New manager John Farrell gets his chance this season

FORT MYERS, Fla. Nike Air Max 97 Schuhe Damen Weiß. -- A new Boston manager opened up Red Sox spring training with a smile on his face, and began the festivities with talk of changing the culture and turning the page. Sound familiar? New manager John Farrell gets his chance this season, an at-bat that Bobby Valentine struck out with last season. Farrell met the media on Tuesday at JetBlue Park -- the same day pitchers and catchers reported -- and spoke about new beginnings and a new era in Red Sox baseball after the franchise missed the post-season for the third straight season last year. "Certainly we cant wipe away whats taken place," said Farrell, who is the third Boston manager in three years, joining Valentine and Terry Francona. "Its important that we acknowledge it. But as Ive talked to guys throughout the off-season, what we do going forward is where the focus has to be. Just by virtue of nine new players on a 25-man roster is going to have some natural tendency to change that." The Red Sox, under first-year general manager Ben Cherington and Valentine, stumbled to a 69-93 finish last season. There was controversy in the clubhouse, there were several trades to rid the club of veteran payroll, and there were eight straight losses to finish the season. "The most important thing is that we earn the trust of one another inside the clubhouse first," Farrell said. "And going from there is the style of play that people can identify with this group as a team, and (be) confident that the makeup of the group initially will put ourselves in a position to do that." Of course, Day 1 wasnt without news. A year after injuries ripped through the club, right-hander Clay Buchholz suffered a right hamstring strain and is considered day to day. But pitchers and catchers werent the only players working out. A determined David Ortiz, eager to rid himself of the nightmare that was 2012, was among the early arrivals. "To be honest with you I ran out of patience last year. And Im a player. So I can imagine where the fans were at," Ortiz, a designated hitter, said. "We definitely need to come back and play way better than we did last year." Many of the new veterans are regarded throughout baseball as high-character players. Thats something that should help the teams clubhouse culture which started to sour in the historically disastrous finish to 2011, when the Red Sox went 7-20 in the final month to miss the playoffs, essentially ending Franconas tenure. "I think its very important because -- in addition to the talent that was needed and brought in -- Ben and his staff (considered) the makeup of the individual (and the) team environment (as parts of the) process of changing," Farrell said. "So, when we sought the person inside the player, these were clear targets of ours." But of all the off-season acquisitions, Farrell will likely have the biggest impact. A former Boston pitching coach from 2007-2010 who left to manage the Blue Jays for two seasons, he needs to undo the memories of Valentine, who often clashed with his players and the front office staff. Ortiz was one of Valentines biggest supporters last season. But in the off-season, Valentine said in an interview he thought Ortiz, who missed 35 games with a right Achilles strain, quit on the team. "A lot of players had a lot of issues with our manager last year," Ortiz said. "We have a new manager, a guy thats familiar with the organization, a guy that weve pretty much grown up around. An organization, a team, is like the human body. If the head is right, the body is going to function right. But if the head is messed up, then the body is going to be all over the place. "Im pretty sure that everyone is looking at that as a positive move. And now its a like a fresh start. Were going back to basics with a manager like John." Others, however, chose to stray from the Valentine excuse. "None," said second baseman Dustin Pedroia, when asked how much blame should be placed on Valentine. "He didnt play. Its the players. Bobby didnt go out there and get any hits or make any errors or do any of that. We lost those games. Its on us. "Weve got to do everything better than we did last year." The Red Sox lost nine of their final 10 games last season, and finished 26 games behind the New York Yankees, who won the American League East. "(Last season) was difficult. We had a tough time. We lost a lot of games," Pedroia said. "So I think everybodys motivated to make sure that doesnt happen again. We got in a lot of new guys. I think a lot of guys are excited. So theres going to be a lot of different things going on. Everyone just has to do what they do. Dont try to do too much." One of the new players is catcher David Ross, who returns to the Red Sox after a brief eight-game stint in Boston in 2008. Ross, who turns 36 in March and is a veteran of 11 seasons, was the teams first off-season signing. "At this point in my career, Im not trying to put up any Hall of Fame numbers or anything. I just want to win," he said. "I feel like this place gave me the best chance. I think they were still undecided on what they were going to do when they were talking to me. They asked, Do you care who you play alongside or back up or whatever your role is? I said I was going to try to be the best teammate I can and work hard on the days I play. "Im going to do the best I can to win and support whoever my teammate is. Thats kind of how I was raised. I feel like thats the right thing to do." Its that kind of attitude the Red Sox hope catches on. Nike Air Max 90 Herren Weiß. Detroit was mired in a seven-game losing streak before taking the final three tests of its four-game set versus the Yankees at Comerica Park, including Thursdays 6-3 triumph in the series finale. Brennan Boesch collected a pair of hits, including a home run, and three RBI to lead the Tigers. Nike Air Max 90 Damen Schwarz. James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson are both squarely under the microscope as the Leafs cling to a playoff position. Six losses in seven games with increasingly ineffective play between the pipes has the tide rising with a tough matchup against the Sharks on deck, the second of a four-game homestand. http://www.maxairde.eu/. -- Austen Brassard scored two goals, including the winner at 18:05 of the third period, as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Barrie Colts 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League playoff action. Nike Air Max 2013 Schuhe Herren. Imagine how the Diamondbacks felt. Gallardo emerged from the shadows, outpitching Arizona ace Ian Kennedy as the Milwaukee Brewers kept winning at home with a 4-1 victory in their NL division series opener on Saturday. Air Max 2013 Schuhe Herren Weiß. -- DeMaurice Smith had barely settled behind the podium when University of Maryland students started chanting: "We want football. Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Pinch-hitter Matt Downs capped a four-run ninth inning with a tie-breaking two-run home run to lead the Houston Astros past the Texas Rangers, 5-3, in the finale of a three-game interleague set. Carlos Lee and Chris Johnson had doubles while Jason Michaels added a pair of hits for the Astros, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Mark Melancon (5-1) worked two innings of relief to pick up the win for Houston. Neftali Feliz (0-1) gave up four runs on four hits to record his fourth blown save and absorb the loss for the Rangers. Nelson Cruz crushed a homer while Michael Young added an RBI double for Texas. After entering the ninth trailing 3-1, Houston battled back to take the lead, plating four runs against Feliz. Lee led off the inning with a bang, belting a double down the left field line and Johnson followed two batters later with a double to almost the exact same spot to score Lee. Michaels infield single put runners on the corners for pinch-hitter Downs, who clubbed a 3-1 fastball deep into the seats in left to give the Astros a 5-3 lead. We fight every night, no matter if were down five or were down one, Downs said of his teams resiliency. We always put rallies up in the ninth, sometimes we do it, sometimes we fall short. Texas opened the scoring in its first at-bat. Iaan Kinsler led off the inning with a sharp single to center, stole second, advanced to third on a Josh Hamilton groundout and scored on a wild pitch by Brett Myers to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. Air Max 90 Herren Weiß The Rangers extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth on Cruzs lead-off blast to left, his 17th home run of the season. Houston cut its deficit in half in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Angel Sanchez stroked a single to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch by reliever Dave Bush. Michael Bourn singled to put runners on the corners with no outs and Jason Bourgeois stepped up next, grounding into a 6-4-3 double-play to plate Sanchez. Texas extended its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double by Young. It stinks that we didnt win, Rangers starter Colby Lewis said. The main thing is that we all show up to win. We had an opportunity and we let it slip away. GAME NOTES:Houston owns a 14-23 mark on the road this season...The Rangers are 5-3 this season against National League opponents...Torrealba hit his 11th double of the season in the fifth...Downs home run was his fifth of the season...Texas is now 36-3 when leading after eight innings...Myers went six innings, yielding two runs on six hits while Lewis struck out eight through seven scoreless innings for the Rangers. ' ' '

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