Minor Leagues

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball implemented random blood testing for human growth hormone in the minor leagues yesterday, the first professional sports league in the United States to take the aggressive step against doping. The blood testing becomes part of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, which commissioner Bud Selig introduced in 2001 to test for performance-enhancing drugs. “The implementation of blood testing in the minor leagues represents a significant step in the detection of the illegal use of human growth hormone,’’ Selig said in a statement.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff Here are the rosters for the Red Sox minor league affiliates. In some cases, these will be changed before the teams actually open. Any players you don't see are either in extended spring training or injured. TRIPLE-A PAWTUCKET RED SOX Pitchers: RHP Aaron Cook, RHP Brandon Duckworth, RHP Justin Germano, RHP Will Inman, RHP Doug Mathis, RHP Garrett Mock, RHP Clayton Mortensen, RHP Ross Ohlendorf, RHP Tony Pena Jr., RHP Chorye Spoone, RHP Junichi Tazawa, RHP Alex Wilson.

Dan Shaughnessy has some ideas as the Red Sox prepare to celebrate Fenway's 100th anniversary. The notebook has Chris Carpenter being injured and some pitchers working in the minor leagues.

Dan Shaughnessy has some ideas as the Red Sox prepare to celebrate Fenway's 100th anniversary. The notebook has Chris Carpenter being injured and some pitchers working in the minor leagues.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It all began 12 years ago in Brooksville, Fla., when a skinny sophomore shortstop for Hernando High School took note of the confident superstar from road-tripping Westminster Christian of Miami. That was the first time Bronson Arroyo noticed Alex Rodriguez. "He was about 6-3, 195, and at that time I was probably 5-9, 120," remembered Arroyo. "He was like Superman out there. Taking BP, I had never seen balls hit that far in my life. "At the time I thought he was the cockiest dude I'd ever seen.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - Blair Henry sticks his video camera through an opening in the fence along the third base side. He shoos away the players in the dugout who happen to wander into view. He'd like to get this shot; he might need it later. Three amateur scouts are sitting behind home plate in this anonymous town at this anonymous field near the Bay Area, wondering if the pitcher or the shortstop will ever amount to anything. Henry, the Red Sox' area scout for Northern California and Northern Nevada, had thought he might be alone at this game between junior colleges whose names are unlikely to register...

Wily Mo Pena hit a towering solo home run in the eighth inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Detroit Tigers 7-6 on Friday night. Pena, called up from the minor leagues earlier this week for his first big league stint since 2008, hit a two-out homer an estimated 454 feet over the left-field fence off David Purcey (1-1). The ball landed in the final rows of seats under the big scoreboard at Comerica Park. Pena has homered twice since joining the Diamondbacks. They’ve been able to use him as a designated hitter in American League ballparks during...

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff FORT MYERS, Fla. —Clay Buchholz, who threw 51 pitches, was working on his changeup tonight. "It felt good. That's what I wanted to do, I wanted to go out and throw changeups behind in the count to get a feel for it," Buchholz said. "It's a pitch I feel l have to throw to complement the fastball and the other pitches that I have. It's always been a good pitch for me. " Buchholz said his back, which caused him to miss the final 3 1/2 months of last season, felt fine.

Relievers Jordan Norberto and Bruce Billings, two of the pitchers responsible for the 22 runs the Oakland Athletics gave up in New York Thursday, paid the price Friday by being sent to the minor leagues. The A's, in Boston for a three-game weekend series, recalled left-handers Josh Outman and Jerry Blevins from Sacramento, sending Norberto and Billings to the Triple-A club. Norberto and Billings combined to work two innings of relief in Thursday's 22-9 loss to the Yankees, yielding seven hits, 11 runs and nine walks.

ALBUQUERQUE - Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramírez was welcomed back to baseball with rousing cheers. In the minor leagues, anyway. Ramírez, easing back into playing shape after a 50-game drug suspension, suited up for the Albuquerque Isotopes as they beat Nashville, 1-0, last night. Ramírez wore No. 99 for the Dodgers’ top farm club. He played four innings and was hitless in two at-bats. The capacity crowd of 15,321 was the largest in Albuquerque’s baseball history.

New York Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher went 4-for-8 with a home run Wednesday in his first game since being sidelined by a groin injury a week ago. Swisher had two singles, a double and an opposite field home run to left. He had two walks, batting in both the top and bottom of the inning during the intrasquad game between Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Trenton. "It was nice just bouncing around," Swisher said. "I'm super excited. It's the first time I've been out here playing.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff FORT MYERS, Fla. —Clay Buchholz, who threw 51 pitches, was working on his changeup tonight. "It felt good. That's what I wanted to do, I wanted to go out and throw changeups behind in the count to get a feel for it," Buchholz said. "It's a pitch I feel l have to throw to complement the fastball and the other pitches that I have. It's always been a good pitch for me. " Buchholz said his back, which caused him to miss the final 3 1/2 months of last season, felt fine.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Former Southern League president and Major League Baseball player Don Mincher has died after a long illness. He was 73. Southern League vice president Lori Webb said Mr. Mincher passed away Sunday at his Huntsville home. Mr. Mincher spent 13 years in the major leagues and was a two-time American League All-Star. He played for the 1972 World Series champion Oakland Athletics and had stints with the Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Texas Rangers, Seattle Pilots, and Washington Senators.

Manny Ramirez found a taker in Oakland — at a bargain price. The suspended slugger agreed on a minor league contract Monday with the Athletics that is worth approximately $500,000 if he's added to the big league roster. The A's announced the deal and said Ramirez is expected to report to spring training by the end of the week, in time for Oakland's first full-squad workout Saturday. He is a non-roster invitee. The 12-time All-Star is due to serve a 50-game suspension for his second positive drug test before he can play for the A's. Barring rainouts, his first game could...

BASEBALL Red Sox give Maine minor league dealThe Red Sox signed righthander John Maine to a minor league contract that does not include an invitation to major league spring training. Maine, 30, won 25 games for the Mets from 2007-08 and had a 4.02 earned run average. He has made only 24 starts in the majors since, none since May 20, 2010. He had shoulder surgery that season and last year was 1-3 with a 7.43 ERA for Triple A Colorado Springs. He quit the team in June, saying he might retire.

The Yankees made two moves that dramatically increased the quality and depth of their rotation last week when they signed free agent Hiroki Kuroda and traded for impressive young righthander Michael Pineda. The Red Sox are debating to what degree - if any - they will respond to their rivals. One quick way would be to snap up one of the remaining free agent starters on the market, a group that includes Roy Oswalt, Edwin Jackson, and Joe Saunders. That would require adding to a payroll already sure to be beyond the luxury tax threshold of $178 million or trading a player under contract to create space.

Defenseman Brad Lukowich scored a third-period goal and the host Vancouver Canucks earned a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres last night. Thomas Vanek tied the game on a power play 1:49 into the period, but Henrik and Daniel Sedin combined on a nice play to set up Lukowich for the winner. After taking a pass from twin brother Henrik, Daniel cut into the slot before making a between-the-legs drop pass to Lukowich pinching in hard from the point. Lukowich, who was in the American Hockey League until recently because of the Canucks’ salary cap issues to start the season, quickly snapped a...

Ichiro Suzuki had three hits to give him 50 in May, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2, last night in Seattle. Suzuki became the first player since Pete Rose to have two 50-plus hit months in his career. He had 51 in August 2001. Rose had 52 in July 1973 and 51 in September 1979. Suzuki finished 3 for 4 with an RBI and closed out the month 50 for 125 (.400). Randy Winn had a single and a triple and drove in three runs to help support Jamie Moyer (4-2), who won his third straight start and lowered his ERA to 4.06.