Main page
« March 24, 2006
March 28, 2006 »

Photo: The dust flies in Fort Myers

AP photo
Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Carl Crawford, right, and teammate Greg Norton, rear, take down Red Sox pitcher Julian Tavarez, center, after Tavarez fought Rays base runner Joey Gathright in the eighth inning of their spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., today. Both benches cleared after the incident.

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 6:08 PM | Permalink

Details on the Sox-Rays brawl

More from Journal sportswirter Sean McAdam on today's Red Sox-Devil Rays brawl:

Julian Tavarez had been having a rough inning, hitting Nick Green and coming up and in on Julio Lugo -- prompting Lugo to stare down Tavarez -- before Lugo singled to left.

Joey Gathright, the runner on second, took a wide turn at third and Lugo took a wide turn at first as the throw came to the plate. Catcher Ken Huckaby held the ball, attempting to bluff both runners back to their bases, and then threw to second in order to keep Lugo from advancing. As he did, Gathright broke for home.

Huckaby was away from the plate when he made the throw so Tavarez went home to cover. He was facing the right-field line when Gathright slid in, and Gathright's legs apparently got tangled with Tavarez'. Gathright stood up, and Tavarez swung and connected with a roundhouse right to the head.

Both benches emptied and -- unlike Sunday, when the only players upset were Josh Beckett and Ryan Howard -- tempers flared. Police officers assigned to the dugouts came on the field as the players pushed and pulled at each other. Gathright especially was attempting to get at Tavarez and he was eventually pulled away in a peace-keeping gesture by Jonathan Papelbon and Sox' hitting coach Ron Jackson.

When things settled in and players returned to their benches and their positions, the Devil Rays' Carl Crawford and one of his teammates began yelling at Tavarez again from the Tampa Bay dugout. That prompted the benches to empty again -- Adam Stern and first-base coach Bill Haselman led the Sox -- but no punches or shoves were exchanged.

Tavarez was ejected from the game. It is not known whether Gathright was also thrown out.

The Sox won, 12-11.

Posted by Art  at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Fists fly at Sox preseason tilt against Tampa

Continuing a string of ugly incidents at Red Sox spring-training games, newly acquired relief pitcher Julian Tavares today exchanged blows with outfielder Joey Gathright of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after a collision on a close play at home plate, Journal sportswriter Sean McAdam reports.

The Red Sox and Devil Rays are playing at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. Yesterday, the Red Sox nearly got into a scuffle with the Philadelphia Phillies after pitcher Josh Beckett took exception to perceived showboating by Phils slugger Ryan Howard.

The Red Sox and Devil Rays have a history of nastiness that goes back to the year 2000, when Tampa Bay's Gerald Williams charged the mound after being plunked by Pedro Martinez, touching off a bench-clearing brawl. Last year, a regular-season game in St. Petersburg degenerated into a beanball competition that resulted in six ejections and two bench-clearing incidents.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Coming soon: Red Sox scratch tickets

The Boston Red Sox and the Massachusetts state lottery announced today that $5 Red Sox scratch tickets will go on sale April 11, the date of the team's home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. The tickets will offer the possibility of cash and other prizes. The top prize will be a pair of season tickets for life. There will also be 10 $1-million awards.

Under the club's agreement with the state lottery and ticket producer Scientific Games, the Red Sox will receive no revenue from ticket sales, the proceeds of which support aid to Massachusetts cities and towns.

According to the Associated Press, the Red Sox are the first major league team to enter into such an agreement. Major League Baseball recently decided to allow the use of team logos on instant lottery tickets.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:40 PM | Permalink