Pedroia Held Back, But Loadbearing Bone Healed

After months in a fiberglass cast and a grueling rehabilitation, the navicular bone in Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia's left foot has been reported as healed, but his activities will be limited during the opening days of spring camp and perhaps beyond.

Not only will Pedroia miss a cardio vascular conditioning test next week, he will be held back from full baseball activities at least for awhile, and will wear a protective shield over his shoe to help prevent him from reinjuring himself, according to team reports.

"The last three weeks I've felt great," Pedroia told The Boston Globe at Fort Myers, Fla.

Though Pedroia won't participate in distance running, he has been sprinting on the basepaths and fielding grounders and throwing. He is also taking batting practice.

Pedroia missed the last third of last season after breaking his navicular bone -- the main loadbearing support for his left leg. Doctors immobilized the fracture with a cast and steel pin, allowing the bone to heal for about three months. Theoretically, the mend leaves the bone stronger than before Pedroia broke it.

"There's not going to be any setbacks," Pedroia said before an intimate gathering of print reporters.

Nomar Garciaparra Buys Red Sox Clubhouse Pass

Former Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra -- now in his current reconfiguration as an ESPN baseball reporter -- has bought himself a new pass to his old team's clubhouse with his tearful reconciliation with Theo Epstein, John Henry, and Larry Lucchino.

Here is the formerly vaunted superstar sitting elbow-to-elbow with the aforementioned suits, all smiles and bouquets as if all his notorious past transgressions have been forgotten and absolved, as if nobody remembers that it was his banishment to the Cubs five years ago -- like the excision of a cancerous tumor -- that so revitalized the then struggling BoSox that they were enabled to come back from the dead to reach the World Series.

Say what you will about those old, unsubstantiated inferences that his body broke down due to the effects of performance enhancing substances, or that he had exaggerated his alleged inabilities to play due to injury and laid down on the job at the critical moment when he was most needed during the 2004 drive toward World Series immortality.

Those in the know fully understand that the heart of the matter was actually Nomar's mercenary position in a proposed $60 million, four-year contract extension negotiation. The team's intransigence had left him bitter and recriminatingly resentful of what he perceived as a lack of appreciation for his previous stellar accomplishments -- accomplishments, by the way, of which he was no longer capable and which failed the acid test in the harsh light of good, old-fashioned New England good sense and frugality.

Though Garciaparra's tarnished relationships with writers have left a cloud over his chance of ever reaching Cooperstown, his Hall of Fame hat logo none-the-less remains at stake, so team has once again clutched him to its bosom and allowed him walk among the players' lockers with the rest of the reporters without seeming to be the interloper that he would be otherwise.

It's a pity that everyone has such a short memory. Rather than appearing with Garciaparra in a scene vaguely reminiscent of John Voigt's love scene in the motion picture "Deliverance," Epstein, Henry and Luccino might better have asked: "Nomar, what have you done for us lately?"

J.D. Drew Mindful of Red Sox Cancellation Clause?

It's not often remembered, but hidden in the fine print of J.D. Drew's $70 million, five-year contract is a stipulation that the Red Sox can release the 34-year-old outfielder if it is determined that his abilities have been significantly impaired as the result of shoulder injuries sustained before he came to Boston.

Having reached a personal, Red Sox high of 24 homers while batting .279 in 137 games last year, Drew so far has had little reason to fear that he will lose his job. Perhaps mindful, however, that baseball careers can end in an instant, Drew is taking no chances.

Drew began pre-season conditioning last month after being shut down for yet another shoulder surgery in October, this one to remove bone spurs so aggravating that he was unable to play last season without being treated with two cortisone injections.

"I had...days when it was a lot worse than others," Drew recently told The Boston Globe's Amalie Benjamin. "The worst part of it was the batting cage and...repetition of swinging the bat. (It) kind of got it aggravated."

Even though the condition worsened as the season wore on, he hit .355 with 12 homers and 30 RBI in the second half of the season, not counting an 0-22 streak immediately after the All-Star game. With that kind of potential, the Red Sox won't begrudge a little downtime for him, if that's what it takes to keep him healthy.

It's a much better alternative than voiding his contract.

Clay Buchholz to Fight for Red Sox Rotation Spot

Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz -- seen by some insiders as a candidate for the bullpen due his team's signing of former Angel ace John Lackey -- has vowed to fight for a rotation spot, even if it pits him against veteran Tim Wakefield.

"I don't want to be over confident that I have a spot," the 25-year-old Buchholz told the Boston Herald. "...Knowing that 'Wake' is back to normal and is going to be here for two more years, he's been here a lot longer than I have. I'm sure he's got seniority on that spot, but I'm going to do what I can to be one of the five guys and go from there if it doesn't happen."

At the same time Wakefield, 44, has expressed frustration at the prospect of having once again to prove himself worthy of being a starter now with Lackey, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka holding down the first four spots in the rotation.

Buchholz was called up from Tripe A Pawtucket when Wakefield went down with an injury last year, and went on to notch a 7-4 record with a 4.21 ERA.

General Manager Theo Epstein told the newspaper that he has remained noncommittal about who will win the No. 5 spot, warning that it is too soon to tell who will be healthy when the season begins.

Medics Cast Shadow on Mike Lowell's Career

Little wonder that the Texas Rangers backed out on the acquisition of Boston third baseman Mike Lowell, considering that a medical examination sends a fairly clear signal that not only will he need surgery but that his career is questionable.

The Red Sox can spin the story as favorably as they want, with the prediction that Lowell will be ready for Spring, but the Rangers doctors know better.

Surgical repair of the ulnar collateral ligament in Lowell's right thumb is among the most difficult surgeries for athletes, particularly baseball players. The key problem is that the ligament is isolated, it is almost the sole manipulative link to the brain, and yet is intricately tiny. Merely maintaining blood flow to the ligament during surgery is a challenge, as a drop in blood pressure can rapidly bring on necropathy.

Though Lowell can look forward to a normal and happy and more or less totally functional use of this thumb for the rest of his life as a private citizen, the question of swinging a bat is another consideration altogether. At least Lowell can take satisfaction from the fact that it's his right ligament; for the left could be even more problematic.

Red Sox Petitioned to Promote Clay Buchholz

Following a recent outing in which Red Sox pitching prospect Clay Buchholz retired the first 24 batters he faced en route to a 3-0 record on the year for Triple-A Pawtucket, MLBNewsOnline.com has launched a petition drive to urge the Boston front office to promote Buchholz to the Red Sox rotation.

Though major league teams have never demonstrated a willingness to respond to petition drives, the influence of fans cannot be entirely disregarded. And as Buchholz is demonstrably superior to Dice K and Brad Penny, and already has a major-league no-hitter to his credit, the petitioners are hopeful that they can have some bearing on the potential for Buchholz's promotion.

The petition can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com/online/28205.html.

Curt Schilling's Retirement Comes as Anticlimax

Confirming an MLBnewsonline exclusive report from nearly a year ago, former Red Sox ace Curt Schilling finally was forced to admit he would be unable to pitch again, and announced his retirement via internet.

"...The things I was allowed to experience, the people I was able to call friends, teammates, mentors, coaches and opponents, the travel, all of it, are far more than anything I ever thought possible in my lifetime," Schillihg said in his blog: "43 Pitches."

Though some speculated Schilling might return, an independent health analysis of his condition revealedd that even the finest surgeons in the world would have vitually no chance of restoring the 23-year veteran's health or ability to throw.

Still, the three-time world champion said he has no regrets.

"The game always gave me far more than I ever gave it," he explained. "...I did everything I could to win every time I was handed the ball. I am and always will be more grateful than any of you could ever possibly know."

Boston's Mike Lowell Sees First Action of Spring

Boston's Mike Lowell is the DH today batting fifth against the Orioles. This is his first start of this Spring for Lowell who is re-habbing after off season hip surgery.

In two at bats so far, he has struck out swinging and popped out to first. No word yet as to when he will be playing third base. Clay Buchholz threw three perfect innings with two strikeouts. He threw 31 pitches, 24 for strikes. Buchholz is in the mix for the 5th starter slot after a disastrous season last year.

Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are both playing well in the World Baseball Classic. Youkilis has two home runs in the tournament. The USA team next plays Wednesday at 6:30 PM Eastern time.

Red Sox Will Go Slow with John Smoltz

No, that old guy in the red sweats isn't part of the grounds crew. That's future Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz.

The 42-year-old former Brave -- bald, a bit scraggly and unshaven and with just a hint of a tummy -- arrived at Red Sox camp in Fort Myers, Fla., without missing a beat, taking part in conditioning drills with other players young enough to be his sons, never giving a hint that he was anything but his familiar, indomitable, unrestrainable, competitive old self.

"I don't doubt that there's going to be times when we have to sit on him, and we will," manager Terry Francona told The Boston Globe.

Francona envisions Smoltz returning to action by June 1, coming along slowly as he recovers from shoulder surgery. How Smoltz feels and performs -- and how the Red Sox rotation and bullpen is doing -- likely will help determine whether he will start or come out of the pen.

Red Sox Cautious - Cautiously Optimistic - with Baldelli

Outfielder Rocco Baldelli was once a young pup who played hard on the field, full-speed all the time. Now he's a bit older, a bit wiser, and diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder that can sap his strength and energy when he's not careful enough in managing his outputs.

The Red Sox signed him to a free-agent deal knowing they'll have to carefully manage his time and practice habits in order to keep him ready when needed. And that's something manager Terry Francona says the team can do.

Francona told The Providence Journal that the Red Sox will be careful with Baldelli during spring training that the team will "back him off enough" to keep Baldelli fresh.

The ProJo's Joe McDonald further quotes Francona:

"We got him at a time when he's not a 22-year-old kid who thinks he has to be the first one in the rundowns, and (thus tires himself out so that) when the games start he can't do what he can do," said Francona. "We're going to be very supportive of him and hopefully make it easier for him to help us win games."

Francona called it a partnership and the club has done its homework to understand Baldelli's situation.

"Just like a new player coming into camp, we're going to have to help him fight the urge to want to do everything," said Francona.

Baldelli is expected to back up at the corner outfield positions and provide a bat off the bench.

Rangers Eye Red Sox Minor League Rosters

Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels will be closely watching Red Sox spring training camp to see whether Wes Littleton makes the team.

Having acquired Littleton from the Rangers, the Red Sox must give up an additional player if Littleton lands a spot on the bench.

As part of the deal, the pitching starved Rangers have already acquired minor leaguer Beau Vaughn, who had a combined 2.33 ERA in Double A and Triple A last year.

Red Sox Close to Adding Kotsay

After receiving the news that All-Star J.D. Drew is headed to the DL, the Red Sox moved quickly and are close to adding Braves centerfielder Mark Kotsay.  The veteran, known as much for his defensive prowess as his oft-injured back, is batting .289 this season, coincidentally the same clip at which Drew was hitting prior to his injury.  While Kotsay may be able to duplicate Drew's average, his power numbers fall well short of Drew's level of production.  Compared to 19 home runs and 64 RBIs for Drew, Kotsay has contributed only 6 and 37 respectively.  Kotsay has a limited no-trade clause and Boston is making a concerted effort to convince him to waive it.

Rangers' Jarrod Saltalamacchia in Red Sox Future?

With veteran catcher Jason Veritek expected to look for a three- or four-year deal on the open market in the offseason, the Red Sox may need to replace him by building a bridge to prospects Mark Wagner or Luis Esposito -- who will not be major league ready for two or three more years.

Therefore, the team must find a place holder such as Jerrod Saltalamacchia of the Rangers or Mike Napoli of the Angels, according to Peter Gammons commenting during a Boston Globe question-and-answer session.

Either would be a bit of a comedown.

"Remember, the average production from the catching position per team as of this morning was a .251 ave. with 10 homers and 52 RBI. The 2005 Jason Varitek is not going to be out there," Gammons said.

Brian Cashman Lets Paul Byrd Pass to Red Sox

Say what you will about the speculative firing of Mets General Manager Omar Minaya, the next baseball executive to walk the plank in New York may be Brian Cashman of the Mets crosstown rivals.


That gleam reflecting off the forward deck of that sinking Yankee clipper ship on the East River Waterfront is coming from the hardened steel sabre of Yankees Co-Chairman Hank Steinbrenner, who watched as Cashman failed to claim Indians hurler Paul Byrd off the waiver wire, thus allowing Byrd to fall to Boston.


How convenient for the Red Sox, whose precarious five-game wild-card lead over the Yankees had just been been seriously jeopardized by the loss of starter Tim Wakefield to his all-too-familiar shoulder problems.


What can Cashman be thinking?


All the Red Sox had to pay was a bag of balls, six cans of chowder and a David Clyde rookie card for Byrd, a playoff experienced, veteran starter with a 1.46 ERA and 4-0 record since the All-Star break. Though 37, Byrd already all season had been a perfectly serviceable option, but suddenly is even more valuable since discovering he can stop surrendering homers by not tipping his pitches.

This is Cashman's second dubious decision, since he, Gene Michael and Stump Merrill were believed to have ganged up on Steinbrenner to talk him out of signing free agent home run king Barry Bonds.

Cashman opted instead to trade for Xavier Nady of the Pirates. There's nothing particularly , wrong with Nady -- and Bonds comes with his share of baggage -- but Cashman had to give up prospect Jeff Karstens to acquire Nady, and all Karstens has done since leaving the Yankees is pitch 15 scoreless innings, including a two-hit complete game.


Bonds would have cost Cashman nothing more than a major league, season pro-rated minimum of $150,000, yet would have been an unmistakable force in the middle of the lineup, providing a desperately needed spark in the Yankees flat, demoralized lineup.

Hopefully Cashman has an explanation that will become evident in the next few days. It had better be good.

Red Sox Land Indians' Byrd

The Red Sox have acquired pitcher Paul Byrd from the Indian.  After placing Tim Wakefield on the 15-day DL, AL wild-card leading Boston felt an increased urgency to add depth to its pitching staff.  It's basically a no-risk move by Boston as all they gave up was cash or a player to be named later.  Byrd got off to a horrendous start this season, but has won all four of his starts since the All-Star break.

Brandon Moss Anticipating Pirates Opportunity

Prospect Brandon Moss -- hitting .282 for Triple A Pawtucket with eight home runs in 163 at-bats -- is looking forward to playing with the Pirates after being traded as part of the blockbuster, six-player Manny Ramirez-Jason Bay deal.

"It's great news,'' Moss, 24, told The Providence Journal after learning he would go to Pittsburgh. "Obviously, I love this (Red Sox) organization. It's the only one I've known. I've basically grown up in it. I've been here for six years, since I was 18 years old. But at the same time I see how it is up there. Maybe it's an opportunity to get a little more time than I would have here. I think it all worked out.''

The Red Sox -- in the past known for suppressing opportunities for younger players -- has been advancing its prospects since Theo Epstein took over as general manager. But as an established team, opportunities for newcomers are generally fewer than with the constantly rebuilding Pirates.

Moss projects as a valuable prospect not only because of defensive skills but his pedigree at lower minor league levels, having hit .339 and .422 with 15 homers in two Single A stops four years ago for a batting title.

In addition to Moss, the deal included Manny Ramirez being dealt to the Dodgers, Jason Bay to Boston and Andy LaRoche to the Pirates.

Moss was practicing at McCoy Stadium in Providence when manager Ron Johnson told him he had been traded just as the trading deadline.

"I had no clue," Moss told The Journal. "I honestly didn't think I was going to be traded. It was weird. It was five o'clock...I knew something was up once he was calling me in.''.

Poll: Dodgers Biggest Winner in Three-Way Trade

A poll of more than 21,000 CBSsportsline.com subscribers showed that as of midnight EST Thursday a decisive majority believed the Dodgers got best of the deal in the three-way trade involving Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, Pirates outfielder Jason Bay and Dodgers third baseman Andy La Roche.

The deal gives the Dodgers a big, mid-lineup slugger in Ramirez, 36, who becomes a free-agent at the end of the year with no options. Meanwhile Bay, 29, goes to the Red Sox and will remain under Boston's control until the end of next year.

The Pirates received from the Dodgers third baseman Andy LaRoche, 22, brother of first baseman Adam LaRoche, and pitching prospect Bryan Morris, 21. From the Red Sox the Pirates received prospects Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss, both 24.

Asked which of the three teams benefited the most, poll respondents said the Dodgers, 51 percent, the Red Sox, 26 percent and the Pirates 24 percent.

In addition to the personnel moves, the Red Sox also are paying $7 million of the $20 million still owed to Ramirez this year.

Though reaction has been mixed in Boston, many fans expressed gladness that Ramirez and his difficult personality had been purged, a reaction somewhat reminiscent of the reaction in Los Angeles when often overrated Dodgers outfielder J.D. Drew opted out of his contract to go to the Red Sox.

Dodgers Acquire Manny Ramirez from Memphis Grizzlies

Mitch Kupchak must have been working the phones for Ned Colletti today because there's no way in hell Colletti was involved in the grand theft superstar that took place today when the Dodgers thieved Manny Ramirez from the Red Sox, giving up what basically amounts to Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton.

Colletti somehow swung this deal without giving up Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier, AND convinced the Red Sox to pay the remainder of Manny's 2008 salary. The Dodgers will send the Pirates Andy LaRoche, who was made expendable after Blake DeWitt passed him on the depth chart, and Bryan Morris, an A-ball pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. It should be noted that the Red Sox get Jason Bay from the Pirates, but had to give up two good prospects in addition to Manny.

Manny can only make the Dodgers better. He's immediately the team's best hitter and this means less playing time for Andruw Jones. Worst case scenario, Manny leaves after the season and the Dodgers get a couple of draft picks to replace LaRoche and Morris in their farm system. Meanwhile the Diamondbacks struck out on Mark Teixeira and just about everyone else they were going after. Thanks for coming out Arizona, see you in the 2009 playoff race.

In conclusion, the Dodgers get a Hall of Fame outfielder for an expendable third baseman and an A-ball pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. Thank you, Boston.

Manny to Florida Dead

The Red Sox have tentatively agreed to send Manny Ramirez to the Marlins in a three team deal also involving the Pirates. The Pirates would acquire Jeremy Hermida, while the Red Sox would receive Jason Bay. The Pirates would also receive at least two additional prospects.

UPDATE:  this deal is dead

Red Sox, Marlins on Verge of Manny Ramirez Trade

According to Baseball Prospectus and multiple other sources, the Red Sox are "on the verge" of trading Manny Ramirez to the Marlins for three players.  One of those players is believed to be highly regarded low-class A outfielder Mike Stanton, 18, who has hit 26 home runs this year.  Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida have also been mentioned today, so it is possible that one or both will be included in any deal.

This sounds like a terrific deal for the Red Sox.  Trade the Hall of Fame anchor to your lineup when you are a World Series favorite.

Manny is in the lineup tonight against the Angels.  Mark Teixeira is also in the lineup, batting third in front of Vladimir Guerrero, and wearing #25.