The best Baseball coverage is at BaseballJournal.com http://www.baseballjournal.com Thu, 17 May 2012 22:21:50 -0400 RSSCreator 1.2 http://www.baseballjournal.com/images/design/logo.jpg http://www.baseballjournal.com New England Baseball Journal http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/17_carew_on_hitting_getting.php Everything has a starting point. The starting point of making contact — the starting point of becoming a successful hitter — is the setup. On the surface, it might seem like a rather simple or even natural process, but it’s a very important aspect of your quest to becoming a good hitter. As you start your sequence, watch the pitcher. Don’t stare a hole through him, but remember ... Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/17_around_the_region_schilling.php Pitcher Curt Schilling, whose legendary bloody sock is synonymous with the Red Sox’ historic World Series championship in 2004, heads the latest class of inductees into the Red Sox Hall of Fame, the team announced last month. John I. Taylor, who owned the Red Sox from 1904-11, and conceived and named Fenway Park, also will be enshrined, posthumously, in ceremonies at Fenway Park on Aug. 3. Groundskeeper ... Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/17_amatuer_baseball_fielding.php One thing ballplayers sometimes take for granted are the baseball fields on which they play. In the city of Boston, fields can be scarce for amateur adult players, which makes Paul McCaffrey the most valuable player for hundreds of teams. McCaffrey is the director of permitting for the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, which primarily assigns fields. Whether your team wins or loses, or even ... Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/17_hangin_out_with__ryan.php Hangin' out with ... Red Sox outfielder Ryan Sweeney Growing up in Iowa, how did you get started playing baseball? “Since I was 2 years old, I was playing baseball. They have pictures of me in my diapers doing a pitching motion. I always played baseball. When I was 10 or 11, they had me start playing basketball and stuff.” You don’t see many guys from Iowa make it to the major ... Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/17_tips_from_the_pros_aaron.php Aaron Cook knows how to pitch. The Red Sox’ veteran right-hander never has been a hard thrower, but that hasn’t stopped him from making a big-league All-Star team and pitching in the World Series. He knows that location and changing speeds are every bit as effective as a 95 mph fastball. In the latest installment of Tips from the Pros, Cook talks about what goes into being a good pitcher. On ... Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/15_mound_of_questions_for_red.php For six years, the Red Sox had a record-setting anchor at the back end of their bullpen, and when you have that, everything feels more settled. Nobody questioned Jonathan Papelbon’s ability or dependability, but the front office made the decision that it wasn’t good business to invest four years and $50 million to retain Papelbon, which is what the Philadelphia Phillies paid to sign him. Only ... Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/09_fenway_pa_announcer_carl_beane.php Fenway Park Public Address Announcer Carl Beane died after suffering a heart attack while driving his car in Sturbridge, Mass., on Wednesday. Beane, 59, had been the “Voice of Fenway Park” since the start of the 2003 season. The veteran Boston sports reporter began his work at Fenway Park Opening Day, 2003, after winning a competition held after the 2002 season. “We are filled ... Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/08_canseco_signs_with_worcester.php The Worcester Tornadoes have signed former major league outfielder and designated hitter Jose Canseco to a one-season contract. The native Cuban spent parts of 17 seasons in the majors, mashing 462 home runs. Canseco, who appeared at an introductory press conference on Monday, recorded eight 30-home run seasons, five of them in an Oakland A’s uniform. He also played for the Texas Rangers, Boston ... Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/04_red_sox_add_cook_to_roster.php The Red Sox selected right-handed pitcher Aaron Cook to the active major league roster from Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday. The club also announced that shortstop Jose Iglesias was optioned to Pawtucket following Wednesday night’s game. To make room for Cook on the 40-man roster, the club transferred outfielder Carl Crawford to the 60-day disabled list. Cook is scheduled to start against the ... Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/03_college_notebook_family_reunion.php It was a family reunion of sorts for the Holowaty clan as Eastern Connecticut State traveled to Walla Walla, Wash., for an early-season series against Whitman College. Not just an East vs. West battle, the series also featured longtime Eastern Connecticut coach Bill Holowatyagainst third-year Whitman coach Jared Holowaty, Bill’s son. Eastern Connecticut, ranked ninth in the ABCA/Collegiate ... Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/03_uconns_mazzilli_carries_on.php Carrying on a tradition is nothing new for LJ Mazzilli. The son of former major-league player and manager Lee Mazzilli was sure to draw attention to his famous name as soon as he put on a baseball uniform at a young age. Now, as a junior second baseman for the University of Connecticut, Mazzilli (Greenwich, Conn.) became part of another tradition when he earned first-team preseason All-America recognition ... Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/02_hangin_out_with__nick.php Hangin’ out with … Nick Punto How did you get started playing baseball? “My dad played in competitive softball leagues so I grew up around the softball field with a glove and my hat and shagging flyballs at a young age, 3, 4 years old. Like any other kid, you start T-ball. It was something I loved. It was something, from a young age, I knew I wanted to do just from watching ... Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_portsmouths_record_win_streak.php Portsmouth (N.H.) High School saw its nation-best 89-game winning streak come to a halt on Monday with a 5-4 loss against St. Thomas Aquinas High School of Dover, N.H. Portsmouth's winning streak dated back to the start of the 2008 season and covered four straight New Hampshire state title-winning teams. Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_buyers_guide_footwear.php Buyer's Guide: Footwear MIZUNO http://www.mizunousa.com 9-Spike Classic G6 Mid Switch: A Pro Model metal spike with superior fit, feel and function for the elite athlete. Color inserts to customize to your team colors. MSRP: $105 9-Spike Lite Vapor Elite 5: Lightweight and comfort combined in this pro model spike designed for speed. All metal outsole for added traction, stability and ... Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_buyers_guide_customizing.php Not only does your car talk to you these days, you can choose whose voice you want it to have. There is an app for everything, from making your photos look old to following stocks. Technology has led to diversity and customization, and that applies to your baseball cleats, too. Athletic footwear is a billion-dollar industry, and shoe companies are starting to offer consumers more control of the shoes ... Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_around_the_region_uvm,_lake.php The University of Vermont and the Vermont Lake Monsters of the New York-Penn League announced in March that they have reached an agreement on a 20-year lease for the use of historic Centennial Field in Burlington, Vt. The Lake Monsters are a Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics and have played all of their home games at Centennial Field since joining the league in 1994. Under the terms of ... Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_buchholz_may_be_key_for_sox.php How could one frayed body part have such a profound impact on an entire organization? In a perfect world, a team rallies around the adversity of a wounded teammate and rises above it. But the 2011 Red Sox were a most imperfect bunch and Clay Buchholz’s injured back sunk their postseason hopes a lot more than the beer and the fried chicken that was allegedly being passed around the clubhouse ... Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_minors_qa_kapstein_makes.php Zack Kapstein is looking to make a name for himself, and the 19-year-old nephew of Red Sox special advisor Jeremy Kapstein is off to a good start. Last summer, he hit .400 in 60 Gulf Coast League at-bats, and earlier this spring he hit a memorable home run against Josh Beckett in a batting practice session. Drafted by the Red Sox in 2010, Kapstein is a native of Tiverton, R.I. He sat down with New ... Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/05/01_red_sox_recall_iglesias.php The Boston Red Sox have recalled shortstop Jose Iglesias from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned right-handed pitcher Junichi Tazawa to Pawtucket. Iglesias, 22, is 2-for-6 (.333) in 10 career major league games, all with the Red Sox last season, which was his second professional campaign in the United States. The right-handed batter has appeared in 22 games for the PawSox this year, going 17-for-85 (.200) ... Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/27_red_sox_to_honor_wakefield.php The Boston Red Sox will honor Tim Wakefield May 15 with 'Thanks, Wake Day.' The club plays the Seattle Mariners at special 4:05 p.m. starting time. A pre-game ceremony tribute is expected to begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. The right-handed knuckleball specialist, who won more games at Fenway Park than any pitcher in history, just completed a 19-year career in Major League Baseball, including ... Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/27_hill_activated_by_red_sox.php The Boston Red Sox have activated left-handed pitcher Rich Hill (Milton, Mass.) from the 15-day disabled list. The club also announced that left-handed pitcher Justin Thomas was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket following Thursday night’s game. Hill was active for Friday night’s game against the White Sox in Chicago. Hill, 32, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 4 (retroactive ... Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/27_carew_on_hitting_making_contact.php Long before he was the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Don Mattingly was a phenomenal first baseman for the New York Yankees who was one of the best hitters of his time. So a compliment from him certainly goes a long way. “Rod Carew influenced me a lot,” Mattingly said during his playing days. “Watching him use the whole field has helped make me the hitter I am today. He goes ... Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/27_soxspace_iglesias_defense.php After signing as an international free agent in September 2009, Jose Iglesias presumably will become the everyday shortstop for the Boston Red Sox at some point this season. But why not now? The obvious answer is that the 22-year-old, Cuban-born shortstop has struggled to get a sizable amount of at-bats in the past two seasons in the minors due to injuries. And when the defensive wizard has gotten ... Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/26_portsmouth_nh_reclaims.php The longest high school baseball winning streak in the nation once again belongs to Portsmouth (N.H.) High School. The Clippers earned a 10-0 win over Windham (N.H.) High School on Wednesday to run its winning streak to 88 games, eclipsing the 87-game winning streak of Martensdale-St. Mary’s of Iowa. Wednesday marked the second time in as many years that Portsmouth claimed the national record. ... Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/24_summer_camp_guide_keys_to.php Choosing a summer baseball camp can be a bewildering experience for players and parents. Google will bring you thousands of options — fancy-looking websites, camps that promise major-league names or big-name college networking opportunities. The toughest thing about finding a camp might be figuring out where to start. Start with yourself. “There are so many different types of camps out ... Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/24_simple_advice_from_a_camp.php In the field of athletic recruiting, it is harder to find a more hot-button topic than that of the role of camps. Here are some key points from a college coach’s view on baseball camps: ►Above all else, get an evaluation One of the biggest benefits you can get by going to a camp in any sport is for the athlete, or the parent, to get a sense of how talented you are as it compares to the ... Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/23_umass_tops_harvard_for_beanpot.php The UMass baseball team claimed its sixth Beanpot Championship with an 8-7 win over Harvard at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Mass., on April 18. Conor LeBlanc, a freshman left-hander, was stellar on the mound for UMass, improving to 3-0 on the season with the win. He worked into the seventh, throwing six shutout innings, and struck out 11, while walking just one and scattering nine hits with three runs ... Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/22_tips_from_the_pros_max_st.php When the Red Sox signed Max St. Pierre this offseason, it wasn’t because of his bat. The veteran of 1,061 games — all but six in the minor leagues — is considered one of the best defensive catchers in the business. Consistently among the league leaders in fielding percentage, St. Pierre has thrown out close to 40 percent of runners trying to steal. In the latest installment of Tips ... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/22_amateur_baseball_big_decisions.php It’s just quite possible that Little League is more for the parents than for the kids. I began coaching my son’s Wakefield, Mass., youth baseball team in T-ball, three years ago. The last two seasons, he was in Single A, consisting of the coaches doing the pitching. With my son 9 years old now and entering the “real minors,” where kids pitch, he had the privilege of entering ... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.baseballjournal.com/news/2012/04/22_red_sox-yankees_game_postponed.php The Red Sox-Yankees game scheduled for Sunday night, April 22, has been postponed due to inclement weather. According to the Red Sox professional weather service, Telvent DTN, the forecast called for the rain showers to increase in intensity throughout the afternoon and evening hours, and remain steady into Monday afternoon. This forecast, which also includes high winds and cold temperatures, is ... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT