With the start of spring training right around the corner, fans of the Boston Red Sox have plenty to look forward to this season. The Red Sox train at JetBlue Park at Fenway South located in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Note: All start times Eastern and all “Home” games take place in Ft. Myers.

Mar 3, Northeastern at Boston Red Sox (SS), 2:35 p.m.

Mar 3, Boston College at Boston Red Sox (SS), 7:05 p.m.

Mar 4, Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Mar 5, Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins (Ft. Myers, FL), 7:05 p.m.

Mar 6, Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Mar 7, Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays (Dunedin, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 8, Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals (Jupiter, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 9, Pittsburgh Pirates at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.

Mar 10, Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.

Mar 11, Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles (Sarasota, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 12, Miami Marlins at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Mar 13, Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (Tampa, FL), 7:05 p.m.

Mar 15, St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox, 2:35 p.m.

Mar 16, Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.

Mar 17, Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox (SS), 1:35 p.m.

Mar 17, Boston Red Sox (SS) at Baltimore Orioles (Sarasota, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 18, Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays (Pt. Charlotte, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 19, Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Mar 20, Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.

Mar 21, Boston Red Sox at Pittsburgh Pirates (Bradenton, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 22, New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.

Mar 23, Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles (Sarasota, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 24, Philadelphia Phillies at Boston Red Sox (SS), 1:35 p.m.

Mar 24, Boston Red Sox (SS) at Miami Marlins (Jupiter, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 25, Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays (Dunedin, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 26, Boston Red Sox at Philadelphia Phillies (Clearwater, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 27, Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Mar 29, Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Mar 30, Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins (Ft. Myers, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Mar 31, Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays (Pt. Charlotte, FL), 1:05 p.m.

Apr 1, Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Apr 2, Washington Nationals at Boston Red Sox, 1:35 p.m.

Apr 3, Boston Red Sox at Washington Nationals (Washington, D.C.), 6:05 p.m.

Sources:

All data provided by MLB.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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Read More: Greg Maddux (P – LOS), Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs

On Thursday and Friday, the Chicago Cubs brought in their first managerial candidate, Pete Mackanin (pronounced “ma KAN in”), the Philadelphia Phillies bench manager.

The Cubs, eschewing the typical interview process, will be putting all their managerial candidates through a CIA-like interview process which requires candidates to watch video of a Boston Red Sox game and answer questions as though they were managing the game. The grueling interview process is then followed by a small press conference, meant to give Theo Epstein and the Chicago Cubs execs a feel for the candidate’s ability to handle the press.

The interview schedule, according to CSN Chicago, will follow this general schedule:

Thursday, Friday: Pete Mackanin
The first of the Cubs interviews, Mackanin finished last Friday, describing the process as “comprehensive.” For more on the Mackanin interview, check out his post-interview press conference.

Monday, Tuesday: Dale Sveum
The Brewers hitting coach appears to be the top target for the Boston Red Sox, who interviewed him only days ago. Judging by the Mackanin interview, this interview may last until Tuesday.

Wednesday through Friday (expected): Mike Maddux, Sandy Alomar Jr.
The biggest name of the interview process and another co-candidate for the Red Sox job, famous Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux — brother of Greg Maddux — is expected to interview later in the week. He was originally slated to be interviewed earlier, but a case of laryngitis set him back.

Sandy Alomar Jr., who was widely expected to be a part of the interview process, will indeed recieve and interview sometime this week. Presumably, the Cubs will see Maddux first, then Alomar.

Following Week: DeMarlo Hale, Dave Martinez
CSN reports the Cubs will also give an interview to DeMarlo Hale, current coach for the Red Sox and a Chicago native. Hale was a lead candidate for the Toronto Blue Jays managerial opening last year and is reported to have a good rapport with Epstein.

Dave Martinez, the present bench manager for the Tampa Bay Rays, is also expected to interview at some point, but the Cubs have not officially named him as a candidate yet.

By Steve Slowinski

– Editor-in-Chief

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Aug 16, 2011 – The Tampa Bay Rays (64-55) are in Boston this week for a three-game series against the first-place Boston Red Sox (73-46). There’s a day-night doubleheader on the docket for today (Tuesday) and then a 1:35pm game on Wednesday.

For today’s doubleheader, I’ll be reporting live from Fenway Park. Follow along here for updates throughout the day, as I’ll be writing in-game updates periodically and posting full recaps.

The weather is overcast and cloudy in Boston at the moment, but the first game has started and the Rays have jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Desmond Jennings led off the game with a double to left, stole third base, and then scored on a groundout by Evan Longoria. Ben Zobrist also hit a deep double to left-center field, but he was stranded at second.

It doesn’t look like Jon Lester has his best stuff today, as he’s allowed a few hard hit balls already and just hit Sean Rodriguez on the knee with a pitch. Then again, James Shields allowed a few deep fly balls in the first inning, so while this looks like a pitcher’s duel on paper, let’s see how it works out. 

Read More: James Shields (P – TAM), Ben Zobrist (2B – TAM), Jon Lester (P – BOS), Sean Rodriguez (2B – TAM), Evan Longoria (3B – TAM), Desmond Jennings (LF – TAM), Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox

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(Sports Network) – The Boston Red Sox are back in Beantown and will play a
day-night doubleheader Tuesday versus the AL East-rival Tampa Bay Rays at
Fenway Park.

Boston has lost two straight and three of four games since a four-game winning
streak, and is even with the despised New York Yankees atop the division
standings. The Red Sox dropped two of three in Seattle over the weekend and
suffered a 5-3 loss on Sunday, as Tim Wakefield remained stuck on career win
No. 199, allowing five runs — four earned — in eight innings.

“I felt great. Obviously the results weren’t what I wanted them to be, but I
was able to go eight,” said Wakefield. “They made some great defensive plays
on our offense today. We squared up a lot of balls that were hit right at
guys, but other than that [Charlie] Furbush pitched pretty good.”

Kevin Youkilis returned from a two-game absence because of a sore back and
clubbed a two-run homer, while Jed Lowrie knocked in a run for the Red Sox,
who went 3-3 on a six-game trek against the Twins and Mariners.

Jon Lester will lead the Red Sox into the opener of today’s twinbill and has
lost back-to-back starts. In last Wednesday’s 5-2 loss at Minnesota, Lester
was reached for four runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 frames to fall to 11-6 in 22
starts this season with a 3.32 ERA. He is now 2-4 in his past six decisions.

Lester, a left-hander, lost to Tampa Bay on April 12 this season, when he
allowed all three runs in a 3-2 loss in seven innings of work. He is 9-4 with
a 3.81 ERA in 17 career starts against the Rays.

Drawing the assignment for Boston in the nightcap will be Erik Bedard. The
veteran southpaw will make his third start with the Red Sox since coming over
from Seattle and is 0-3 in his previous five starts. Bedard hasn’t recorded a
decision with his new club and was last in action during a 4-3 victory in the
Twin Cities last Tuesday, tossing five innings of two-run ball.

Bedard is 4-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 18 starts with both Seattle and Boston this
season, and will be out for a measure of revenge against a Tampa Bay squad
that beat him on July 29 this season. In that 8-0 win by the Rays, Bedard was
reached for five runs in just 1 1/3 innings. He is still 11-4 with a 3.41 ERA
in 22 career games (21 starts) against the Rays.

Tampa Bay was hoping to get back into the win column on Sunday in the Bronx,
but its finale of a three-game series against the New York Yankees was
postponed because of inclement weather.

The Rays had a five-game winning streak halted with Saturday’s 9-2 loss at
Yankee Stadium, as Jeremy Hellickson absorbed the loss for giving up four runs
and eight hits in 4 1/3 frames. Brandon Gomes and Cesar Ramos combined to
allow five runs in relief.

“It was the wrong team to not have your fastball command with you today,” Rays
manager Joe Maddon said of his starter.

Desmond Jennings homered and Ben Zobrist provided the other run for Tampa
Bay, which had won eight of 10 games prior to the loss.

James Shields will attempt to pitch the Rays back into the win column this
afternoon and is 11-9 with a 2.80 earned run average in 24 starts. He has won
two straight and three of four trips to the hill, including a 4-0 win over
Kansas City last Tuesday. He allowed six hits, struck out eight and walked
three for his fourth shutout and eighth complete game of 2011.

“I didn’t think I was going to get one complete game,” Shields said. “I hadn’t
had one since 2008, so I was just hoping for one this year. Fortunately, for
me, it’s been a lot. I’m really, really happy with the way I’ve pitched this
year and hopefully we can get a couple more here.”

Shields lost to Boston in a 9-5 decision on July 16 this season and was
reached for six runs and six hits in six innings. In 18 career starts against
the Red Sox, the right-hander is 6-10 with a 4.95 ERA.

The Rays will hand Jeff Niemann the ball in the second contest and he has won
three straight starts and six consecutive decisions. He last took the hill in
Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Royals and gave up only one run on nine hits and
two walks through 6 1/3 innings to improve to 7-4 in 15 starts to go along
with a 3.43 earned run average.

Niemann did not record a decision against the Red Sox in a 1-0 loss on July
17, when he threw eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball and struck out 10
batters. The righty is 2-2 with a 4.56 ERA in five career starts in this
series and 4-1 in seven starts as the guest this season.

Boston and Tampa Bay have split eight matchups this season.

The Sports Network

“It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s the Yankees, the Red Sox,” Shields said. “I go out there to pitch my game.”

Shields (11-9) has started 18 times against each AL East rival. He is 4-10 with a 4.25 ERA lifetime against the Yankees and is 6-10 with a 4.95 ERA against the Red Sox.

The game was called two hours before it was supposed to begin. Steady rain started in New York overnight and was forecast to continue all day.

No makeup date was announced. The Rays return to Yankee Stadium for three games Sept. 20-22, with the final date a rescheduled game from a rainout July 8.

A day-night doubleheader during one of those three days is likely. For the Rays, trying to catch the Red Sox and Yankees in the race for a playoff spot, that would mean a hectic last week — Tampa Bay would play New York in seven of its final 10 days.

“It makes September a little more crucial,” Shields said.

The Rays will skip Wade Davis, who was scheduled to start Tuesday afternoon in Boston. Shields will pitch in his place, with Jeff Niemann starting the night game and David Price working Wednesday afternoon.

“We don’t want to skip Price or Shields,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

Maddon is no fan of day-night doubleheaders. He also said the two straight days off weren’t overly welcome.

“I don’t need a doubleheader,” he said. “You don’t need all that extra time now.”

The Yankees plan to push their rotation back by a day. That means A.J. Burnett, winless in his last seven starts, will pitch Monday night in Kansas City. Rookie Ivan Nova will go Tuesday night, followed by Bartolo Colon.

Freddy Garcia was previously scheduled to start Sunday against Tampa Bay, but had been scratched earlier after he cut a finger in a kitchen accident.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he hoped Garcia would be able to start next weekend in Minnesota.

“I don’t think it’s that serious,” Girardi said.

NOTES: Ben Zobrist and some of the Rays took swings in the indoor batting cage, while a couple other Tampa Bay players threw on the field in the rain. Shields and Price watched the Little League playoffs on television and gushed over a great catch in the outfield. The Rays planned to take an afternoon train to Boston, a three-hour trip. “Never done it before,” Shields said. “Looking forward to it.” … Burnett is 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA since beating Milwaukee on June 29.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dustin Pedroia singled with two outs in the top of the 16th inning, snapping a scoreless tie and giving the Boston Red Sox a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday night.

Josh Beckett and five relievers combined to pitch a three-hitter for the Red Sox, who won for the eighth time in nine games, retaining a 1 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the AL East.

Pedroia lined a single to right field off Adam Russell (1-2), driving in Josh Reddick from third base. Reddick drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on Marco Scutaro’s infield hit.

Alfredo Aceves (5-1) pitched three scoreless innings for the win. Jonathan Papelbon worked the bottom of the 16th for his 21st save in 22 opportunities.

It was the longest 1-0 game in the major leagues since the Brewers at Angels on June 8, 2004 went 17 innings, according to STATS LLC. The longest 1-0 game ever was 24 innings between the Mets and Astros in 1968.

Both teams got outstanding performances from their starting pitchers, with Beckett allowing one hit — an infield single — and Tampa Bay’s Jeff Niemann limiting the Red Sox’s potent lineup to pair of singles through eight innings. They both also wasted opportunities to win it long before it ended after five hours 44 minutes — the longest by time in Rays franchise history.

Beckett limited the Rays to one hit in a 3-0 complete game shutout at Tropicana Field last month, and the all-star right-hander was equally tough on them this time.

Reid Brignac’s third-inning, infield single was Tampa Bay’s lone hit off Beckett on June 15. Evan Longoria’s grounder back to the mound bounced off the pitcher’s right foot with two outs in the first and was the only blemish on his pitching line Sunday as he struck out six and retired the last 22 batters he faced.

Niemann was almost as good while working a season-high eight innings, allowing a two-out single to Adrian Gonzalez in the first and Pedroia’s single down the left field line leading off the fourth. The 6-foot-9 right-hander walked Reddick with one out in the fifth and Scutaro with two outs in the eighth, fanned a career-high 10 and didn’t allow a runner past second base.

Pedroia finished with three of the Red Sox’s five hits. The rest of the team was 2-for-45.

Both teams wasted opportunities to win it in the ninth.

The Red Sox loaded the bases on Pedroia’s double and two walks before reliever Kyle Farnsworth escaped by getting Reddick to fly to centre field. Longoria flied to right, sending the game into extra innings after Boston’s Daniel Bard gave up a two-out single to Johnny Damon and walked Ben Zobrist in the bottom of the ninth.

Boston narrowly missed going ahead when Gonzalez lined a pitch toward the left field corner that tailed into foul territory in the 10th, then failed to score after loading the bases with no outs on three walks in the 11th. Jake McGee struck out Reddick and Cruz fanned Varitek and got Scutaro to foul out to get out of the inning.

Rays manager Joe Maddon and bench coach Dave Martinez were ejected by plate umpire Chad Fairchild during the 11th inning. Maddon was tossed during a pitching change, leaving Martinez to lead the Rays. Martinez was ejected after leaving the dugout to have words with Fairchild after Scutaro slammed his bat to the ground in frustration after popping up.

The bat bounded toward catcher Kelly Shoppach, but did not prevent him from making the catch.

The Red Sox improved to 12-2 since June 30, hiking the best record in the AL to 57-36. The third-place Rays have lost 9 of 15 to fall a season-high seven games off the pace in the division.

Beckett was scratched from the all-star game in Phoenix last Tuesday night after feeling soreness in his left knee while warming up in the bullpen. The right-hander pitched just five innings in his last start before the break against Baltimore after slightly hyperextending his knee on a wet mound at Fenway Park.

Since spending six weeks on the DL with a lower back strain, Niemann has turned his season around with four strong performances over five starts since his return on June 20 against Milwaukee. In six starts prior to going on the DL, he went 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA.

Notes: Boston manager Terry Francona said LF Carl Crawford (strained left hamstring) will be in the starting lineup for Monday night’s game at Baltimore. He finished a two-game rehab assignment at triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday. … Tampa Bay RF Matt Joyce was scratched from the starting lineup because of a sore knee. The first-time All-Star was injured when he fouled a ball off his right kneecap during the fifth inning Saturday. He pinch hit in the ninth against Bard and lined out. … Red Sox LHP Jon Lester (strained back muscle) is scheduled to rejoin the rotation a week from Tuesday and pitch against Kansas City. … David Ortiz had no news about his appeal of a four-game suspension stemming from Boston’s bench-clearing melee with Baltimore on July 8. The slugger thinks he could get an update Monday.