FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Rain on Sunday kept the Boston Red Sox indoors for the second time in three days, continuing to jumble a busy preseason week for the defending champions.
In a routine similar to Friday’s session, the team was able to throw on the field but spent most of Sunday’s practice taking part in hitting drills and throwing off a mound in indoor batting cages.
“You improvise a little bit,” manager Terry Francona said.
The Red Sox on Wednesday will begin practice an hour earlier so that members of last year’s World Series-winning team can fly to the White House to meet President Bush that afternoon.
“My biggest thing about that day is to get the workout in,” Francona said. “We thought about having two separate workouts. I just think that goes against everything we believe in.
“We’re going to jump on a plane to go to the White House and leave some guys out on Field 4? That doesn’t sound real team-oriented.”
On Thursday night, the Red Sox open their spring training schedule with a home game against the Minnesota Twins, who also train in Fort Myers.
Matt Clement, who signed with the Red Sox in the offseason, will start that game. The Red Sox then play split-squad games against Northeastern University and Boston College on Friday.
“If we don’t look real sharp against – what are they called, the Screaming Eagles? – Boston College, that’s not the end of the world,” Francona said.
Francona said that he’s not concerned about losing a few days on the field because the Red Sox have an extra two days of spring training this season.
New York Yankees
TAMPA, Fla. – Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui doesn’t expect talks on his possible contract extension to be completed during spring training.
Arn Tellem, Matsui’s agent, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman started negotiations Saturday.
Matsui is due $8 million in 2005, the final season of a $21 million, three-year deal. He has a clause in his contract that requires the Yankees to put him on waivers unless a new contract is agreed to by Nov. 15.
“Probably not going to be anything that’s going to happen prior to the beginning of the season,” Matsui said through an interpreter Sunday. “My original plan was to play through my three years and then decide where to go from there. That was my original plan when I came here, and that still is.”
San Francisco Giants
SCOTTSDALE, Ari. – Barry Bonds surprised his San Francisco teammates Sunday when he jumped into the batting cage to take a few swings against new closer Armando Benitez, just four weeks after knee surgery.
Bonds faced nine pitches from Benitez at the Giants’ spring training stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz., only taking two swings – hard grounders to the right side of the infield.
“Just to stand in the cage and track balls was enough for me, just to show that to my teammates,” Bonds said.
Atlanta Braves
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Atlanta manager Bobby Cox all but announced John Smoltz will be the Braves’ opening-day starter. While Cox hasn’t revealed his choice, he’s already set up his spring pitching schedule in such a way that Smoltz would be ready to go in the April 5 opener at Florida.
Smoltz, the only player who has been with the Braves for their entire run of 13 straight division titles, is returning to the starting rotation after spending the last three years as the closer, earning 144 saves.
Los Angeles Dodgers
VERO BEACH, Fla. – The Los Angeles Dodgers were forced to work out indoors Sunday because of heavy rain, but Brad Penny got in his third bullpen session of the spring.
“I felt fine,” Penny said. “A little more intensity, a few more pitches – maybe 50-something.”
He threw about 40 pitches Friday.
Pittsburgh Pirates
BRADENTON, Fla. – Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Oliver Perez threw off the mound Sunday for the first time since injuring his left shoulder by sleeping awkwardly on it earlier this month.
Perez threw 23 pitches, all fastballs, in a 5-minute session held indoors because of heavy rain.
“I feel so happy and good,” Perez said. “Everything feels normal now.”
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