Will Middlebrooks ready to get into the swing of things in the bigs. (AP)

The moment of truth finally arrived Wednesday for 23-year-old Will Middlebrooks.

The fifth round pick of the Red Sox in the 2007 entry draft was slotted into his first big league lineup as he batted eighth and played third base after Kevin Youkilis was placed on the disabled list earlier in the day with a back injury.

Growing up in Greenville, TX, he paid close attention to another superstar on the left side of the infield.

“I always watched Cal Ripken, that’s who I watched growing up,” Middlebrooks said. “He’s a great player. He played every day. That’s what I’m shooting for.”

Ripken played in 2,632 straight games. Middlebrooks was playing in his first Wednesday night.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t going to be nervous,” Middlebrooks said. “I’m just going to go out there and have fun. Just play my game and be Will Middlebrooks.

The advice of the Red Sox?

“Don’t try to be anybody else and come out here, play your game and have fun,” he said. “I’ve never really tried to compare myself to other people. I just want to be my own player and do things my own way.”

What was his first reaction when he got the call on Tuesday?

“Unbelievable. This is something you work toward your whole life so it feels really good to be here,” Middlebrooks told reporters in the Red Sox clubhouse Wednesday afternoon. “I worked to be here. I was ready when they called so I’m ready to go.”

Middlebrooks batted .333 with nine homers and 27 RBIs in 24 games this season for Triple-A Pawtucket before Wednesday’s call-up.

“I was having a really productive year. I thought I had a lot of positive output, not only me but my teammates. We were playing really good baseball.”

Middlebrooks was a big reason why the PawSox are off to a 16-10 start, good for a one-game lead in the North Division of the International League.

“Being able to create relationships with these guys and being able to come in here and be comfortable is huge,” said Middlebrooks of his experience with players like Dustin Pedroia, Youkilis and Adrian Gonzalez in spring training. “Just that they were an open book and to use them. Those guys have been around and those are the guys I’m going to be talking to so I’m just going to learn as much as I can.”

Middlebrooks, whose parents were en route to Fenway for his big league debut, said he’s been preparing for this moment in his mind for quite a while.

“About 23 years so yeah, it feels great,” Middlebrooks said.

Marlon Byrd (center) has been the focus of a resurgent Red Sox offense. (AP)

This has been one weird season for Marlon Byrd.

The man who signed for $15 million over three years with the Cubs before the 2010 season was released by Chicago after going collecting just three hits in his first 43 at-bats this season.

The Cubs picked up the remaining $6 million on his contract and the Red Sox, desperately needing a major league outfielder with the injury to Jacoby Ellsbury, picked him up for the pro-rated major league minimum of $435,000.

Low risk, but so far high reward. The batter who was hitting .070 with the Cubs is batting .333 (10-for-30) with the Red Sox to raise his average to .178. He’s been one of the biggest beneficiaries of hitting in a lineup that produced more runs than any in baseball through the first month.

“Boys can play. Went through a rut. Had a great road trip. Came back and started off with a bang,” Byrd said. “Hitting is contagious. It’s as simple as that. I scuffled for a while over there in Chicago but coming over here, watching these guys, picking their brains, talking to [Kevin Youkilis] and little things he does has helped me. Sometimes, you need to re-learn, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”

Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan has had a huge impact on Byrd, sitting down with the talented slugger, who made the 2010 NL All-Star team with the Cubs before falling on hard times in the last 18 months.

“See the ball, hit the ball but at the same time, maybe spreading out just a little bit, making sure I get my hands back in my separation, tucking my front knee in so when I do separate, I’m not going back on my backside,” Byrd said in breaking down the mechanics of his swing. “My timing, starting it when pitcher breaks his hands so it’s not one thing. It sounds difficult but for me, it’s easy to put that all together and simply it.”

Byrd was known for his unusual leg tap and kick to trigger his swing. That’s great when it works but a huge problem when it doesn’t. What did Mags suggest?

“Mags is huge,” Byrd said after Monday’s 11-6 Red Sox win, in which he went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. “Mags just said, ‘Forget about everything you’re doing, go back to 2009, 2010, and let’s start over and go from there.’ Forget the tap step, forget the leg kick, get [front foot] down early and go to work. We just went back to the old work.”

The red-hot David Ortiz has also help Byrd by simply hitting in the same lineup.

“It’s unbelievable,” Byrd beamed. “It takes the pressure off a lot of guys when David does his thing. You don’t have to scrounge for runs. You’re not trying to get a bunt down or really try to hit a home run to get an inning going. He gets it going for us. He’s a fire-starter and that’s what he’s doing.”

Byrd had to overcome something else Monday – stepping into the same batter’s box in which he was beaned by now-teammate Alfredo Aceves 12 months ago. For the first time since taking a pitch below the left eye, Byrd had the chance to hit at Fenway, and showed no ill effects.

“You don’t ever want that to happen but it’s part of the game,” Byrd said. “Some guys get hit, some guys don’t. It happened to me. Hopefully, it doesn’t ever happen again.”

Byrd says he couldn’t be happier to have found a new home at Fenway.

“Wonderful, wonderful. I always loved playing here. Usually, I get booed. The only cheers were when I got hit last year and I stood up and actually walked off the field. Other than that, it’s great. I love it. I got to hear “Sweet Caroline” again in a Red Sox uniform and it didn’t feel weird singing it.”

Aaron Cook has a 1.89 ERA in five Triple-A starts. (AP)

With a May 1 deadline looming on a major league option, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said Monday that if the Red Sox decide to promote righthander Aaron Cook, he will begin in the team’s bullpen. Valentine said he met with general manager Ben Cherington earlier in the day Monday to discuss a possible landing spot for him on the big league 25-man roster.

“Ben was in this afternoon,” Valentine said. “We talked again on that. I’m sure he has all his ducks in order and again, I don’t know exactly when, why, how, these deadlines and all that. Everyone’s opinion has been shared.”

If the Red Sox select him, Cook will receive $1.5 million. If they don’t he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Valentine made it clear that if the team promotes him by Tuesday, he will come out of the bullpen, despite going 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA in five starts for Pawtucket this April.

“I haven’t talked to him so I can’t speak for him,” Valentine said. “When he throws his sinker, it’s a real good pitch. A lot of hitters hit the top of it. He didn’t pitch that well [in spring training], but when he was throwing well and had that sinker, I really liked it. It’s a little different pitch than many people feature. Competitiveness, he works quickly, he fields his position, has game presence, all that good stuff. I like that, too.”

Asked about how he would manage Cook and use him out of the pen after making a series of starts for Triple-A Pawtucket to start the season, Valentine admitted he’d have his hands full.

“I think it’d be challenging,” Valentine said. “Right now, I couldn’t say it would be anything other than [relief pitching].”

Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled to make his next rehab start this Friday for Triple-A Pawtucket. It will be his third of the spring after starts for Class A Salem and Double-A Portland.

“Depending on the weather, we’re trying to make a plan so in case there’s bad weather, he doesn’t get off schedule,” Valentine said Monday.

Last Saturday, Matsuzaka faced 17 hitters over 4 2/3 innings, Matsuzaka allowed one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out seven (all swinging), in a game the SeaDogs won, 9-1, at Hadlock Field in Portland. Read the rest of this entry »

Dustin Pedroia (shown here with Bobby Valentine) wouldn't turn his back on Kevin Youkilis Monday. (AP)

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia came to teammate Kevin Youkilis‘ defense prior to Monday’s early game against the Rays, following manager Bobby Valentine‘s critical comments about the third baseman Sunday.

“I know that Youk plays as hard as anybody I’ve ever seen in my life,”Pedroia said. “I have his back, and his teammates have his back. We know how hard he plays. I don’t really understand what Bobby’s trying to do. But that’s really not the way we go about our stuff here. I’m sure he’ll figure that out soon.”

[Click here to hear Dustin Pedroia's full comments.]

Added Pedroia: “We’ve got Youk’s back. He’s played his [butt] off for us for a long time. Anytime he steps on the field, he’s a great player. We’re here to win, and we’re here to win with him.”

Asked if he thought Valentine’s comments could have been meant as a motivational tool, Pedroia didn’t sound impressed.

“Maybe in Japan or something,” he said, referring to Valentine’s stint as a manager there. “Over here in the U.S., we’re on a three-game winning streak, we want to feel good and keep it rolling. We feel we have a good team and we’ve just got to get each other’s backs and play together. Because if you don’t do that, I don’t care what sport you’re playing, you’re not going to win.”

Pedroia said he had not yet talked to Valentine about the issue.

“I’ll talk to Bobby and talk to everybody,” he said. “We’ll figure it out.”

Dustin Pedroia has his sights on 'the moon' in 2012. (AP)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Dustin Pedroia is ready.

The second baseman in his sixth year with the Red Sox is ready for a new outlook, new manager and new feel in 2012.

And he’s come up with a new catch-phase.

On his way out Wednesday, Pedroia, who spent seven hours shooting a Sullivan Tire commercial Tuesday, said he was on a mission.

“Heading out to hit cage bombs, going to the moon,” Pedroia said.

What was his offseason training like?

“I was trying to straight body build, man,” he said without cracking a smile. “That’s basically it, and hit cage bombs.”

Before that, he spent several minutes talking about why he feels good coming into this season.

“We’re going to play good baseball,” Pedroia said of the fundamental approach of new skipper Bobby Valentine. “I’m excited, I’m excited to go play. Last year, the end was tough but we have to regroup together, come out and play good baseball and do it all year long.”

As for Valentine, Pedroia knows he must get accustomed to a new message coming from the manager’s office. He’s ready to start getting a feel for the specifics.

“I’ve been here a day and a half and met him a couple of times but we’ll find out more once camp goes,” Pedroia said. “From what I hear, he’s thinking about baseball non-stop and thinking about fundamentals and trying to get this team where this team needs to be.

“Play the game the right way. That’s basically it. I don’t have answers for what went on last year. Last year is over. It was tough. There’s not a day that goes by I don’t think about it. You have to try and turn the page and come out and play well and play for your teammates. That’s what I’m going to try and do.”

Pedroia knows Valentine will have a different approach than Terry Francona, the manager he would play cribbage and cards with before games.

“It’s different,” Pedroia said. “That’s the only thing I’ve kind of known. Things change. It’s tough to see [Francona] go, especially the way that it ended for us last year. He’ll always be a close friend of mine. Whatever he chooses to do going forward, I’m pulling for him.” Read the rest of this entry »

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Daniel Bard knows what he’s getting into. As matter of fact, he was adamant Tuesday, on the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers, that he asked Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington last fall to give him a shot at earning a starter’s spot in the rotation.

“I spoke with Ben [Monday] and he just said, ‘Hey, we wouldn’t do this unless we really thought it would work.’ And I said, ‘I wouldn’t be doing it if didn’t think it would work.’ I’m all in,” Bard said at the picnic bench outside the Red Sox clubhouse. “I’m committed to it and I think they are, too.

“I’m really excited about it. I think it’s a great opportunity for me. It’s something I asked for. Ben was very receptive. This was before Pap had even left. I brought it up to the team. They were very receptive. Then when Pap left, I figured they would kind of forget it ever happened and just move on because they wouldn’t want to lose both of us from the bullpen. Ben called me shortly after that and said, ‘We want to ride this through and see if we can get some bullpen arms.’ He was able to do that with [Andrew Bailey] and [Mark Melancon] and it opened the door for me to do this.”

Bard’s pitching coach Bob McClure is no stranger to this transition. He did it when he was with the Brewers in the 1983 and ’84.

“McClure had done it back in the day,” Bard said. “He’s offered me some good advice. He had done it with a couple of his pitchers in Kansas City. [Justin Masterson] has done it, talked to Masty this offseason. We were catching up on the phone and he was excited for me about it. It’s more just believing in yourself.”

McClure told our Alex Speier he certainly believes Bard can make the transition from flame-throwing set-up man to starter.

“Can a guy repeat this type of delivery? Daniel’s is very simple. My guess is yes,” said McClure. “Whether he can start, I don’t know. It’s a whole different gig. But can he repeat what he’s doing 100 times, 120 times, 130 times? I believe he can.

“It’s a very simple, simple delivery. At first look, can he repeat his delivery where he can get the ball down there where he wants to throw it? I would think he can because his delivery is so simple.”

The origins of Bard returning to his roots as a starter came right after the heartbreaking end to the 2011 season.

“I think it was early November or late October,” Bard recalled. “It was kind of just brought up. I mentioned it to my agent and he had some talks with Ben. And they went from there. Ben called me to see what my thoughts were and hear it straight form me. It just kind of progressed. I think it was kind of set in stone when I spoke to Bobby when he was hired. Our first conversation [he said], ‘What do you want to do?’ I said, ‘I want to start or close. I think I can do either one really well. Whatever you guys think will help the team more.’

“Turns out, they think starting is the way to go.” Read the rest of this entry »

Cody Ross gets his batting practice rips in Tuesday with the Red Sox. (Mike Petraglia, WEEI.com)

FORT MYERS — Of all the new faces on the Red Sox this spring, there’s probably no one who can relate more with what happened to the Red Sox last September than Cody Ross.

While the Red Sox were slumping in September, Ross was on a Giants team that was at least expected to make it back to the playoffs to defend their 2010 World Series title. They faded and missed the playoffs completely.

“To be quite honest, I really didn’t realize it all that much because we were going through so [many] struggles ourselves,” Ross said Tuesday morning in his new digs in the Red Sox clubhouse. “To have a team win the World Series and come back and not even make the playoffs, that’s terrible. So, I was trying to focus on that. I really didn’t know what was going on until after the offseason and then I was like, ‘Wow, it was quite a slide.’

“Them and the Braves had similar slides going down the stretch. It definitely didn’t affect my decision, thinking I don’t know if I want to play for that team. I want to be on a team where I knew everybody in here wants to go to that next level and go to the playoffs.”

Looking to fill the void in right field after J.D. Drew left and while Ryan Kalish continues to heal from neck surgery, the Red Sox signed 31-year-old right-handed bat on Jan. 23 to a one-year, $3 million deal. He’ll battle with Ryan Sweeney and Kalish for playing time in right.

“I knew with the changes they’ve made they’re trying to get a different feel and a different look,” Ross said. “I felt like I’d be a perfect fit coming in, maybe bring a little different energy or whatever you have. It definitely played a role.”

Sweeney thinks his experience playing right field at AT&T Park in San Francisco last year will come in handy.

“Coming from San Francisco, that’s probably one of the most challenging right fields in all of baseball,” he said. “Here it’s tough as well. But it’s just something you have to get used to. I’ll be out there early every day, getting used to the dimensions and the wall. Just something you get used to.”

Ross had the reputation as a versatile outfielder when he was claimed in late Aug. 2010 off waivers to merely block a similar attempt by the Padres, who at the time were leading the NL West. Read the rest of this entry »