With the opening game of the 2008 Major League Baseball season set to begin in less than 12 hours, the defending 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox will bid sayonara to the memories of last season and focus on becoming the first team since the 2000 New York Yankees to successfully defend their title. The road to a possible third championship in the last five seasons begins at the Tokyo Dome in Japan with the Sox facing the Oakland Athletics, with native son Daisuke Matsuzaka set to square off against Joe Blanton. Matsuzaka, who won 15 games in his first full season with Boston in 2007, pitched eight seasons before last season with the Seibu Lions and made his professional debut at the very same venue in 1999. Joining him will be teammate and Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima, another former Japanese baseball star who also spent his first season in the majors last season with Boston after 11 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants and one year with the Nippon Ham Fighters.

Tomorrow’s contest, set to begin at 6:05 AM ET, is the first of two games in Japan between the American League rivals as Boston’s Jon Lester and Oakland’s Rich Harden will face either other in the second game on Wednesday morning. Both teams will then return to the US and face off in two more games during MLB Opening Week starting 01 April at McAfee Coliseum. The Red Sox then fly to Toronto to face the Blue Jays over the weekend at the Rogers Centre before opening Fenway Park on 08 April against the Detroit Tigers. Boston’s first tilt with New York comes just a few days as the Yankees invade Fenway for three games beginning 11 April.

Boston’s roster remains virtually the same this season, with defending World Series MVP Mike Lowell returning to his position at third base after signing a three-year deal with the Red Sox. The most noticeable difference is in center field, where Jacoby Ellsbury is slated to start the opener in place of Coco Crisp, who has been hampered this spring by a nagging groin injury. Ellsbury stepped in for Crisp during last post-season’s run to the championship, playing the last six games after the latter player got off to a slow start in October. A quick start to the season may find Crisp relegated to a bench role or possibly traded elsewhere.

Other returning positional players include: a healthy David Ortiz, who had successful off-season surgery on his knee that gave him trouble for most of last season; left fielder Manny Ramirez, who is in the last season of a guaranteed eight-year deal with Boston that will pay him another $20 million this season, with the Red Sox holding the option on an additional two years; 2007 Gold Glove winner Kevin Youkilis, who will set a new Major League record for consecutive error-free games at first base if he remains perfect in the field for another four games; 2007 Rookie of the Year Dustin Pedroia; veteran catcher Jason Varitek; shortstop Julio Lugo; and right fielder J.D. Drew.

Pitcher Josh Beckett, who won all four starts in the post-season, will likely begin the season on the disabled list due to back spasms; he is expected to return to the lineup by the second full week of the season, possibly in time for the opening series at Fenway Park. Another veteran pitcher who will spend far more time on the DL is Curt Schilling, who is out until mid-season at the earliest due to a shoulder injury. Schilling’s injury means that Clay Buchholz, whom the Sox had hoped to start at Triple-A Pawtucket, will instead begin the season with the parent club. Depending on the progress of former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon, assigned to the minors after signing a free-agent deal this month by Boston, Buchholz may eventually return to the farm to continue development.

On a more positive note, Tim Wakfield returns for his 14th season in Boston after winning 17 games last year to tie his career high in that category. Jonathan Papelbon also returns as the Red Sox closer, looking to surpass 30 saves for the third time in three years this season after recording the last out of the 2007 World Series. Terry Francona also returns with a new deal to manage Boston at least through the 2011 season after becoming the first skipper to win his first eight World Series contests and only the second Red Sox manager to win two titles with the franchise.

As the Boston Red Sox head to Japan to play the first two games of its 2008 regular season schedule in Tokyo against the Oakland Athletics, it is interesting to note that, as well as having had Japanese players like Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima play for Boston, there have been several non-Japanese players with past Red Sox teams that have also logged time with a Far East baseball club.. Perhaps the most well-known of these players is former outfielder and recent Red Sox Hall of Fame inductee Mike Greenwell, who signed on to play with the Hanshin Tigers in 1997 after twelve seasons with Boston. However, “the Gator” unexpectedly left the team during spring training while claiming an undiagnosed back injury, abruptly flew back to the United States, then returned to Japan and rejoined the team in late April. He finally played his first Japanese professional game in early May but, after fracturing his foot with a foul tip, announced his official retirement from baseball after batting .231 in just seven games with the club.[1]

Outfielder Reggie Smith was another former Red Sox great who later played in Japan, though his move to Japan came ten years after he departed Boston. After playing his final season in the majors with the San Francisco Giants in 1982, Smith was lured to Japan to play for the Yomiuri Giants; however, his personality and demeanor immediately clashed with the expectations of the Japanese fans and the media with regards to the norm for a baseball player. After injuring his knee early in the 1983 season, he was dubbed “Million-Dollar Bench-Warmer” by the Japanese media as he sat for two months nursing the injury; he also earned another less-honorable nickname, the “Giant Human Fan,” for striking out too often. Despite this, in just 263 at-bats, he managed a batting average of .285 with 28 home runs, a .409 on-base percentage, and a .609 slugging percentage.[2]

One other more-recent Boston player who donned spikes in the Land of the Rising Sun was Gabe Kapler who, lured by a lucrative contract offer, departed the Red Sox a month after the team won the World Series in 2004 and joined the Yomiuri club. However, after batting just .153 (17-for-111) with three home runs and six RBI in 38 games with the Giants, the team put the veteran outfielder on waivers and Kapler returned to the Red Sox in June of 2005. In addition, other non-Japanese players who have worn both a Boston uniform as well as one for a Japanese club include: John Wasdin, who played for the Red Sox between 1997 and 2000, then signed for one season with Yomiuri in 2002; Larry Parrish, who played a half-season with the Sox in 1988, then played a season each with the Yakult Swallows (1989) and Hanshin (1990); Kip Gross, who played five seasons in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters (1994-1998), then returned to the United States to play for Boston for one season (1999); and Benny Agbayani, who also played 13 games for Boston in 2002 and has played the last four seasons for the Chiba Lotte Marines (2004-2007).

[1] Mike Greenwell - BR Bullpen
[2] Reggie Smith - BR Bullpen

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima, Mike Greenwell, Reggie Smith

17 March 1971 - On this day thirty-seven years ago, former Boston Red Sox third baseman and American League batting champion Bill Mueller is born in Maryland Heights, MO. Drafted by San Francisco in 1993, Mueller signed as a free agent with the Red Sox in January of 2003 and hit .326 over 146 games in his first season with Boston, good enough to win the AL batting title over teammate Manny Ramirez. The switch-hitting Mueller also became the first player in history to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate in one game on 29 July of that season in a 14-7 win over the Rangers in Texas, and he set career-highs with 45 doubles and 19 home runs.

The next season, Mueller missed significant time due to injury between mid-May and early July, limiting him to just 110 games, and his average dropped to .283; even so, he was part of some memorable moments in Boston’s championship run in 2004. In late July, his walk-off home run against the Yankees at Fenway Park ended a see-saw affair that witnessed Boston catcher Jason Varitek and New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez square off after pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit Rodriguez with a pitch. Then, with Boston down to its last three outs of the AL Championship Series against New York, Mueller’s single up the middle off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, following Dave Roberts’ infamous steal of second base, tied the score at four; David Ortiz would eventually win the game with a walk-off home run three innings later. Overall, Mueller would bat .321 in the 2004 post-season, including .429 in the World Series with two RBI, as Boston won its first world championship in 86 years.

Mueller remained for one more season with the Red Sox, playing in 150 games and batting .295 in 2005, before leaving Boston as a free agent and signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, his career would soon end; he appeared in just 35 games for Los Angeles before a knee injury, the third of his career, ended his season in early May. Mueller would eventually retire after the 2006 season to join the front office of the Dodgers.

Tags: Bill Mueller, Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek

It might not equal the excitement of winning a World Series championship but, thanks in part to Red Sox veterans Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and Jason Varitek, Boston won its second consecutive Mayor’s Cup over Minnesota, beating the Twins 12-7 Wednesday afternoon to take the Grapefruit League “series” three games to two. Boston had won the first two contests against Minnesota this spring but the Twins came back with consecutive wins against the Sox to force a deciding Game Five at Hammond Stadium. Clay Buchholz, looking to secure a spot in the starting rotation with Boston, earned the decision with 3-2/3 innings of work, beating Francisco Liriano and earning his first decision of the spring. Meanwhile, Varitek hit his second home run in exhibition play while Ramirez went 2-for-2 and Ortiz went 2-for-3, each with an RBI. As both teams spring training facilities are located in Fort Myers, FL — the Red Sox reside at City of Palms Park — the two teams often play each other at least five times in Grapefruit League action. Thus, the Mayor’s Cup is awarded annually to the team that wins the most games against its cross-town rival. Last season, Boston took its first cup home since 2004, also winning three out of five contests between the two clubs.

The Sox will have six more games in the next seven days before leaving Fort Myers to fly to Japan; there, they will play two exhibition contests against Japanese clubs before opening the regular season a week early with a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome beginning 25 March. Boston then returns to the states to play its final three games of the spring against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the second match scheduled to be played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The regular season then resumes for the Red Sox on 01 April with two against the Athletics in Oakland at McAfee Coliseum.

[Ed. Note: Thanks to Red Sox Connection for the tip on a great cause!]

When the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox return to Fenway Park for their 2008 home opener on Tuesday, 08 April, all of Red Sox Nation will have the opportunity to Rally Against Cancer simply by wearing a Red Sox hat or shirt to work or class. In honor of Rally Against Cancer Day, 08 April 2008, all businesses and schools throughout New England are asked to encourage their staff and students to wear their favorite Red Sox apparel to work or school that day. To Rally Against Cancer, employees and students must each pitch in $5 to help the Jimmy Fund’s quest to beat cancer. The top fundraising business and school team will each win a visit from Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia.

“Unfortunately, everyone can’t be at Fenway Park for the home opener,” says Pedroia, honorary chair of Rally Against Cancer, “so this is a great alternative for fans to show support for my two favorite home town teams, the Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund.” To get started, every team must designate a coach to help build the roster and the team’s fundraising total, which will be calculated at 11:00 PM on 08 April 2008. The coaches’ main job is to motivate co-workers and help the company or school become a sea of Red Sox gear on the day of the home opener. Interested businesses and schools can step up to the plate and register at www.rallyagainstcancer.org.

Almost everyone has been affected in some way by cancer. When you join the Rally, you help further cancer research while rooting for the Red Sox, and provide hope to adults and children being treated for cancer worldwide. “I’ve been to Dana-Farber and seen first-hand how overwhelming and life-altering cancer can be for families and patients,” adds Pedroia. “Rally Against Cancer is an easy and fun way for everyone to help the Jimmy Fund, ultimately giving hope to the people who are fighting this awful disease.” Rallying against cancer is as easy as putting on a Sox hat and T-shirt. It’s a great way to build team spirit among co-workers and students, and all contributions will be made and tallied online, eliminating the need to collect and/or send any cash.

For more information, contact Charles Savicki at 617-632-5420, visit www.rallyagainstcancer.org, or view a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

About The Jimmy Fund

The Jimmy Fund supports the fight against cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a world-renowned pioneer in discovering and developing innovative, effective cancer therapies for adults and children. Founded in 1948, the Jimmy Fund is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox.

10 March 1986 - On this day twenty-two years ago, former Red Sox second baseman Bobby Doerr, along with catcher Ernie Lombardi, are elected by the Veterans Committee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The nine-time American League All-Star, who never received greater than 25% of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America, gains entrance thanks to heavy lobbying by former teammate Ted Williams, who referred to Doerr as “the silent captain of the Red Sox.” He also holds the distinction of being the only player in franchise history to hit for the cycle twice, once in May of 1944 and nearly three years later to the day in May of 1947. Picked up on the same scouting trip that former Boston general manager Eddie Collins discovered Williams, Doerr played 14 seasons in Boston and averaged .288 at the plate, though he never batted below .270 in any season except for his shortened rookie campaign. Three times, he hit better than .300, batting .325 in 1944 while also leading the league with a slugging percentage of .528.

He proved valuable in the field as well, making an average of just under 140 starts at second base each season, the only position he ever played in his major league career; at one point, Doerr held the American League record for handling 414 consecutive chances without an error. His all-around hustle and determination earned Doerr five starts in nine All-Star appearances between 1941 and 1951. He missed one season due to World War II in 1945; the following season, along with Williams, shortstop Johnny Pesky, and center fielder Dom DiMaggio, he returned to help lead his club to its first American League pennant in 28 years, batting .271 with 18 home runs and 116 RBI. Doerr collected his 2,000 hit in July of 1951 and retired a month later due to severe sacroiliac pain that put a premature end to his career, although Doerr later returned to baseball as a coach for Boston in the late 1960s. Two years after gaining election to the Hall of Fame, Doerr became just the third former Boston player to have his number (1) retired by the Red Sox.

[1] National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Stuffy McInnis enjoyed a long baseball career in the early part of the 20th century; between 1909 and 1927, the Gloucester, Massachusetts native played for six teams, including the Boston Red Sox between 1918 and 1921, and was part of five World Series champions. At the plate, he finished with a .307 batting average, batting over .300 12 times in 19 seasons, and his 2,405 career hits places him just inside the top 100 all-time through the 2007 season. He also finished third all-time in sacrifice hits for a career with 383, one of only 11 players in MLB history with at least 300, and fanned only 189 times in 6,667 at-bats between 1913 and 1927, a rate of 35.3 at-bats per strikeout, ninth all-time. With Boston, McInnis batted .296 with 594 hits and only 49 strikeouts in 2,006 at-bats.

McInnis was also known a great defensive player. He originally broke in as a shortstop, but ultimately moved to first base after a few seasons. In a time known as the “dead-ball” era, first base was a key defensive position and McInnis became part of Connie Mack’s “$100,000 infield” with the Philadelphia Athletics; teaming with second baseman Eddie Collins, third baseman Frank Baker and shortstop Jack Barry between 1911 and 1914, the team won World Series titles in 1911 and 1914 and an American League pennant in 1913. In 1921, his fourth and final season with Boston, McInnis set a record for his position with only one error in 1,651 chances, good for a .999 fielding percentage. He also went a stretch of 163 games between 31 May 1921 and 02 June 1922 without making an error, the first 119 games as a Boston player while spending the latter season with the Cleveland Indians.

Those records stood until 2007 when current Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis managed to go the entire year without making a single error in 1080 chances, the only player in the league to end the regular season with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Youkilis also broke McInnis’s consecutive errorless games streak by a Red Sox first baseman when he lodged his 120th mistake-free contest on 25 June 2007. It should be noted that the streak continues; entering the 2008 season, he has now played 190 straight error-free games at first, a new American League record and three shy of the major league record set by former Gold Glove winner Steve Garvey.

03 March 1950 - Fifty-eight years ago today, former Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little is born in Abilene, TX. Selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 1968 baseball draft, Little never made it to the big leagues, spending five seasons as a minor league catcher in the Atlanta and New York Yankees organization. He eventually began managing at the minor league level from 1980 through 1995, then worked as a coach for the San Diego Padres, Boston, and Cleveland Indians between 1996 and 2001. In March of 2002, with new ownership at the helm, the Red Sox hired Little to replace interim manager Mike Cubbage as the team’s new manager, less than a month before the season opener. In Little’s first-ever season as a manager, the team jumped out the gate, winning 27 of the first 36 games played, and finished second to the Yankees in the American League East with a respectable 93-69 record. The next season, Grady’s team improved to 95-67; though Boston again finished behind New York, the club secured the wild card spot and faced the Oakland Athletics in the divisional round. The Red Sox quickly fell behind with two losses to begin the series but won the next two at home in Fenway Park, then completed the comeback with an impressive 4-3 win in Oakland to set up a rematch of the 1999 American League Championship Series with the Yankees.

After a back-and-forth series between the division rivals, the pennant came down to a seventh game; the winner would advance to the World Series. Boston jumped to an early 4-0 lead and led 5-2 going into the bottom half of the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium; up to that point, Red Sox starter Pedro Martinez had pitched brilliantly for the visitors, allowing just two runs on six hits, with eight strikeouts also to his credit. Expecting Little to bring in reliever Mike Timlin or Alan Embree, Boston fans were surprised when he sent Martinez, who had already thrown over 100 pitches, back out to the mound, and the three-time Cy Young winner secured the first out by inducing a pop-up to short. However, Martinez quickly allowed two runs on three straight hits and, despite the bullpen having surrendered only two runs in 31 innings of post-season play, Little elected to keep the tiring pitcher out on the hill. The result was another hit that tied the score and, three innings later, Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run down the left field line on the first pitch from Tim Wakefield completed the comeback by New York. Despite having won 188 games over two seasons managing the local nine and the possibility that Martinez had persuaded his manager to leave him in the game, Little instantly became the scapegoat in the eyes of angry Boston fans and the media for his Game Seven blunder and, less than two weeks later, was fired as Red Sox manager.