Post by Admin on Aug 8, 2016 18:22:34 GMT -5
www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/2016/08/red_sox_notes_andrew_benintendi_closes_in_on_more_playing_time
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The Red Sox had been planning to ease Andrew Benintendi into the starting lineup.
With a plan to play him only against right-handed pitchers, the Sox thought they could make a simpler transition for the left-handed-hitting prospect with the smooth swing.
But after Benintendi went 2-for-3 in his first career start against the Mariners last week in Seattle and 3-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base in an 8-5 loss to the Dodgers last night, manager John Farrell is already considering altering his plans.
Asked if it was time to make Benintendi an everyday player in left field rather than platooning him with Bryce Brentz, Farrell said, “Yeah, it’s getting closer certainly. We had every intention to ease (Benintendi) in. That easing-in period has happened relatively quick. To say that he won’t see at-bats against left-handers, I’m not going to say that. But we’ve got three right-handed starters coming up in this next series against New York so the one thing you can say is that for the early at-bats, the early starts to his big league career, it’s been impressive.”
Benintendi began last night by slicing a single to left field in the third inning. David Price couldn’t move him over to second with a bunt, so Benintendi stole the base during the next at-bat. It was the first steal of his major league career after swiping 16 bags in 25 tries in the minors this season.
In the fourth, he lifted a 1-1 curveball into right field for a two-out single while collecting his first career RBI and giving the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.
The 22-year-old added another two-out single to right field by going down to get a changeup for a second RBI. Benintendi then came around to score from second base on a single to left by Mookie Betts. Benintendi hadn’t reached third base when left fielder Rob Segedin gloved the ball, but he flew around the bases and touched home on a crafty head-first slide.
“I was more excited about sliding head-first,” he said. “That’s the first time I slid head-first in a while. In the minors you have to slide feet-first.”
Benintendi is 5-for-13 with three strikeouts since being promoted to the big leagues.
Walking wounded
This is the time of year players are often feeling the pain of a long season. The Red Sox are hurting, with three of the top five hitters in their lineup dealing with injuries.
They thought they might have gotten off easily after Hanley Ramirez suffered a potentially embarrassing injury in Seattle, falling down the dugout steps and hurting his left wrist.
Ramirez missed only two games and return to the lineup Friday, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Saturday, he pinch-hit and struck out again, but not before taking a full-effort swing in which his body twirled halfway around in the process. He shook his left wrist afterward and appeared to be in some pain.
Yesterday, the first baseman was hurting again.
Ramirez was held out of the starting lineup before striking out as pinch-hitter in the ninth.
“It just became sore,” Farrell said. “I don’t know if it’s because of the swings he took (Saturday) in the at-bat that flared it up. But he came in (yesterday) reporting it was a little bit more sore.”
Ramirez isn’t the only dinged-up player that Farrell has to manage.
One day after going 0-for-3 while playing five innings at first base, 40-year-old David Ortiz needed medical treatment to deal with the pain in his feet.
“Went through some pretty heavy treatment to get him to the point where he was available to pinch-hit (he walked in the sixth inning last night),” Farrell said. “It’s his normal maintenance treatment. He was sore this morning when he woke up, which we expected. But everything is at its normal levels right now.”
The designated hitter said Saturday he stiffened up and wasn’t feeling particularly good after playing defense for the first time since last August. He pinch-hit last night and walked, then was removed for a runner.
Dustin Pedroia was still hurting after he fouled a ball hard off his left shin on Friday night and had to miss Saturday’s game, but the second baseman insisted he was ready to play last night and went 0-for-4 while hitting out of the cleanup spot.
Respect for A-Rod
No tears were shed in the Red Sox clubhouse over the news that Alex Rodriguez will play his last game for the New York Yankees on Friday.
“Obviously everything comes to an end at some point,” Pedroia said. “He’s played a long time and done a lot of great things. Obviously I wish him the best in whatever he does after.”
Rodriguez and the Yankees are in town at Fenway Park for three games starting tomorrow.
“It’ll be different,” Pedroia said. “He’s been there a long time. You’ve just got to move on.”
Swihart talk today
Team officials will meet with Blake Swihart when they get back to Boston today to discuss the outfielder/catcher’s next options regarding a severely sprained ankle. Surgery is likely.
“We’re going to sit with Blake (today) and not only give him the information that was derived in the second exam but what are the next steps,” Farrell said. . . .
Outfielder Chris Young, recovering from a hamstring strain, is likely to begin a rehab assignment today or tomorrow.
“He ran today, ran aggressively, so we’ll … see how he gets through (last night),” Farrell said.
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The Red Sox had been planning to ease Andrew Benintendi into the starting lineup.
With a plan to play him only against right-handed pitchers, the Sox thought they could make a simpler transition for the left-handed-hitting prospect with the smooth swing.
But after Benintendi went 2-for-3 in his first career start against the Mariners last week in Seattle and 3-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base in an 8-5 loss to the Dodgers last night, manager John Farrell is already considering altering his plans.
Asked if it was time to make Benintendi an everyday player in left field rather than platooning him with Bryce Brentz, Farrell said, “Yeah, it’s getting closer certainly. We had every intention to ease (Benintendi) in. That easing-in period has happened relatively quick. To say that he won’t see at-bats against left-handers, I’m not going to say that. But we’ve got three right-handed starters coming up in this next series against New York so the one thing you can say is that for the early at-bats, the early starts to his big league career, it’s been impressive.”
Benintendi began last night by slicing a single to left field in the third inning. David Price couldn’t move him over to second with a bunt, so Benintendi stole the base during the next at-bat. It was the first steal of his major league career after swiping 16 bags in 25 tries in the minors this season.
In the fourth, he lifted a 1-1 curveball into right field for a two-out single while collecting his first career RBI and giving the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.
The 22-year-old added another two-out single to right field by going down to get a changeup for a second RBI. Benintendi then came around to score from second base on a single to left by Mookie Betts. Benintendi hadn’t reached third base when left fielder Rob Segedin gloved the ball, but he flew around the bases and touched home on a crafty head-first slide.
“I was more excited about sliding head-first,” he said. “That’s the first time I slid head-first in a while. In the minors you have to slide feet-first.”
Benintendi is 5-for-13 with three strikeouts since being promoted to the big leagues.
Walking wounded
This is the time of year players are often feeling the pain of a long season. The Red Sox are hurting, with three of the top five hitters in their lineup dealing with injuries.
They thought they might have gotten off easily after Hanley Ramirez suffered a potentially embarrassing injury in Seattle, falling down the dugout steps and hurting his left wrist.
Ramirez missed only two games and return to the lineup Friday, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Saturday, he pinch-hit and struck out again, but not before taking a full-effort swing in which his body twirled halfway around in the process. He shook his left wrist afterward and appeared to be in some pain.
Yesterday, the first baseman was hurting again.
Ramirez was held out of the starting lineup before striking out as pinch-hitter in the ninth.
“It just became sore,” Farrell said. “I don’t know if it’s because of the swings he took (Saturday) in the at-bat that flared it up. But he came in (yesterday) reporting it was a little bit more sore.”
Ramirez isn’t the only dinged-up player that Farrell has to manage.
One day after going 0-for-3 while playing five innings at first base, 40-year-old David Ortiz needed medical treatment to deal with the pain in his feet.
“Went through some pretty heavy treatment to get him to the point where he was available to pinch-hit (he walked in the sixth inning last night),” Farrell said. “It’s his normal maintenance treatment. He was sore this morning when he woke up, which we expected. But everything is at its normal levels right now.”
The designated hitter said Saturday he stiffened up and wasn’t feeling particularly good after playing defense for the first time since last August. He pinch-hit last night and walked, then was removed for a runner.
Dustin Pedroia was still hurting after he fouled a ball hard off his left shin on Friday night and had to miss Saturday’s game, but the second baseman insisted he was ready to play last night and went 0-for-4 while hitting out of the cleanup spot.
Respect for A-Rod
No tears were shed in the Red Sox clubhouse over the news that Alex Rodriguez will play his last game for the New York Yankees on Friday.
“Obviously everything comes to an end at some point,” Pedroia said. “He’s played a long time and done a lot of great things. Obviously I wish him the best in whatever he does after.”
Rodriguez and the Yankees are in town at Fenway Park for three games starting tomorrow.
“It’ll be different,” Pedroia said. “He’s been there a long time. You’ve just got to move on.”
Swihart talk today
Team officials will meet with Blake Swihart when they get back to Boston today to discuss the outfielder/catcher’s next options regarding a severely sprained ankle. Surgery is likely.
“We’re going to sit with Blake (today) and not only give him the information that was derived in the second exam but what are the next steps,” Farrell said. . . .
Outfielder Chris Young, recovering from a hamstring strain, is likely to begin a rehab assignment today or tomorrow.
“He ran today, ran aggressively, so we’ll … see how he gets through (last night),” Farrell said.