Russell Martin says he holds no grudges against the Red Sox.

But you certainly couldn’t prove it by the show he put on Saturday at Fenway Park, belting two homers to the Monster seats in left as part of a four-homer barrage that led the Yankees over the Red Sox, 9-4.

Martin afterward acknowledged the Red Sox tested the waters on the veteran catcher as a back-up but were scared off by the torn labrum in his right hip from last August – the same injury that slowed Mike Lowell over his last two seasons in Boston.

“The Red Sox, I think they were a little iffy with the injuries that I had and they weren’t too sure,” Martin said. “It was one of those injuries that hadn’t happened in baseball. The Yankees took the chance and hopefully, I’ll make it a good one for them.”

The Red Sox decided on keeping Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who has mirrored many in the Boston lineup with a slow start. Salty went 1-for-4 Saturday which actually raised his average to .182 in eight games as the first-string catcher.

The Yankees, on the other hand, were not as picky as the Red Sox and felt they needed a veteran presence behind the plate to finally take some of the load off Jorge Posada until prospect Jesus Montero is ready. Call Martin a “bridge” catcher.

“I hadn’t played since August,” Martin said. “I was injured but I did the right things to get back healthy and I feel fresh.

“My focus is just going out there and giving my best effort every day. With this lineup, you feel like you’re protected anywhere you hit, and that’s a little bit different than the last couple of years. I feel comfortable wherever I hit in the lineup and I’m just trying to put good swings on the ball.” Read the rest of this entry »

FORT MYERS, Fla. — If Kevin Youkilis fields third base the way he fielded questions for 20 minutes Tuesday morning inside the Red Sox minor league complex, he’ll have no problem achieving one of his goals in 2011 – a Gold Glove at third base to match his one already on the mantle for first base.

Moving to third won't be a long stretch for Kevin Youkilis.

He touched on several topics, his surgically repaired right thumb, missing Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre, Albert Pujols eventually getting his money, making the move to becoming a full-time third baseman and his distaste for talking to opponents when he played first base.

Youkilis pronounced himself fully healthy and ready for the next challenge of his career. The veteran infielder, who won the American League Gold Glove at first base in 2007, is looking for the same honor at third base this season.

“As long as I’m not making mental errors, that’s the key,” Youkilis said. “It’d be cool if I could play just as well at third base and try to win a Gold Glove. There’s a lot of great third basemen out there. It’d be cool. If I could play at a high level and win a Gold Glove at third base and first base, that’d be awesome.

“But, for me, I’m not worried about the accolades. I’m just worried about making the routine plays and trying to make a couple of great plays here and there to get our pitchers out of some jams.”

Francona said he has no doubt that Youkilis will make a smooth transition to third, where he was an All-American while at the University of Cincinnati.

“I think he’s always viewed himself as a third baseman,” Francona said. “A couple years there he thought he was Happy Gilmore.”

Youkilis, who said his right thumb is 100 percent after a winter of conditioning and strengthening, said he will have no problem moving back to third base on a full time basis since he filled in the injured Mike Lowell several times last season.

“I’ve been a third baseman all my life, played third base at the major league level quite a few times and played over there when Mike Lowell was hurt,” Youkilis added. “I feel great. Body feeling’s good. The hand is feeling good. Just got in good shape like normal. Just ready to go out and play third base this year. There are no restrictions. All the good stuff that comes with baseball I can do.”

Something Youkilis doesn’t consider good stuff is trying to be a social director at first base. In other words, he’s no Sean Casey.

“It’s just not interesting,” Youkilis said. “It’s fun sometimes if you have guys you know and you’ve played against. There’s some guys you might not care for too much. You get to know people over there, too. You get to understand people a lot more. But the social scene over there, I can do without. I’ve never been a social-scene kind of guy.

“It’s not fun. You want no-hitters and perfect games thrown where you don’t have to cover the base, but that’s not possible all the time. For me, I’ll leave it to Sean Casey, Jim Thome, guys that are really good over there. Kevin Millar. I’ll leave it to them to master that.”

As for Pujols, who has a Wednesday deadline for the Cardinals to get an extension done, Youkilis is pretty sure that he’ll be taken care of somewhere.

“I think he’ll be happy somewhere, getting paid a lot of money,” Youkilis said. “If he wants to come to the AL East and face some of this pitching, he can come.”

Mike Lowell

For the first time in his adult life, baseball season is starting without Mike Lowell. And he’s fine with that.

“I don’t think I feel the way I wanted to, so that has been a little comforting, I guess,” Lowell said from his Miami-area home. “I know I’m going to miss playing. But I’ve been entertaining myself in other ways, so it’s been pretty good. It’s been a good transition so far.

“I think I’m surprisingly happy. Plus, I think my hip has gone a little bit downhill.”

If there was any doubt creeping into Lowell’s mind of late, they were recently turned back after making a visit to Dr. Bryan Kelly’s office in New York City. While visiting Kelly, the former Red Sox third baseman was advised he may have to undergo another surgery on his already surgically repaired right hip.

“I went to New York last weekend, got an X-ray and they told me it has gotten progressively worse, so I got another cortisone shot and I think I might have to have a resurfacing surgery around September,” explained Lowell, who underwent surgery on his torn hip labrum following the 2008 season.

“Without medication or pain management I don’t think I can run 50 yards right now, I know I can’t. I don’t want to be taking meds to go about my day-to-day life. I feel like my quality of life is going down a little bit. I want to teach my kid how to run the bases in Little League instead of just standing there. It seems trivial but it bothers me that I can’t do it.”

Lowell has been able to work out using an elliptical machine, while also diving into the world of paddle-boarding. And the doctors informed the 36-year-old that with the surgery, his hip could hold up “15-plus years,” with the arthritic part of the hip healing instantly. (“That,” he said, “sounds exciting to me.”)

Yet, he still understands that a hip replacement is most likely inevitable, and that the planned operation wouldn’t exactly put him in position to play again.
Still, there are other priorities for Lowell these days and stepping on a baseball field – unless it’s his children’s Little League diamond – isn’t one of them.

And as far as how 2010 shook out, despite the struggles with his health, there were no regrets.

“I got through artificially with anti-inflammatories and pain medication,” he said. “I don’t know if that was the greatest thing for the hip, but I don’t regret doing it.

“But I’m excited to take my kids to a baseball game and instead of them watching me I want to tell them what’s going on so they can learn the strategy of what’s going on.”

According to Lowell, who has had offers from multiple national media outlets to serve as a baseball analyst, it is a progression that was put in motion well before he experienced problems with his hip.

He explained that when negotiating his contract following the ’07 season, he turned down a four-year offer from the Phillies for more reasons than just wanting to stay with the Red Sox. Retirement was already on Lowell’s mind.

“I think everybody’s decision comes at different times,” he said. “For me, my decision started about three years ago when I looked ahead and saw what ages my kids would be and what would bring me the most satisfaction as a person. I think circumstances made it easier to make the decision when I did. I’m still just as comfortable as the way I went out as when I mentioned throughout the season. If anything I had a chance to have a nice ceremony on the day of a game I ended up playing in. For me, that meant a lot.

“I told my agent after ’07 not to go crazy going for the four-year deal even though everybody would prefer it because I’m not sure I’m going to play after three. The money was there already. I wasn’t stressed about that. It was definitely in my thoughts. I really didn’t know how the year was going to pan out. Let’s say I went and had a great year [in ‘10], I still think I would have retired. I don’t think the numbers would have determined. I think the point in my life would have determined it.”

Just another Yankee-Red Sox marathon.

Brett Gardner scored the winning run from second in the top of the 10th when Bill Hall overran Derek Jeter‘s infield single at second base as the Yankees prevailed, 6-5, in 10 innings at Fenway Park in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

And it only took four hours, 18 minutes to decide. All of this before a nightcap that was scheduled to begin 45 minutes later.

Robinson Cano homered and doubled twice, driving in two, and Curtis Granderson tripled in a run and scored twice as the Yankees built a 5-3 lead only to see the Red Sox tie it with single runs in the seventh and eighth.

After being honored in a pregame ceremony at third base, Mike Lowell received a standing ovation after being lifted for pinch-runner Lars Anderson in the fifth inning. Lowell doubled home two runs off Andy Pettitte in the first inning, staking the Red Sox to a 2-0 lead. Lowell finished 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.

The Lowell festivities overshadowed the final appearance this season by Tim Wakefield, who also received a standing ovation after warming up for the sixth inning, only to be pulled by manager Terry Francona for reliever Rich Hill. Wakefield allowed seven hits and five runs over five innings, striking out six while walking three.

Afterward, Wakefield told the media that 2011 will likely be his last in the majors before he calls it a career.

The Red Sox worked Pettitte for nine hits and three runs over only four innings, forcing Pettitte to leave after throwing 88 pitches. Jonathan Papelbon (5-7) gave up the unearned run in the 10th and was saddled with his seventh loss in 12 decisions. Phil Hughes (18-8) earned the win by pitching a perfect ninth while Mariano Rivera worked a perfect 10 for his 33rd save.

With the end of the regular season approaching, Peter Gammons of the MLB Network and NESN joined the Big Show to discuss the upcoming playoffs, the changes the Red Sox have to make in the offseason, and the retirement of Mike Lowell.

Following are some highlights from the conversation. To hear the interview, visit The Big Show audio on demand page. Click here for the interview.

On a season of injuries for Red Sox:

If you take [Jacoby] Ellsbury, [Dustin] Pedroia, Victor Martinez and [Kevin] Youkilis, you probably have the best front four in baseball. They were together eight times all year. But there were other factors. The fact that their pitchers have a 4.99 ERA besides [Clay] Buchholz and [Jon] Lester, there’s blame there. … I never realized how important Okajima was to this team until they didn’t have him. …

I have no idea where they are going to go. I think the number of options that they have from here, there’s like ten scenarios, and I don’t know where they’ll go.

On how the Sox will proceed with David Ortiz:

I think they will pick [David Ortiz' option] up because I know they are really worried that if they don’t he’s going to be hitting against right-handed pitchers in either New York or Tampa, and I think that’s a tough thing to swallow. Now, he may not be happy about them picking up the one year … [but] he did sign the contract. I understand where he’s coming from and what he’s given to this franchise but that’s the luck of the draw.

On whether free agent Adrian Beltre might be back:

I think that’s going to be a very tough signing. I find Beltre a really compelling guy. He plays so hard. Now he’s at the point where he won’t tell them when he’s hurt because he’s afraid that they’ll make him sit down. Beltre just plays so hard all the time. I love the thing when on breaking balls he drops to one knee and hits the balls into the seats.

He has to be comfortable. He was really comfortable in Los Angeles and he’s really comfortable here. He was uncomfortable in Seattle. If he ends up in Detroit — which I think might be a stopping point for him — how comfortable is he going to be there? Very bad ballpark for him. It will be very interesting to see how he and [agent Scott Boras] come to this.

Could Adam Dunn end up in New York?

Adam is so adamant about not wanting to DH, I don’t think he’s going to have any choice. I really don’t. The Nationals are putting up a great front because people love him and he’s a great guy. They’re not going to sign him because they don’t know where to play him in the field. I can see that. He’s a big on-base guy. I could see the Yankees doing it. But the other problem there is, if you bring him in as the DH, what do you do with [Jorge] Posada?

On Carl Crawford’s free agent destination:

I’ll be fascinated by the Crawford thing. Everybody assumes he’s going to go to the Angels. I’m not so sure. First of all, [Angels owner] Arte Moreno isn’t always great with free agents. Arte likes to kind of do business, ‘OK, this is what I’ll pay you and that’s that.’

Crawford would like to move from being a leadoff guy to being a third hitter. He’d like to win batting titles. He likes this ballpark. This will be an interesting situation. If the Red Sox went to him, and said, ‘You’re going to play left field. Ellsbury is still going to be leading off. He’ll do more running. You only have to run 40 times a year and hit line drives all over the ballpark.’ That’s an intriguing guy.

On whether he thinks it more likely that the Sox pursue free agent Carl Crawford of Jayson Werth this offseason:

I think Crawford. I think. It’s clear that they believe in 2012 that [Ryan] Kalish is going to become a really good player in right field. And I buy that, I think he’s going to become a tremendous player. He’s going to hit, and I love the whole Darin Erstad, Grady Sizemore personality that he brings to a team. I was amazed — he walked in here and all the veteran players were like ‘Great, this is better than a trade, we brought up Ryan Kalish,’ which speaks volumes about who he is, what he is, the way he plays. I’m sure he’ll play at least half the season next year in Triple-A, but he’s the one guy who’s come up and made quite an impression.

Who are the contenders in the playoffs this year?

I think the shift has started to the National League. The best young players are in the National League. I think the best two postseason teams are Philadelphia and San Francisco. … Don’t underestimate the fact that the Giants’ ERA is the best in one month since May 1968 and that the three main guys [Matt] Cain, [Tim] Lincecum, and [Madison] Bumgarner are 12-1 with an ERA of about 1.20 in September, even better than Halladay, Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

I still think it’s going to be Minnesota [coming out of the American League]. They’ve got to get their pitching back. [Francisco] Liriano has had three bad starts in a row. The Yankees have lost  nine consecutive starts by opposing left-handers. If the Yankees play the Twins, who they usually have beaten, Liriano and [Brian] Duensing have to come up big.

On John Lackey’s struggles for Boston:

I think he should be better than this. He’s been OK. But it’s not just like they found a few holes. His stuff has not been as crisp. He’s been durable but his stuff hasn’t been as good as it was in Anaheim. I don’t think that that consistency he showed last year using both his off-speed pitches and his fastball was there this year. But it’s also different being here. Maybe his father-in-law is upset at him because he’s not winning all his games for the Red Sox. He has had a couple of arm problems and it will be interesting to see how he comes out next year. … In his case, it is how does he get his velocity back? In Beckett’s case, it’s how do I get my arrogance back?

Does Daisuke Matsuzaka come back:

I think they might trade him. Because his contract is not bad and he can pitch in the National League. Let’s say they lose Victor Martinez and Beltre, I can see them trading Daisuke for Carlos Beltran and putting him in left field. I think Beltran will come back and have a monster year. The Mets would love to do that if they have a general manager by Opening Day. I think there are a number of places he can be traded to. The Dodgers, Seattle. Of course, he may end up in court if he gets traded to the Dodgers.

On Mike Lowell’s retirement and legacy:

One of the most popular players in my time covering here. The number of people every day who come up and say, ‘I really love Mike Lowell,’ it’s great. He won two World Series rings, which means two more World Series rings than Ted Williams. He had great years in 2003 for the Marlins and 2007 for the Red Sox. He knocked in, what, 120 and 110 runs in those two years. He’s been a really good player, he’s played hurt and never recovered from the hip. It’s a nice thing to leave the game, or your job, and be that respected and that well-liked. I don’t think we’ll have anything to worry about Mike Lowell losing his money. He got hurt and he kept trying to play, but there was nothing he could do.

Terry Francona

Red Sox manager Terry Francona, appearing on the Dale & Holley show one day after his team was eliminated officially from the playoff race, acknowledged the disappointment that his team will not be playing beyond this coming weekend. While Francona lauded the effort put forth by the 2010 Sox, he said that it will be difficult to follow a postseason in a year when his team is not in it.

“I’ll have [the playoffs] on. Down deep, I like baseball so much,” Francona said. “But it’s a bad feeling. It’s probably hard to explain. It probably sounds a lot like sour grapes. But we’re just not ready to go home. I know you’re supposed to be a good sport and congratulate the other team, but it’s hard. You want to be there. And we’ve been there before. There’s probably jealousy and envy. We just don’t like it.”

Following is a transcript. To hear the interview, visit the Dale & Holley audio on demand page.

We sort of expected it would become official and it finally did last night, was it sort of inevitable you felt going down this last week or so?

I don’t know, we actually probably never really tried to think about it. I think sometimes if you’re supposed to try to be practical, you know, it doesn’t pay to be. We’re just trying to win and win and win and hope somebody else lost and, you know, just trying to make it last as long as possible. Like you said, it ended last night but, you know, we just, I don’t know, common sense, I don’t know if that really helps you sometimes.

You sound a little down, is it officially not making the playoffs or is it something else?

Oh, I’m just sick, everybody’s passing it around, and I’m miserable. I’m doing my best because my head feels like it’s beaten against the wall.

So what’s the plan now that it’s official, how do you approach the final days of the season?

You know, probably not a whole lot different. We’ve been trying to balance, for the last two weeks, playing some of the younger guys, keeping some guys healthy, you know, the veterans have been playing and playing hurt are doing such a great job. We’ll probably do pretty similar the rest of the way out. We have five games left and we’ll probably try to do that. We’re certainly not going to over-pitch somebody or overextend somebody, but at the same time, you know, we’re professional ball players and our guys have been in and out of the lineup and we’ll continue to mix and match and hopefully win games.

Read the rest of this entry »

NEW YORK — Mike Lowell has never made any secret of his attachment to the Yankees, the team that drafted him and with whom he made his major league debut in 1998. And so, over the last few days, as the 36-year-old prepares for retirement, it was unsurprising to see him exchange pleasantries with members of the organization of which he was once a part.

Yet as he prepared to leave New York for the last time as a player, Lowell did not feel an abiding sense of nostalgia for playing in the Bronx. He has too little history in the New Yankee Stadium, and in the grand scheme of things, too few games in New York to feel a major emotional tug as he left the ballpark following the Red Sox’ 4-3 loss in extra innings.

“I don’t feel a major attachment here,” said Lowell. “I feel more of an attachment to their organization and the system and I came up in.”

Even so, his final plate appearance in New York was very nearly a momentous one. It was Lowell who stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth inning and, with Bill Hall racing from first to third with a pair of one-out steals, worked his way to a full count before driving a Mariano Rivera cutter to deep center for a sacrifice fly that gave the Sox a fleeting 3-2 lead.

That contribution was nearly forgotten shortly thereafter, when the Yankees came back to win the contest. Even so, Lowell will take one last pleasant thought from his final plate appearance in Yankee Stadium.

“I guess it’s a good thing that my last at-bat was an RBI against the best closer in the game,” said Lowell. “I’ll take that.”