Billy Hall isn't much worried about his ability to thrive at shortstop—and all around the diamond—in the "super utility" role envisioned for him in Boston.
Assimilating with new teammates after seven straight spring trainings in Arizona with the Brewers and rebounding offensively are of much more importance to him.
Playing a viable shortstop? Hopping from infield to outfield—and back again? These things are nothing new to the ultra-versatile Hall.
"Everybody that plays this game sees themselves as an everyday player. When I was the super-utility guy I was obviously doing it with open arms, but also with the intent that it could help me become an everyday player," said Hall.
Josh Beckett made his second start of spring training, and Red Sox pitchers kept the St. Louis Cardinals hitless into the seventh inning. But it was Boston's young hitters who pulled out the win on Monday. Che-Shuan Lin's one-out single in the ninth scored Josh Reddick after Reddick doubled in the tying run, and the Red Sox beat the Cardinals 7-6.
Joe Nelson won the last game ever played at Shea Stadium. He received a World Series ring for pitching just three games with the Boston Red Sox. The reliever's other career milestones are less joyous -- four serious surgeries, seven major league organizations and too many grueling days of rehabilitation for him to count.
Jeremy Guthrie pitched into the third inning in his second spring start, but the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 Sunday. Guthrie threw 51 pitches and gave up a run and three hits in 2 1-3 innings. He walked two and struck out two -- Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz. A year ago, the Orioles' right-hander had only one start in spring training before leaving for the World Baseball...
Joe Nathan appears to have avoided the problem that struck John Lackey the past two years -- a troublesome spring training injury. The Minnesota Twins closer should be "fine" after leaving Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox with soreness and tightness in his surgically repaired right elbow, manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Justin Morneau and Tim Wakefield each made encouraging returns to the field after a long offseason dealing with back injuries. Morneau marked his return to Minnesota with a two-run double and Wakefield tossed two scoreless innings for Boston in his first post-surgery appearance in a 5-0 victory by the Twins over the Red Sox on Friday.
The last time Josh Beckett and Nick Blackburn pitched, their teams lost the second game of a pair of three-game sweeps in AL division series. The stakes were much lower on Thursday night when the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Mark Wagner's tiebreaking single in the eight in the spring training opener for both teams.
LAKELAND, Fla. - J.P. Arencibia hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-7 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday in an exhibition game showcasing the young talent of both teams.
