JetBlue Park - 2012 Spring Training

[VA Sox Fan]

I think everyone with access shares some blame, from the players themselves, who I'm sure inadvertently say too much from time to time, to the grounds crew, trainers, staff, etc, etc.

 

I forget who it was that suggested this sometime last year, but it makes a lot of sense. How much of this stuff that comes out when personnel leaves was kind of generally known to insiders? I can easily envision a scenario where the media sits on this stuff that nobody else has access to, and then when someone is on the way out, the gloves come off.

 

If I have to pick the most significant component to the nasty atmosphere that develops as someone finds themself walking through the exit to Fenway for the last time, I pick the Boston press. There's a long history of journalistic nastiness in the region.

 

I agree. It's not like it all just started with this ownership group. I was really bothered by how they threw Tito under the bus.

 

None of the former Red Sox who have left deserve it really.

[Beehive]

We have 2 tickets in Section 215 just beyond first base (three games available plus four tickets for the first college game on Saturday) which we'll sell for what we paid for them. Does anyone know where you will be able to sell tickets at the new park since there is only the highway outside the park?

Where will the scalpers from the old park be situated, just in case?

Hope you all get there....we got seasons tickets this year after a five year wait!

[ORS]

Some of it is too specific to have come from people with general access. There are numerous examples. The first one I remember were the stories regarding the confrontations with Nomar and the FO immediately prior to his trade. It seems that there were few witnesses to those conversations' date=' but it was written about in great detail. This organization has been very effective when it comes to plugging leaks about trades. People were basically put on notice that they would lose their jobs if the info leaked, and the leaks stopped. The personal character assassination has been allowed to go on without being curbed. The trade leaks were definitely coming from lower level organization people. If they could put a lid on that, they could put a lid on this stuff too. It's a question of organizational leadership. What is everyone else going to think when your owner is openly questioning and disagreeing with the last big FA signing by his former GM, while the player is still under contract? They are going to think it is okay to bash the guy who left.[/quote']

But the behavior is not unique to this ownership group. It would be one thing if this was a new trend, but it's not. The ownership has changed, the players have changed, lots of things have changed, but the media is pretty much the same. Yes, the media has changed some faces, but the tenor and tone of the media in any given region tends change much more slowly over time.

[a700hitter]

But the behavior is not unique to this ownership group. It would be one thing if this was a new trend' date=' but it's not. The ownership has changed, the players have changed, lots of things have changed, but the media is pretty much the same. Yes, the media has changed some faces, but the tenor and tone of the media in any given region tends change much more slowly over time.[/quote']The media has changed tremendously over the last 10 years. Ten years ago, a small group of print writers had a near monopoly on Red Sox news. They were much more in control than today. Back then they didn't wait for players to leave to rip them. Today, there is much more competition in the media with NESN and the internet, the Sox are a 24/7 media phenomenon. The monopoly of the print writers is a thing of the past. There is a ton of media and they are either competing with each other or under the control of the Sox as with NESN. I think they are easier to control now, because of all the competition, and they obviously toe the line while players and management are employed by the Sox. This is a courtesy not shown to players when I was growing up. The behavior by the press after a player or FO guy leaves clearly indicates that they have no fear of reprisal for negative stories after someone leaves. I think this happens because the Sox organization doesn't discourage it.

[Muggah]

Some of it is too specific to have come from people with general access. There are numerous examples. The first one I remember were the stories regarding the confrontations with Nomar and the FO immediately prior to his trade. It seems that there were few witnesses to those conversations' date=' but it was written about in great detail. This organization has been very effective when it comes to plugging leaks about trades. People were basically put on notice that they would lose their jobs if the info leaked, and the leaks stopped. The personal character assassination has been allowed to go on without being curbed. The trade leaks were definitely coming from lower level organization people. If they could put a lid on that, they could put a lid on this stuff too. It's a question of organizational leadership. What is everyone else going to think when your owner is openly questioning and disagreeing with the last big FA signing by his former GM, while the player is still under contract? They are going to think it is okay to bash the guy who left.[/quote']

 

A lot of it was Blunder, just as a lot it's been Lucchino over the years when it comes to leading the smear campaigns. But you have to remember, too, that unlike twenty-five years ago when for the most part it was simply the writers from the city's two newspapers who got the most exposure, like you've said, there are now literally dozens of writers vying for access---and a good deal of them work for the Sox. So when the Sox decide to run a smear campaign on a player, they have at their disposal any number of writers more than willing to do their dirty work.

 

Personally, I disagree with those calling out the media as *******s. IMO, they're far more courteous now than they once were. There are many stories in the past decade alone that would have been run years ago, but which have gone for the most part unreported by the press as a whole. I can think of four instances off-hand in which Sox related stories have been completely squashed. The real reasons for Keith Foulke's quick exit have never been published, neither was the Schilling/Damon wives story, or the story behind the Sox not bringing Orlando Cabrera back, Derek Lowe, Bronson Aroyo and Manny, there's a lot of them. For whatever reasons the press as a whole used discretion and kept all these matters private. And they deserve props for it. I think people should think twice before castigating the press at this point in time. They're using a lot more discretion than would have been used 20-30 years ago.

[a700hitter]

Iglesias has gained 10 pounds and cut down on his body fat. He launched two balls over the fence during batting practice today. "Just lucky," he said.

Valentine said, from a quick look, that Iglesias has better range than Rey Ordonez, the defensive whiz he managed with the Mets, but noted that he is no Ozzie Smith.

Comeback Carl Crawford took some more swings in the cage today.

I didn't know Crawford would be swinging so soon.

[Dojji]

I didn't know Crawford would be swinging so soon.

 

It's a good sign. I still think we'll be starting the season without a left fielder.

 

I'm crazy enough to advocate kicking the tires on Johnny Damon as a stopgap. I wouldn't expect him to finish the year with the team, but I'd see what he had in those first couple weeks, assuming no medical miracle marvels happen with Crawford, and then see where it goes. you rarely lose by adding talent to the team. Best case scenario he makes himself useful enough that it pushes Crawford to perform, and even could become trade bait at the deadline. Worst case scenario you've sunk maybe a few hundred K in a stopgap with ability, not the dumbest move you'll make in any given year.

[mvp 78]

He wouldn't come here via trade last year, why now?

[a700hitter]

He wouldn't come here via trade last year' date=' why now?[/quote']He might come this year, because no one else wants him, but we don't need a left-handed outfielder. Plus, Ben has no money to pay him.

[redsoxfan3]

$5.00 for a guided tour doesn't seem outrageous. At least it gives the people running the tours a job.

I am not saying it is outrageous. I am just saying I do not want to pay to do that. I have spent over $600 on spring training tickets as it is. I will just see the stadium then. The tour is not "in depth." You do not get to see the clubhouse or anything I am pretty sure. It is just a quick tour to let you see what it's like. My uncle works for Lee County, so after spring training is over I am going to get a free in depth look around the stadium.

[example1]

I didn't know Crawford would be swinging so soon.

 

That's funny, I thought from your quote that Valentine actually said that about Ozzie Smith. Obviously, he didn't.

 

Hard as he tried, he could not get a ball past Iglesias. The kid was showing off, too, flipping the ball backhanded to second base with his glove several times.

 

Valentine said, from a quick look, that Iglesias has better range than Rey Ordonez, the defensive whiz he managed with the Mets.

 

Better range than Ordonez? That's a nice place to start...

[SCM33]

It's a good sign. I still think we'll be starting the season without a left fielder.

 

I'm crazy enough to advocate kicking the tires on Johnny Damon as a stopgap. I wouldn't expect him to finish the year with the team, but I'd see what he had in those first couple weeks, assuming no medical miracle marvels happen with Crawford, and then see where it goes. you rarely lose by adding talent to the team. Best case scenario he makes himself useful enough that it pushes Crawford to perform, and even could become trade bait at the deadline. Worst case scenario you've sunk maybe a few hundred K in a stopgap with ability, not the dumbest move you'll make in any given year.

 

Damon vetoed a deal to come here during a playoff race. Instead, he rather finish out the year on a team that missed the playoffs.

 

He wants nothing to do with Boston. Everyone that meant something to him during his time here is gone minus Ortiz. He has no ties and no reason to come back. There is no loyalty for him here no more, that was gone the day he signed with the Yankees bc we told him he wasnt worth the money he wanted. We are just any other team to him.

[a700hitter]

That's funny, I thought from your quote that Valentine actually said that about Ozzie Smith. Obviously, he didn't.

 

 

 

Better range than Ordonez? That's a nice place to start...

The editors at the Boston Globe must have removed the reference to Ozzie.

[RicoP]

We have 2 tickets in Section 215 just beyond first base (three games available plus four tickets for the first college game on Saturday) which we'll sell for what we paid for them. Does anyone know where you will be able to sell tickets at the new park since there is only the highway outside the park?

Where will the scalpers from the old park be situated, just in case?

Hope you all get there....we got seasons tickets this year after a five year wait!

 

Check your personal messages. I might be interested in a couple tickets.

Thanks.

[BSN07]

He wouldn't come here via trade last year' date=' why now?[/quote']

 

Damon vetoed a deal to come here during a playoff race. Instead, he rather finish out the year on a team that missed the playoffs.

 

He wants nothing to do with Boston. Everyone that meant something to him during his time here is gone minus Ortiz. He has no ties and no reason to come back. There is no loyalty for him here no more, that was gone the day he signed with the Yankees bc we told him he wasnt worth the money he wanted. We are just any other team to him.

 

I believe he vetoed the trade because he was under the assumption his option was going to get picked up in Detroit. I remember reading an article saying that if he knew detroit wasn't going to bring him back he would have accepted the trade. As it stands he's LH, they have plenty of that. But I guess if Crawford is going to miss significant time it wouldn't be so bad.

[Muggah]

Heard Daniel Bard with D&C this morning from JetBlue. He's one of the most refreshing personalities on this club. I hope everything works out well for him.

[redsoxfan3]

Heard Daniel Bard with D&C this morning from JetBlue. He's one of the most refreshing personalities on this club. I hope everything works out well for him.

 

Same here. He seems to be very content with his role as a starter. I hope it works out for him and this team. He could be a key component in the rotation.

[VA Sox Fan]

I didn't know Crawford would be swinging so soon.

 

Me either. That's encouraging!

[a700hitter]

Same here. He seems to be very content with his role as a starter. I hope it works out for him and this team. He could be a key component in the rotation.

How he handles the starting role will make or break the season for the Sox IMO.

[BSN07]

Me either. That's encouraging!

 

Carl Crawford and swinging being in the same sentence can never be encouraging :joke:

 

But seems how the team is stuck with him, the healthier he is the better they will be. He still has a chance for me to like him Same can't be said for meatball Lackey. I'm counting down the days until he is gone lol Best off season move for this club is when he went under the knife

[VA Sox Fan]

Carl Crawford and swinging being in the same sentence can never be encouraging :joke:

 

But seems how the team is stuck with him, the healthier he is the better they will be. He still has a chance for me to like him Same can't be said for meatball Lackey. I'm counting down the days until he is gone lol Best off season move for this club is when he went under the knife

 

I like Crawford and hope/think this season will be different. Peter Abraham mentioned watching him talking to Valentine and how positive the exchange was. Abraham said that thinks BV is going to be good for Crawford. I hope so.

[NativeBostonian]

It's a good sign. I still think we'll be starting the season without a left fielder.

 

I'm crazy enough to advocate kicking the tires on Johnny Damon as a stopgap. I wouldn't expect him to finish the year with the team, but I'd see what he had in those first couple weeks, assuming no medical miracle marvels happen with Crawford, and then see where it goes. you rarely lose by adding talent to the team. Best case scenario he makes himself useful enough that it pushes Crawford to perform, and even could become trade bait at the deadline. Worst case scenario you've sunk maybe a few hundred K in a stopgap with ability, not the dumbest move you'll make in any given year.

 

That would be fun. Sign that ass hat, then at the middle of the season, when we don't need him let him go, again.

[a700hitter]

The harrowing tale of Bobby Jenks

Globe Staff February 23, 2012 09:28 AM

 

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks filled in some details about his medical issues this morning and it's quite a tale.

 

After recovering from a pulmonary embolism, Jenks traveled to Boston and had surgery on his spine on Dec. 12 at Massachusetts General Hospital. After recovering, he returned to his home in Arizona.

 

Then, on Dec. 30, Jenks had emergency surgery because of complications related to the first procedure.

 

"I don't know whose fault it was. But there was an error done inside," said Jenks, who landed on the disabled list twice last season because of back pain. "I had four bone spurs on my spine. We talked about taking the top two out. The third one was started and not finished. So basically there was a serrated edge that sliced me open in two different spots and I was leaking spinal fluid."

 

Jenks said the fluid pooled at the bottom of his incision and was constantly leaking. When he went to get it checked, he was rushed into surgery that day.

 

"It kind of blew up on me," he said. "It caused an infection to climb up that incision wound. So now I had an infection in my spine. It was a combination of everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.

 

"If I didn't have it done immediately, the infection could've gotten into my spinal fluid and up to my brain. Who knows what happens then? I could obviously not be here right now."

 

Jenks said he was in "excruciating" pain before the second surgery and going through it was "very, very painful." He described it as being far worse than any migraine headache.

 

Jenks now has a long red scar on the middle of his back, about seven inches long.

 

"My muscles were so torn open, I was basically laid up in bed and couldn't function," Jenks said.

 

Jenks does not know for sure if he will be able to pitch again this season. Signed to a two-year, $12 million deal before the 2011 season, he appeared in only 12 games last season. He has not tried to throw a ball since last year. His hope is to return to the team later in the season.

 

"It has been incredibly frustrating," he said.

 

As he went through this ordeal, Jenks has lost a lot of weight. He did not give a number, saying only that he lost "enough." But it appears to be 30 or 40 pounds, perhaps even more. He doesn't look like the same person.

 

Jenks was asked if he is considering legal action.

 

"That's why I got people," he said. "I let them worry about that. If there's something there I'll let them take care of it. My job is to get better. That's what I'm going to focus on."

I guess we have seen the last of him. The doctors really botched the job on him.

[Emmz]

Wow, holy crap that sounds absolutely awful. Wasted a lot of money for 12 games. A million bucks a game.

[Muggah]

I guess we have seen the last of him. The doctors really botched the job on him.

 

He may want to consider calling the offices of Dane M. Shulman.

[seabeachfred]

How he handles the starting role will make or break the season for the Sox IMO.

 

It's nice Ted to come on board in the morning and hear some real good news because it kind of helps set the day for us. I don't think Carl will be ready for Opening Day but the fact that he is taking swings is very encouraging, and, what's more, his EST could be moved up a week or two. I sure would like to see the Crawford pre-2011 perform for us this season, and as for Bard we should all wish him nothing but the best. He seems to be taking his spot in the rotation as both an opportunity and a challenge. It would be a real shot in the arm for us if he can move into that spot and perform big time for us He does have the stuff.

 

Fundamentals, Fundamentals and Fundamentals (in caps) should be the order of this ST. Needless to say this was not our strong point the past few seasons and concentration on that could bring some good tidings in some of the close games we'll be in this season. Now I hope there is more good news coming the next few days.

[jung]

Geez that is scary just hearing it. Serrated edges sawing away at him internally?

[seabeachfred]

That would be fun. Sign that ass hat' date=' then at the middle of the season, when we don't need him let him go, again.[/quote']

 

And a couple of my foils say I'm nasty and caustic towards some players...WOW!!!! You and BSN07 are killers this morning, he running down Crawford and you giving Damon the good kick in the ass. Truth be told, it is tempting to take a shot at Crawford for the lousy job he did last year, but I want him to do well in the worst way, and it isn't only by the fact that we're stuck with him. Let him give us what he gave the Rays in 2010 and suddenly we are at least 15-20% better in my opinion. As for Damon, I wonder what he would say if we did ink him for a year, maybe something like this:

 

"THIS IS A REAL DREAM COME TRUE BECAUSE I'M COMING HOME TO MY FAVORITE PLACE." Well maybe something like that, but you know what, if Carl isn't ready, it might not be that bad of an idea.

[redsoxfan3]

So here is an update from a personal perspective of Spring Training. I went to JetBlue today and watched practice and took a tour of the stadium (I caved in).

 

First I will start with the practice. I saw Bard, Bailey, Buchholz, Carlson, and Lester all pitch. Lester looked great when he pitched live batting practice. Buchholz is doing solid. Bailey is doing solid. Carlson looked decent. I must say that I am really impressed with Lester. His stuff looks great at this point in the Spring. I saw Lavarnway catching as well. Although it was just BP, he looked great and extremely comfortable catching for Buchholz and Bailey. I did not see Beckett at all. I got the chance to watch the team field some ground balls as well. Aviles, Punto, and Iglesias were all at short and looked pretty solid. We all know Iglesias is great defensively and he showed me that today. He has unbelievable range. Middlebrooks is really tall. He towers over Youkilis at 3B. They both did solid, although that is what we should expect with it being practice. Pedroia did solid as well. My fiancee got Youk's autograph after practice. He was actually pretty irritated with the fans today. Someone kept yelling his name to come over and sign autographs and he turned around and said something along the lines of "I sign autographs everyday. Just wait and I will sign." I can understand his frustration. The fans were yelling for him to sign autographs. He went to another area to sign instead of by the area the guy was yelling. Pedroia also signed autographs. Pedroia grabbed the hat in my fiancee's hand to sign it and then handed it back and headed for the clubhouse. I was really close to getting his autograph, even though I already have one of his. My fiancee also got Lester's autograph right as we were about to leave the practice fields. Lester is really humble and really polite.

 

As for the stadium. I ended up taking a tour of it in a group of about 40 or so. I got to go in the dugout, go on the field, look at the Green Monster in person, and go on top of the Green Monster and see the view from there. The Green Monster is unique because they have seats in the Green Monster and on top it. The seats inside it are blocked with a net. If the ball bounces off that net, then the ball is still in play. The Green Monster also has an actual scoreboard that is from the real Green Monster that was taken from the 2002 season. Another interesting note about the Green Monster at JetBlue is that it is 43 feet tall instead of 37. It is harder to hit a homerun at JetBlue because of the 6 feet added to it. The stadium has a real Florida feel to it, but it also has the same dimensions as Fenway. It is a really nice stadium and I was impressed with what I saw. I took 97 pictures total today. It was a great experience and I recommend that if you get the chance, then go check it out. I also checked my seats out for the games I am going to and I have great seats. I am sitting behind home plate in one of the games and right behind the Red Sox dugout in the other games. I also learned that the reason that we use the 3B dugout for games in Spring Training is due to the fact that it is a Grapefruit League requirement for all home teams to use the 3B dugout. The clubhouse is also located right behind the Green Monster wall. I thought that was interesting. I am excited for Spring Training to start. I cannot wait to watch a game at JetBlue.

[SoxSport]

I get the impression from this Buckley article in the Herald today that the SS job is Iglesias' to lose.

 

http://bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1406070&position=0

 

The comparisons with Ordonez and Ozzie Smith--and Aparicio, for those who remember--are compelling.