francona still had good words about Reyes.

“His ball has movement. The four-pitch walk he had was not something you want, but Arencibia hit a good pitch,” the manager said.

The game represented a reunion between the Red Sox and John Farrell, their pitching coach for four years before taking over as Toronto manager this season.

“Personally, he’s one of my best friends,” Francona said.

“During the season, you don’t get much chance to get together. But I know one thing – his team will be prepared.”

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Published: Friday, March 18, 2011, 8:33 PM     Updated: Friday, March 18, 2011, 9:08 PM

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Sitting at his locker after a homer-riddled start, Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield looked downcast but not defeated.

It was not a good day for Wakefield, who talks and acts as if he will be on the Opening Day roster, even as no such assurances have come from those who will make the decision.

“My mechanics were off. I was rushing to the plate,” the 44-year-old knuckleballer said Friday night after his three-inning outing against Tampa Bay.

He gave up six runs, seven hits and four home runs. If Wakefield is really on the roster bubble, this could not have helped.

He does not look at it that way. He said he feels better this year, knowing for sure his role will be in relief, even though he was a starter Friday.

His knuckleball has been better this March than in other spring trainings, he said.

“I knew what I was doing wrong (Friday), but I couldn’t correct it,” he said.

“I got two outs in the second, got out of the zone and left the ball up, and I couldn’t rebound.”

On Friday morning, manager Terry Francona would not say Wakefield was assured a spot on the team.

Being careful with roster speculation is Francona’s hallmark, and a prudent one at that. But when a 16-year veteran under contract does not get a thumbs-up, two weeks before the season opener, it is impossible to ignore the numbers crunch that could force the Red Sox to consider releasing Wakefield.

“We face some interesting decisions in the next couple of weeks,” Francona said in general terms.

Analyzing his start 11 hours later, Wakefield read nothing into its results beyond the fact he wished he’d have been better.

“I couldn’t believe Evan Longoria hit it out. He was way in front and kind of scooped it,” Wakefield said.

The other home runs came from Kelly Shoppach, Ben Zobrist and that old familiar face, Manny Ramirez. Wakefield had pitched a one-hit, scoreless first and was nearly out of the second before Shoppach started the home-run barrage.

Wakefield was not happy about it, but he gave no doomsday scenarios, nothing more than a resolve to get ready for his next outing, which will likely come in a minor-league game Thursday.

“I think I’ve thrown very well this spring, better than in a lot of other springs,” he said.

Besides, spring training results cannot be applied literally to the season, he said.

“I can’t tell you if I’ve had a good year after a good spring in the past,” Wakefield said.

To his credit, Wakefield did not throw his catcher under the bus. Minor leaguer Mark Wagner handled Wakefield’s knuckler, which he had never done except in throwing on the side, but the pitcher said he was fine.

The minor league venue, Wakefield’s next stop is a standard way for major leaguers to get work. But much as Wakefield sees his this as just another lead-up to a season with the Red Sox, his 17th in a remarkable career, there are no official guarantees of that.

On Friday morning, Francona was asked specifically about the status of Wakefield, a Red Soxer since 1995.

“I would never sit here and talk about (specific) players making the team. That would be awful,” Francona said.

“These guys have a stressful couple of weeks as it is. I’m not going to make it worse.”

Dispiriting as Wakefield’s performance was Friday night, his status is not in question because of Grapefruit League results. It’s about other numbers – roster numbers.

Jonathan Papelbon, Bobby Jenks, and Daniel Bard are on the team. Dan Wheeler seems sure, and so does Hideki Okajima, a lefty.

That would leave two bullpen spots. It’s not inconceivable that Boston could carry 13 pitchers, which would open another bullpen spot, since Jed Lowrie could serve as the backup corner infielder and middle infielder – jobs often filled by two men.

But the Sox have never carried 13 in other than brief emergency situations. Among other decisions, the Red Sox must decide whether to carry two left-handers, which is possible since many candidates have pitched well in spring.

They also have righties like Scott Atchison, who pitched pretty well last year, and Matt Albers, who is out of options.

And there is also Alfredo Aceves, a right-hander who, like Wakefield, could start or pitch relief.

It was the Wakefield-Aceves similiarity, in fact, that kicked off Thursday’s entire discussion about “interesting decisions” that loom.

Francona acknowledged that the choices are hard because so many candidates have done well.

“Nobody has separated themselves in a bad way. We have good depth,” he said.

He said the Red Sox often face difficult choices with the bullpen. But in other years, the final cuts have sometimes revolved around the better of mediocre options, as opposed to the choices of quality this year.

All of this leaves Wakefield in no-man’s land. He would rather start, and went through camp as a starter last year, only to wind up in the pen when Boston’s other five starters became healthy.

When Wakefield’s name has come up, Francona has clearly been reluctant to speak expansively. Earier this week, he deftly cut off an inquiry about Wakefield before it led to more.

“Tim knows his role on this team,” Francona said. But it is not so clear to outsiders, and perhaps even from within, what that is.

Francona’s admiration for the veteran’s work ethic, production and versatility is genuine and well-documented, which is why this must be so hard for all concerned. He has always maintained that it was Wakefield’s willingness to take a pounding in a 2004 ALCS Game 3 blowout that saved the Red Sox bullpen, making the historic comeback over the Yankees possible.

Wakefield has also served him well with a 2009 All-Star selection and a No. 3 ranking in victories among all-time Red Sox pitchers.

But the prospect of releasing Wakefield with a year left on his contract is real, and made more awkward by Wakefield’s conviction that he can still pitch.

The contract for $1.5 million this year is cab change by today’s baseball standards. The issue here is not money, but emotion, which usually gets shouldered out of the discussion at decision time.

If the Red Sox could get through 2011 with Wakefield, the contract would end and all sides could easily accept it’s over. They would give him a huge going-away celebration, a day in his honor and maybe more, and he would deserve all of it.

They might not be able to do it that way. The Red Sox don’t dispute that Wakefield can still pitch in the majors.

The issue is whether there is any room to do it on this roster – the only roster in baseball that interests Wakefield.

That is a very real issue these days. The pitcher is preparing for this season as he would any other, but his employer is faced with decisions that neither side wants to contemplate, but which one side must.

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Published: Friday, March 18, 2011, 3:02 PM     Updated: Friday, March 18, 2011, 3:34 PM

It was a struggle from the start, but Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz saw some good in that.

“You like to go through games where nobody gets past second base, but in the regular season, you’ll be seeing situations with second and third, less than two out. It’s good to go through those now,” Buchholz said after leaving in the fifth inning Friday against Detroit.

“I struggled with just about everything. I tried to make adjustments at the release point.

“Definitely not one of my best, but facing adversity with runners on, that’s always good (experience).”

For all his command issues, Buchholz allowed only one run in four-plus innings. He was also charged with two unearned runs in the fifth, when the Tigers scofed four unearned runs for a 5-1 lead.

They were the firsr runs allowed this spring by Buchholz, who has made four appearances with three starts for a total of 13 innings.

He threw 41 of his 76 pitches for strikes, walking two with one strikeout.

He would like to get up to about 90 pitches by the end of spring.

“Getting the release point down, and commanding your pitches, that’s number one in spring training. I have a couple of starts left to fix those things,” Buchholz said.

“I was jumping (in his delivery) a bit. Certain games, you’ll go through that.”

Buchholz was a bit wild in his bullpen warmup.

“Some of my best games came after I’d bee wild in the warmup, so you can’t take anything from that. I’s usually better by the second or third inning.”

That never really happened this time. Still, Buchholz was not that bad, only not up to the dazzling status that has become his expectation.

He will enter the season as the No. 3 starter. Last year, he was a conditional No. 5, fighting for a spot that seemed open only because Daisuke Matsuzaka was rehabbing from an injury.

He certainly does not look at his spot with disapproval, even though he has been widely considered Boston’s second best pitcher behind Jon Lester.

“Last year, I was No. 5 and I wound up facing CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander. It doesn’t really matter,” Buchholz said.

Buchholz was visited by pitching coach Curt Young at one point to see if he had a blister. He did not.

The Tigers lineup did not include former Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez, who played against Boston when the teams met at Lakeland Tuesday.

Down the road from City of Palms Park Friday, reliever Bobby Jenks also got in some work at the Red Sox minor league complex. Jenks pitched two scoreless innings against Tampa Bay’s Double A prospects, allowing two hits with two strikeouts and no walks..

Unscored upon this spring, Jenks threw 20 of his 26 pitches for strikes.

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Updated: Friday, 11 Mar 2011, 7:55 PM EST
Published : Friday, 11 Mar 2011, 7:55 PM EST

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Published: Friday, February 25, 2011, 11:05 PM     Updated: Friday, February 25, 2011, 11:14 PM

Since a few people asked, here is the Boston Red Sox 2011 springing training broadcast schedule:

Saturday, Feb. 26 — vs. Boston College at 1:05 p.m., WRKO radio
Saturday, Feb. 26 — vs. Northeastern at 6 p.m., WEEI radio
Sunday, Feb. 27 — at Twins at 7:05 p.m., WEEI
Monday, Feb. 28 — vs. Twins at 7:05 p.m, no broadcasts
Tuesday, March 1 — at Twins at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Wednesday, March 2 — vs. Braves at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Thursday, March 3 — vs. Phillies at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Friday, March 4 — at Yankees at 7:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WRKO
Saturday, March 5 — vs. Marlins (SS) at 1:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WEEI
Saturday, March 5 — at Orioles (SS) at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Sunday, March 6 — at Mets at 1:10 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV
Monday, March 7 — vs. Orioles at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Tuesday, March 8 — at Cardinals at 1:05 p.m. (SS), no broadcasts
Tuesday, March 8 — vs. Astros at 1:05 p.m. (SS), no broadcasts
Wednesday, March 9 — vs. Orioles at 7:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WRKO
Thursday, March 10 — at Rays at 1:05 p.m., MLB.TV
Friday, March 11 — at Astros at 1:05 p.m. (SS), no broadcasts
Friday, March 11 — at Twins at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Saturday, March 12 — vs. Marlins at 1:05 p.m. (SS), NESN, MLB.TV, WEEI
Sunday, March 13 — at Pirates at 1:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV
Monday, March 14 — vs. Yankees at 7:05 p.m., NESN, ESPN 2, MLB.TV, WRKO
Tuesday, March 15 — at Tigers at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Wednesday, March 16 — at Braves at 1:05 p.m., ESPN, MLB.TV
Thursday, March 17 — vs. Mets at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Friday, March 18 — vs. Tigers at 1:05 p.m. (SS), no broadcasts
Friday, March 18 — at Rays at 7:05 p.m. (SS), MLB.TV, WRKO
Saturday, March 19 — at Pirates at 1:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV
Sunday, March 20 — vs. Cardinals at 1:05 p.m., NESN. MLB.TV, WEEI
Monday, March 21 — at Phillies at 1:05 p.m., ESPN, MLB.TV
Tuesday, March 22 — at Rays at 7:05 p.m., WEEI
Thursday, March 24 — at Marlins at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Friday, March 25 — vs. Blue Jays at 7:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WRKO
Saturday, March 26 — vs. Twins at 7:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WEEI
Sunday, March 27 — at Orioles at 1:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WEEI
Monday, March 28 — at Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Tuesday, March 29 — vs. Rays at 1:05 p.m., no broadcasts
Wednesday, March 30 — at Astros at 8:05 p.m., NESN, MLB.TV, WEEI

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Posted: 12:00 AM

Extension by Boston brings agreement through 2014 season

BY KEVIN THOMAS Portland Press Herald

SOUTH PORTLAND — If it were up to Portland Sea Dogs president Charlie Eshbach, his team’s connection to the Boston Red Sox would have an eternal ring to it.

click image to enlarge

BACK IN PORTLAND: Boston Red Sox Outfielder Ryan Kalish is interviewed by Mark Antonellis during the Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner on Friday at the Marriott Hotel at Sable Oaks in South Portland. Kalish played part of last season with the Portland Sea Dogs.

Portland Press Herald photo by Gregory Rec

OPENING DAY

Who: Reading at Portland

When: 6 p.m. Thursday, April 7

Where: Hadlock Field, Portland

“Our intent is to be with them forever,” Eshbach said Friday afternoon, after announcing an extension of the two teams’ Player Development Agreement (PDA) for two more years, through the 2014 season.

PDAs can run no longer than four years, so 2014 is as far away as the two teams can officially stay committed to each other.

Although current sentiment favors a long-time union.

“They take care of our kids and they take care of our staff,” said Mike Hazen, Red Sox Director of Player Development, who arrived in town late Friday for the Sea Dogs’ annual Hot Stove Dinner at the Marriott Hotel at Sable Oaks.

“The (agreement) benefits the Red Sox and it benefits the Sea Dogs. It’s why this partnership has worked so well for so long already, and will probably continue to do so in the future.”

Although the Sea Dogs’ previous contract with Boston would run until 2012, the Portland franchise requested two more years.

“We asked them about extending it,” Eshbach said. “It just kind of sends the message that we’re here forever. And, apparently, the Red Sox are in favor of that message.”

Friday’s announcement was the equivalent of a coach getting an extension to a contract already in place. It was not necessary, but it does add to the coach’s security.

“It’s something the Sea Dogs really wanted,” Hazen said. “As strong as our relationship is, it’s something we wanted to do as well. We’ve made no issue about the fact that we’re not planning on going anywhere.

“If it’s important to them from a business and operational standpoint, then it’s important to us.”

Needless to say, the Sea Dogs are pleased.

“It’s a good thing for all of us to have that long-term certainty,” said Bill Burke, Sea Dogs chairman, and son of owner Dan Burke. “With the Red Sox, it’s usually just a question of when, not if.”

The Sea Dogs came into existence in 1994 as a Florida Marlins affiliate. In 2003, the Red Sox replaced the Marlins, moving its Double-A team from Trenton, N.J. to Portland. Boston’s new owner, John Henry, used to own the Florida Marlins.

But the Sea Dogs do have a rival franchise that covets the Red Sox. When Arthur Solomon bought the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2005, Solomon spoke publicly about obtaining the Red Sox affiliation.

Before Portland’s PDA with Boston expired in 2008, the Sea Dogs and Red Sox re-upped for four more years.

And now you can add two more years to that.

It may only be a coincidence, but when New Hampshire’s current PDA with the Toronto Blue Jays expires in 2012, the Red Sox will still be committed to Portland for two more years.

Since Portland affiliated with the Red Sox, Hadlock Field has undergone a series or renovations, including a Green Monster-like left field wall, a right field pavilion, and a new clubhouse to replace the antique one at next-door Portland Expo.

New Sea Dog manager Kevin Boles, who was also introduced at the Sea Dogs dinner Friday, noticed the clubhouse right away.

“You see the clubhouse and then you have the Monster there. You can just imagine (the stadium) filled with fans,” said Boles, who spent time at Hadlock Field back in 1997 as a bullpen catcher. Back then his father, John Boles, serves as the farm director for the Marlins.

Kevin Boles has been in Portland this past week, meeting with the Sea Dogs front office personnel.

“Getting to know them, this place is great,” Boles said. ” I just can’t wait to get started with these guys. It’s a great relationship. It just feels right, being in Portland.”

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Published: Friday, January 14, 2011, 5:32 PM     Updated: Friday, January 14, 2011, 8:25 PM

Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, Prince Fielder, AL MVP Josh Hamilton and major league home run champion Jose Bautista headed 119 players who filed for salary arbitration Friday.

All expect to get large raises, either in settlements or in cases that go to hearings next month.

Papelbon, who also can become a free agent after the season, made $9.35 million last year. He was 5-7 with a 3.90 ERA – two runs higher than in 2009 – striking out 76 in 67 innings.

Fielder made $11.25 million with the Milwaukee Brewers last year, when he hit .261 with 32 homers and 114 RBIs. He is eligible for free agency after next season.

Hamilton, not eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season, batted a major league-best .359 with 32 homers and 100 RBIs last year, continuing his resurgence following cocaine and alcohol addition. He missed much of the last month of the regular season because of broken ribs.

Bautista set a Toronto record with 54 home runs. The Blue Jays have not gone to a hearing since pitcher Bill Risley in 1997.

About half the players in arbitration are expected to settle by Tuesday, when players and their clubs swap proposed salaries. Only a handful typically take their cases to hearings.

Three players settled Friday before the filing: right-hander Matt Belisle and Colorado agreed at $2.35 million, reliever Joel Zumaya and Detroit agreed at $1.4 million, and outfielder Alex Gordon and Kansas City agreed at $1.4 million.

Among free agents, designated hitter Jim Thome stayed with the Minnesota Twins for a $3 million, one-year deal, and left-hander Jeff Francis and the Royals agreed to a one-year contract worth about $2 million.

“It’s great to be back,” the 40-year-old Thome said. “Minnesota’s a wonderful place.”

Thome hit .283 with 25 homers and 59 RBIs in only 276 at-bats last year while making $1.5 million on a one-year contract. This new deal includes performance bonuses for plate appearances. Thome ranks eighth with 589 homers.

“I don’t want to go into this season thinking this is my last year, because I think that’s unfair,” Thome said. “My plan is to possibly play two more years.”

Francis missed the 2009 season due to shoulder surgery and went 4-10 with a 5.00 ERA in 20 games. He sees parallels between the young Kansas City Royals this year and the pennant-winning Colorado Rockies he pitched for in 2007.

“I think they’re on similar paths that Colorado was five or six years ago,” Francis said. “So, I’ve seen it happen and I know it can be done. It’s certainly an exciting time for an organization.”

There is the quick update of the day.

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