March 30, 2010 - 10:29 AM | Comment
BOSTON -- It poured the whole time I was in Beantown but we're counting the days to Sunday night's season opener against the Yankees so I couldn't help myself. Yep, I hit the subway to head over to Fenway Park (left as it looked Monday afternoon) and get that spring feeling again.
Didn't go inside as I opted against the official tour for a later time. (Of course, I've been fortunate enough to see most every nook and cranny anyway during past trips to the ALCS and World Series). Stopped in the world famous souvenir store across the street and walked around the perimeter. Didn't mind the rain at all.
As it turned out, it was a big day at the park as the Sox were unveiling their 2010 changes to the mayor and other bigwigs. As part of the 10-year initiative to really pump up the place for its 100th anniversary in 2012, there have been huge changes since we entered the 21st century and it's really helped modernize things.
The Boston Herald spent much of its story discussing the structural improvements to the park but did mention the food. The Boston Globe was big on the addition of veggie burgers.
The Globe has a small video you can check out here (embed code wasn't working so sorry if you clicked on it before and got nothing!)
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to be in town today to meet with federal investigators probing the dealings of Canadian doctor Anthony Galea. Here's the story from our print editions from federal court reporter Dan Herbeck. Be sure to check Buffalonews.com for updates.
Here are some links to how the Yankees' beat writers are covering A-Rod's visit:
MLB.com -- Interesting statement from the Yankees on how Galea was not authorized to treat A-Rod in the wake of his hip surgery.
NY Times -- A-Rod told reporters Wednesday, “If there are no baseball questions, I have nothing to talk about."
NY Daily News -- Could A-Rod's answers today lead him to be called in front of a grand jury?
NY Post -- Baseball columnist Joel Sherman hopes today is just a minor inconvenience for A-Rod and that there's no smoke or fire in this episode. He reveals A-Rod saw Galea for five sessions of platelet replacement therapy to help heal his hip, which is all perfectly legal.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
Ike Davis pushed Daniel Murphy for the Mets' first-base job this spring, batting .480 (yes, .480) with three homers in 12 Grapefruit League games. But the Mets sent him down Tuesday so he could get his first Triple-A at-bats this season as the regular first baseman for the Bisons.
Davis, who turned 23 on Monday, is the son of former Yankees reliever Ron Davis. He combined for 20 homers and 71 RBIs last year at Class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton. And with Murphy hitting just .121 this spring, don't be surprised if the Mets make a quick flip at first base if both players continue on their same path with Davis red-hot and Murphy ice-cold.
This story on Davis from the Newark Star-Ledger includes a link to audio from his interview in the Mets' clubhouse Tuesday afternoon.
Here's the New York Times' take on Davis.
With Davis and active minor-league home run leader Mike Hessman at third base, the Bisons have a good chance to have some pop on their infield that they missed much of last season.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
That's the word coming out of New York: Alex Rodriguez is coming to town Friday to discuss his dealings with Anthony Galea, the Canadian-based doctor who is being investigated for distributing performance-enhancing drugs. The story was first reported Monday night by the New York Times.
The Daily News story on A-Rod today reminds us he's just a witness in the case against Galea and that Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes of the Mets have already been interviewed.
The Post story points out A-Rod will likely miss Friday's game against the Phillies and wonders how much of a distraction this will bring to a relatively quiet Yankees camp. The biggest story to date out of Tampa has been how Phil Hughes is ahead of Joba Chamberlain in the battle for the No. 5 starter slot.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
In Sunday's Inside Baseball column, I discuss the dilemma facing the Yankees this season because 2010 is the final year of the contracts for legendary stars Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera as well as manager Joe Girardi. The team's policy is not to negotiate during the season but you wonder if there's going to be exceptions here.
Seriously now, is it even conceivable to picture Jeter or Rivera in another uniform? While Jeter is probably looking a long-term deal, Rivera is already 40 and may not get much more than one or two years. And you wonder how much of a distraction this will be all season -- even though Jeter says he's not talking about it anymore.
Have your say at our poll.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
One of the more intriguing stories for Bisons fans to watch this season with their former parent is the return of slugger Russell Branyan to Cleveland. He's 34 now and long past his prospect days but he's also coming off his best big-league season -- 31 homers and 76 RBIs for the Mariners last year -- before a bad back saddled him for the final month.
Since he was traded by the Indians to the Reds in 2002, Branyan has really bounced around. He's been with six other teams after the Reds and even returned to Cleveland two other times -- slugging 25 home runs for the Bisons in 2004 and appearing in one game for the Herd in 2007. His 76 home runs in Buffalo are two shy of Jeff Manto's modern-era franchise record.
Can Branyan stay healthy this year and put up the kind of numbers the Indians saw last year in Seattle? Can he pick up the slack if Travis Hafner has yet another brutal season? Should be interesting. Here's some video of Branyan's press conference with Cleveland reporters a few days ago at the Tribe's spring camp in Goodyear, Ariz. (He gives it up to the '04 Bisons at the one-minute mark)
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
The spring training schedule opens today with the Braves and Mets at 1:10 from Port St. Lucie, Fla. Check it out on SNY beginning at 12:30 but be wary: Lots of Twitters on the Mets beat that it's raining hard down there. If they play, 2009 Bisons star Nelson Figueroa will throw the first pitch of the spring for the Mets.
(11:30 a.m. update: Looks like they'll play although Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News reports a very Bison-like lineup that includes possible 2010 Herdmen Jesus Feliciano, Mike Hessman, Ike Davis, Chris Coste, Jason Pridie and Luis Hernandez).
Now that the calendar has flipped to March -- and even though we have the NHL trade deadline staring us in the face tomorrow -- we'll be starting to crank up ye olde Inside Pitch blog as well. Mets/Bisons chatter, Yankees, Red Sox, Indians, Blue Jays and whoever else meets our mind.
Today's game is the only one on the schedule matching two big-league teams. Action really heats up Wednesday (including the Yankees' opener in Tampa against the Pirates) and Thursday, when everyone plays and the schedule is highlighted by CC Sabathia starting against Roy Halladay in a Yankees-Phillies World Series redux in Clearwater. Wonder if any Phillies will go down as payback from some of the plunkings A-Rod took last October, er, November.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
