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Photo: Greenwell throws out the first pitch at Fort Myers

AP photo / Charles Krupa

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Mannybeingmanny: A roundup of recent Ramirez news

Welcome back to the Mannybeingmanny sub-blog, in which we provide a roundup of news concerning the Red Sox' superb and enigmatic left fielder. Manny may be a bit player in some of the items, or he might be the star. But in either case, he's always being Manny.

As Joe McDonald reported here last week, Ramirez had a special gift last week for second baseman Dustin Pedroia, congratulating Pedroia for winning last year's American League Rookie of the Year award: He presented Pedroia a Rolex watch.

Ramirez's name is one of 40,000 added to Massachusetts' list of abandoned property. Ramirez apparently has $10,000 in a dormant bank account.

ESPN.com's Gene Wojciechowski has a feature about Gregg Forwerck, whom Wojciechowski calls the Annie Leibovitz of sports trading card photographers. One of Forwerck's strangest works, apparently, is a Bowman rookie card of Ramirez, who is seen sporting a striped shirt and posing in front of the chapel at Duke University (Ramirez was in Durham with Cleveland's farm team to play a Triple A game).

According to Jeff Horrigan of The Boston Herald, one of the more intriguing sights of the Red Sox clubhouse recently was Ramirez reading the self-motivational book The Secret with a highlighter in hand.

This one will make you cringe. AP writer Gregg Bell has a feature on Seattle Mariners infielders Yuniesky Betancourt and Adrian Beltre, who tempt fate by declining to wear protective cups on the field. Beltre does this despite knowing the story of Josias Manzanillo, an unfortunate relief pitcher who was not wearing a protective cup in 1997 when he found himself on the receiving end of a low liner from Ramirez.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:00 PM to Projo Mannybeingmanny | Permalink

Photos from Fort Myers

AP photo / Charles Krupa
Injured Josh Beckett watches his teammates.

Julio Lugo and Manny Ramirez

Terry Francona and Mike Lowell

Hideki Okajima

Daisuke Matsuzaka

Manny Ramirez

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:43 PM | Permalink

Greenwell: Clemens belongs in Hall of Fame

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Mike Greenwell says former teammate Roger Clemens "deserves to be in the Hall of Fame" but admits that the current performance-enhancing drug scandal "does cast a shadow of doubt" over Clemens' career.

Greenwell, recently elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame, is at City of Palms Park today, where he will throw out the first pitch before the Sox' exhibition game against the Mets. He's had little contact with the Sox since his contentious departure from the team in 1996, but the ownership team has been attempting to mend fences with player who were estranged from the organization due to problems with the previous administration.

"It's good to be back in the family," said Greenwell.

Greenwell was questioned extensively about Clemens, whose tenure with the Sox (1984-96) almost completely paralleled Greenwell's (1985-96).

"He was the hardest worker I've ever seen," marveled Greenwell. "He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. People like (Jose) Canseco, (Mark) McGwire, (Sammy) Sosa, they all deserve to be in because of their numbers."

Greenwell said he "never saw anything" that would lead him to believe Clemens used steroids or human-growth hormones while he was with Boston. The allegations of PED use that have been made against Clemens all stem from his post-Red Sox days.

Greenwell said the use of steroids was gaining a foothold in baseball during the latter days of his career, but he resisted the temptation.

"I never did it," he said. "I thought about it. But my wife is a nurse, and she would have killed me."

Greenwell blamed his acrimonious department on former general manager Dan Duquette, whom he says "ruined the organization . . . and I'd say that to his face."

Posted by Art Martone  at 12:32 PM | Permalink

Today's notes from Fort Myers: Beckett feeling better today

This just in from Joe McDonald in Fort Myers, Fla., who is dealing with some computer problems today:

-Josh Beckett said he was feeling much better today. Manager Terry Francona acknowledged that Beckett was doing better, but said the team still plans on taking it slow for precautionary reasons; there was no date given for Beckett's return to baseball activities.

Francona said that Beckett is "more comfortable" today. When asked about the right-hander making the trip to Japan next week, the manager said that's still premature to make a judgment at this point.

-Julio Lugo (lower back) said this morning that he's feeling much better. He was scheduled to hit in the batting cage and play catch this morning. Coco Crisp (groin) still is not ready to get on the field, but francona feels that he may be able to return to baseball activies soon.

-Second baseman Dustin Pedroia is sick with the flu. Francona told him to take today off, but the second baseman was here this morning, walking around the clubhouse drinking Pedialyte.

-Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is not in the lineup for today's exhibition game against the Mets. Francona said that Papi is continuing to strengthen his legs, and will work on conditioning today. Ortiz had offseason knee surgery and has shown no ill effects this spring.

-Today is the scheduled day for Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez to throw, but he did not make the three-hour trip from Port St. Lucie to Fort Myers.

The Red Sox lineup for today's game:

Jacoby Ellsbury, cf
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
J.D. Drew, rf
Manny Ramirez, lf
Mike Lowell, 3b
Sean Casey, dh
Jed Lowrie, ss
Doug Mirabelli, c
Joe Thurston, 2b
Tim Wakefield, p

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:40 AM | Permalink

Baseball Today: Tuesday, March 11

AP Photo

SURVIVOR TO SAVIOR? That was the headline Joe McDonald composed over his blog entry on Jon Lester yesterday and it told the story so well that we used it in the newspaper today. With the news on Josh Beckett not good -- "I was a lot more optimistic (Sunday) than I (was Monday),'' said Beckett (Boston Globe) -- the Sox are suddenly in the market for an Opening Day starter. Lester staked his claim for the job with a superb four-inning, two-hit, one-walk, five-strikeout showing at Port St. Lucie in a 1-1, 10-inning tie with the Mets. That he did it against Johan Santana, the ace for whom he was almost traded over the winter (projo.com), provided some sort of symbolism, though I can't say I know what, exactly. With Daisuke Matsuzaka also uncertain for the Japan trip because his wife is about to give birth, the Herald's Steve Buckley writes that a one-two Tokyo duo of Lester and Tim Wakefield (or Wakefield and Lester) is Plan C.

THAT'S NOT ALL, PART ONE: Lester wasn't the only Sox pitcher to fare well yesterday. McDonald notes Hideki Okajima turned in two solid innings.

THAT'S NOT ALL, PART TWO: And Beckett isn't the only injured Sox. McDonald reports on the health status of Julio Lugo and Coco Crisp.

YES, IT'S TRUE: This is confirmation that Dan Shaughnessy's report on the destruction of Joe McDonald's computer is accurate. ("I didn't even get the ball," said McDonald.) We're working to get it fixed in time for today's game.

DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW: While the Sox fixated on Lester's strong performance, the Mets were joyous about Johan Santana. (New York Post)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Nothing really new in this SI.com profile of Jacoby Ellsbury, but it's noteworthy in that Ellsbury continues to draw national attention. Meanwhile, the Miami Herald lists Ellsbury among 10 athletes ''most likely to become cultural touchstones over the next decade''.

DETAILS, DETAILS: Old friend Steve Silva says everything is just peachy with the Sox except for the complete lack of pitching and hitting. (Boston Dirt Dogs)

UH OH: Medical News Today reports that only ''45 percent of baseball players were able to return to the game at the same or higher level after shoulder or elbow surgery.''

NOT SO MAHVELOUS: The news that Billy Crystal would play in an exhibition game for the Yankees (New York Daily News) was reported thusly by the New York Post's George King: ''On the night the Yankees and commissioner Bud Selig made a farce out of the game by signing all-time foof Billy Crystal to a ludicrous one-day contract and foolishly announcing he will play in an exhibition game Thursday, the club found time to watch two-thirds of Generation Trey pitch last night against the Reds at Legends Field. Perhaps Crystal, a legendary jock sniffer, will stop by Joba Chamberlain's and Ian Kennedy's locker to hang out. More likely, he will tie up the massage table, something he has done in past visits to Legends Field , an act that ticked off the real players.''

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES: Alex Rodriguez couldn't have been more upbeat -- about being with the Yankees, his relationship with Derek Jeter, you name it -- in his appearance on Mike And The Mad Dog. (Newsday)

NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT: Joba Chamberlain was back on track yesterday against the Reds. (New York Daily News)

SURPRISE! When asked which veteran Yankees helped him out when he first joined the team, Mariano Rivera praised Steve Howe. (New York Times)

THE BLUEPRINT: A Super Bowl championship moved Tom Coughlin from the firing line to Easy Street. The New York Post's Joel Sherman says Willie Randolph should take heed.

HEART HEALTHY: The Cubs' Mark DeRosa tells yahoo.com's Jeff Passan the story of his irregular heartbeats, and how the surgical procedure performed recently makes a recurrence unlikely.

'I REALIZE VERY WELL THAT I COULD REGRESS TO THE MEAN': While we can't imagine those words coming out of the mouths of Ducky Medwick or Hill Billy Bildilli, that's a direct quote from the Royals' Brian Bannister, who's a student of sabermetrics. (yahoo.com)

REGRESS TO . . .WHA'? THE MEAN? HAH? Dusty Baker continues to make the stat geeks' heads explode as he tells Adam Dunn and Joey Votto to stop taking pitches and be more aggressive. (Cincinnati Enquirer) At the other end of the spectrum, the Twins' Denard Span may be winning the center-field job by developing more plate discipline. (St. Paul Pioneer Press) Meanwhile, Joe Posnanski, as only he can, points out that "there are NO stats more convoluted and manufactured than the basic statistics that baseball has been built around for more than 100 years.''

SIGN OF SPRING: Old pal Alan Embree has a 15.75 ERA, but says he's not worried. ''In the regular season, I have a different game plan,'' said the A's reliever. (San Francisco Chronicle) My question: Does a pitcher with a 15.75 exhibition ERA ever admit to being worried?

OH, SHADDUP: Twins manager Ron Gardenhire isn't a fan of the new practice of having managers and players talk to radio and TV broadcasters during games. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

VOICES OF EXPERIENCE: John McLaren, who spent a season on the Red Sox' coaching staff in the 1990s, felt like "I had to earn my respect every day" during his many years as a coach because he never played in the big leagues. So when he got the Mariners' managing job, he loaded his own coaching staff with men who have tons of major-league playing and managing experience. (Foxsports.com)

NOW HERE'S WHERE SPYGATE COULD COME IN HANDY: On his Mets Blog, Matthew Cerrone notes that Mike Pelfrey may have been tipping his pitches last year and asks why the team the pitcher plays for is the last to find out.

LOCAL BOY: Pawtucket's Chris Iannetta wants to stick in the big leagues with the Rockies, and he hopes the team feels the same way. (Denver Post)

HERE AND THERE: Randy Johnson was pleased with his first spring outing, even though he allowed a three-run homer to the aforementioned Iannetta (Arizona Republic) . . . FoxSports.com's blind item that the Dodgers are interested in Esteban German is news to German's current employer, the Royals. (Kansas City Star) Or so they say . . . John Lackey thinks he might be able to make his Opening Day start, after all (Los Angeles Times) . . . The Orioles and Angels are interested in Rockies infielder Clint Barmes (Denver Post) . . . The Rangers will be without Brandon McCarthy, who has a strained forearm muscle, for four to six weeks (Dallas Morning News) . . . B.J. Ryan will pitch in a 'B' game today, his first action since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year (mlb.com) . . . The Phillies are optimistic about Brad Lidge's return after watching him throw on Monday (Philadelphia Daily News) . . . A happy Noah Lowry is eyeing a mid-April return to the Giants' rotation (AP via projo.com) . . . Kris Benson has been a surprise in the Phillies' camp. (Philadelphia Daily News)

OLD FRIENDS: Nomar Garciaparra, who still has swelling in his right wrist after being hit by a pitch last Friday, won't accompany the Dodgers to China for their exhibition series (mlb.com) . . . The recuperating Mike Maroth pitched a 'B' game Sunday and is about to rejoin the Royals' exhibition rotation. (mlb.com)

AND FINALLY . . . Best wishes to our many friends at The Score, whose 10 1/2-year run as Rhode Island's only all-local sports talk radio show came to an end yesterday. Good luck to one and all; click here for producer John Crowe's classy and upbeat goodbye.

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 6:33 AM | Permalink