Sox Drop Florida Finale

The Red Sox’ Florida schedule came to an eventful conclusion Wednesday, when they fell to the Blue Jays, 4-3, at City of Palms Park in Ft. Myers, FL.

The start of the game was delayed by an hour as the Sox and Major League Baseball negotiated a stipend for the coaches and staff accompanying the Sox to Japan. Players originally believed the coaches and staff would receive around $40,000 for the trip but learned Tuesday night the stipend was not in the budget. On Wednesday, the players threatened to boycott the trip as well as the Blue Jays game unless the coaches and staff were compensated.

Scheduled starter Daisuke Matsuzaka ended up throwing in a minor league game to ensure he’d get his work in, so the exhibition finale turned into a “bullpen game” for the Sox. David Aardsma started and allowed two hits and a walk in two scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 4.15. He was followed to the mound by Bryan Corey, who is battling Aardsma for one spot in the bullpen. Corey gave up two hits in two shutout innings to lower his ERA to 0.93.

Javier Lopez, Mike Timlin and Manny Delcarmen all threw a shutout inning before the Sox’ three-run lead evaporated in the eighth against Hideki Okajima, who was tagged with the loss after he gave up all four runs on two hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning, and minor leaguer Barry Hertzler, who was charged with a blown save after he gave up two hits in one-third of an inning. Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in a hitless ninth inning.

Kevin Youkilis’ three-run homer in the third inning provided the offense for the Sox, who were limited to three hits by a quintet of Blue Jays pitchers. Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp also had hits for the Sox. Crisp, who has battled groin ailments most of the spring, appeared in his first Grapefruit League game since March 2.

The Sox dropped to 7-11-2 with the defeat and assured themselves a sub-.500 exhibition record. After their return from Japan, the Sox will play three games against the Dodgers in California Mar. 28-30.

The Sox traveled to Japan Wednesday night and will play their first exhibition in Tokyo Saturday, when they take on the Hanshin Tigers at the Tokyo Dome. Clay Buchholz is scheduled to start for the Sox.


Sox make roster moves: The Sox assigned a trio of non-roster invitees—pitcher Bartolo Colon and infielders Keith Ginter and Joe Thurston—to minor league camp Wednesday.

Colon, whose contract reportedly allows him to become a free agent if he’s not promoted to the Sox by May 1, went 0-1 with a 16.87 ERA in two Grapefruit League starts. Ginter, who has played in the bigs with the Astros, Brewers and Athletics, hit .261 with no homers and three RBI in 23 at-bats. Thurston, who has played in the majors for the Dodgers and Phillies, hit a robust .382 with one homer and three RBI in 34 at-bats.