Spring Training

Anthony Ranaudo got his season underway in earnest this week when he was shipped up to Double A Portland. Regarded as the Red Sox' top pitching prospect, the 22-year-old righthander made his Sea Dogs debut Tuesday in an 8-5 road victory over Reading. Ranaudo, a first-round draft pick out of Louisiana State in 2010, did not factor in the decision. He allowed four runs on four hits, including a pair of homers, to go with three walks and a pair of strikeouts. "Yeah, there was obviously a little nerves," said Ranaudo, who endured a hectic day of travel Monday, flying from extended spring training in Fort...

Alfredo Aceves jogged out of the bullpen at Comerica Park in Detroit on April 8, charged with protecting a three-run lead for the Red Sox in the ninth inning. The righthander from Mexico spent all of spring training trying to make the team as a starter and was the closer only by default, the Sox having lost Andrew Bailey to a thumb injury just before the start of the season. Aceves blew his first save chance in seven pitches. Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch singled before Miguel Cabrera hit a home run to left field.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland saw that Doug Fister's pitches were high in the zone. He knew something was wrong. Fister left his start in the fifth inning of Detroit's 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday because of soreness in his right middle finger. "He was getting the ball up more than normal," said Detroit manager about what tipped him off that something was wrong with Fister. "I learned a long time ago that there is no such thing as a minor injury. " Fister was scheduled to throw 75 pitches but was lifted after striking out four in 4 1-3 innings.

One day after their best offensive performance of the season, the Milwaukee Brewers looked lost at the plate again. And this time, it dragged late into the night. Juan Perez gave up a leadoff home run to backup catcher Hector Sanchez in the 14th inning Monday and the Brewers were beaten by the San Francisco Giants 4-3. Milwaukee looked nothing like the team that scored 16 runs in a victory over Minnesota on Sunday, a game the Brewers hoped could be something of a turning point for a struggling offense.

So, pack your glove. Trust me, it will fit under the 50-pound weight limit for checked bags at the airport, although the days of carrying your own Louisville Slugger on board are long over. But remember, baseball is undoubtedly why you have elected to vacation in Fort Myers in the first place. You and the thousands of other pale-skinned refugees from New England who flock here in winter to monitor the first stirrings of a new season for the Boston Red Sox, who have conducted spring training here since 1993.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico - For the Revolution, this is no Mexican standoff. In their preseason contest against the reigning Mexican First Division champions, who are already in midseason form, the Revolution receive the first eight yellow cards. When new Revolution defender Chris Albright puts a late tackle on an Atlante player, there is a near-brawl. Two Revolution players are ejected, and eventually two Atlante players. A smoke bomb goes off among fans who are waving flags, banging drums, and singing in the concrete bleachers.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- There might be nothing better than illusion. "Hmm. How should I answer that question?" Daisuke Matsuzaka said yesterday, through his translator, media relations employee Sachiyo Sekiguchi, in response to the inevitable question about the gyroball. "I knew this question was coming today. And I was preparing some optional answers for this particular question. Should I say, 'I have that ball'? Or I could say, 'Which particular ball are you referring to?' Or 'Which ball are you calling a gyroball?

Want to see spring training from an insider's point of view? Boston Globe Insiders in Florida can access exclusive events in and around the ballpark. Keep an eye out for an event on March 24th in Fort Myers, including a VIP Tour and post game Q&A with a Globe Sports columnist and special guest. Stop by The Boston Globe booth at JetBlue Park to learn more.

> As a new Red Sox coach, what's on your spring training agenda? Definitely bonding with the players is always important, getting their feedback. You want to let them know what you're thinking and find out what they're thinking. > What are your goals for the year? Everybody in Boston is looking for a World Championship. I'm looking forward to trying to reach that goal. > You've never been on the field for a Yankees-Red Sox matchup. Looking forward to that? That should be fun. > You last played in 2008 in Japan.

Looks like Red Sox fans are already thinking of spring. The team announced today that it had set a record weekend ticket sales for the inaugural season of JetBlue Park at Fenway South, the team's new 106-acre spring training and player development complex in Lee County, Florida. The number of tickets sold, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday through midnight yesterday through Sunday, December 18 at midnight, was 34,705 — the highest since 2006 when 34,315 tickets were sold for the 2007 spring training season.

Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas homered, Bruce Chen won his third straight start and the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-3 Saturday night. Butler homered to left-center in the third with Alcides Escobar aboard. Butler also drove in Jarrod Dyson with a sacrifice fly in Kansas City's two-run fifth. Butler's eight home runs and 31 RBIs lead the Royals. Moustakas sent his sixth homer of the season into the right-field bullpen in the fourth. Chen, who has won three straight after starting the season 0-4, weaved his way into and out of trouble the first four...

Anthony Ranaudo got his season underway in earnest this week when he was shipped up to Double A Portland. Regarded as the Red Sox' top pitching prospect, the 22-year-old righthander made his Sea Dogs debut Tuesday in an 8-5 road victory over Reading. Ranaudo, a first-round draft pick out of Louisiana State in 2010, did not factor in the decision. He allowed four runs on four hits, including a pair of homers, to go with three walks and a pair of strikeouts. "Yeah, there was obviously a little nerves," said Ranaudo, who endured a hectic day of travel Monday, flying from extended...

Anthony Ranaudo got his season underway in earnest this week when he was shipped up to Double A Portland. Regarded as the Red Sox' top pitching prospect, the 22-year-old righthander made his Sea Dogs debut Tuesday in an 8-5 road victory over Reading. Ranaudo, a first-round draft pick out of Louisiana State in 2010, did not factor in the decision. He allowed four runs on four hits, including a pair of homers, to go with three walks and a pair of strikeouts. "Yeah, there was obviously a little nerves," said Ranaudo, who endured a hectic day of travel Monday, flying from extended spring...

When Daniel Nava was sent to Pawtucket out of spring training, he accepted his assignment with the knowledge he had made a favorable impression on Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. "We called him up at the end of spring training and he played really well," Valentine said of Nava, who spent all of last season in Triple A after playing 60 games with Boston in 2010. "Of all the guys that were on the radar, he wasn't one of them. "There were some questions that we had at the time, and he made a good impression in a couple of games he played in spring training.

Nick Johnson's first homer in two years gave Baltimore a seventh-inning lead, and the Orioles edged the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Friday night in a duel for first place in the AL East. Johnson's two-run drive off Joel Peralta (0-2) put the Orioles in front 4-3, and the bullpen made the margin stand up. After spending last season in the minors, Johnson received an invite to spring training, made the team and was batting .143 before his game-changing home run. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis also connected for the Orioles, who lead the majors with 53 homers.

Brewers shortstop Alex Gonzalez has a torn ligament in his right knee and will have season-ending surgery, the third Milwaukee player to sustain a serious injury since opening day. Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said Monday that Gonzalez had a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Gonzalez was injured Saturday, sliding into second base during a 5-2 loss at San Francisco. Last week, Brewers first baseman Mat Gamel also tore the ACL in his right knee chasing a foul popup. Last month, left-hander Chris Narveson underwent surgery to repair a torn left...

By Alan Miller and Steve Silva, Globe Staff FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In this episode of Spring Training Today, Peter Abraham has news and notes from Sox camp, plus Red Sox players Clay Buchholz, David Ortiz, and Josh Beckett share their thoughts about playing with former Red Sox captain Jason Varitek.

FORT MYERS Fla. - General manager Ben Cherington said yesterday that the Red Sox have offered Jason Varitek a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. But that is as far as they will go. With pitchers and catchers reporting tomorrow, there is no indication that Varitek will accept the offer. Friends are saying they believe he will follow the lead of longtime teammate Tim Wakefield and retire rather than come to camp without any guarantees. "Because I don't expect any additions, I guess I don't expect that [Varitek]

Here are the lineups: RED SOX (11-14) Sweeney RF Pedroia 2B Ortiz DH Gonzalez 1B Aviles SS Saltalamacchia C Ross LF Middlebrooks 3B Byrd CF Pitching: RHP Aaron Cook (2012 debut) ORIOLES (17-9) Chavez LF Hardy SS Markakis RF Jones CF Wieters C Davis 1B Betemit DH Reynolds 3B Andino 2B Pitching: RHP Jason Hammel (3-1, 1.97) Game time: 1:10 p.m. TV/Radio: NESN / WEEI Orioles vs. Cook: Reynolds 5-19, Chavez 4-14, Betemit 3-7, Johnson 1-3, Paulino 2-3, Andino 0-1. Red Sox...

Mariano Rivera sat on a chair in the corner of the visitor's clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, his right knee tightly wrapped Friday night and crutches resting against a nearby locker. In one declarative statement, the Yankees' closer put to rest any notion that he'd shuffle off into retirement after a devastating injury sustained the previous night in batting practice. "I'm coming back. Write it down in big letters. I'm not going out like this," Rivera said. The 12-time All-Star vowed he will return to the mound by 2013, despite hinting in spring...