I think both Ellsbury and Lowrie suffered leg muscle strains. It would be the second year in a row for Ellsbury. I hope it's not something that will crop up every year for him but maybe he's just one of those speedy guys who is susceptible than most to problems with their legs, like Luis Castillo. It would be excrutiating, if he reaches the major leagues and settles in as a regular, to watch him go on the DL nearly every year.

If anyone's interested, there is a draft scouting video of Manny when he was just a young senior at George Washington High School at the bottom of the following page: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/draft/y2006/index.jsp

There are also videos of A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Kerry Wood and others. One of the things that's interesting to me about them is how little has changed about them in terms of their swing or pitching mechanics. Even back then, Manny still loaded up like soft serve ice cream before a pitch, still had the same leg kick and still had the incredible bat speed. Derek Jeter still had the habit of bending down to follow a pitch low out of the strike zone which always made me grit my teeth with exasperation. Kerry Wood still had the same vicous follow through where he folds his body like Dracula with his cape after every pitch. Not much changed with these players and I suspect not much changes with most players in general.

I think both Ellsbury and Lowrie suffered leg muscle strains. It's the second year in a row for Ellsbury. I hope it's not something that will crop up every year for him but maybe he's just one of those speedy guys who is susceptible than most to problems with their legs, like Luis Castillo. It would be excrutiating, if he reaches the major leagues and settles in as a regular, to watch him go on the DL nearly every year.

If anyone's interested, there is a draft scouting video of Manny when he was just a young senior at George Washington High School at the bottom of the following page: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/draft/y2006/index.jsp

There are also videos of A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Kerry Wood and others. One of the things that's interesting to me about them is how little has changed about them in terms of their swing or pitching mechanics. Even back then, Manny still loaded up like soft serve ice cream before a pitch, still had the same leg kick and still had the incredible bat speed. Derek Jeter still had the habit of bending down to follow a pitch low out of the strike zone which always made me grit my teeth with exasperation. Kerry Wood still had the same vicous follow through where he folds his body like Dracula with his cape after every pitch. Not much changed with these players and I suspect not much changes with most players in general.

I think both Ellsbury and Lowrie suffered leg muscle strains. It's the second year in a row for Ellsbury. I hope it's not something that will crop up every year for him but maybe he's just one of those speedy guys who is susceptible than most to problems with their legs, like Luis Castillo. It would be excrutiating, if he reaches the major leagues and settles in as a regular, to watch him go on the DL nearly every year.

If anyone's interested, there is a draft scouting video of Manny when he was just a young senior at George Washington High School at the bottom of the following page: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/draft/y2006/index.jsp

There are also videos of A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Kerry Wood and others. One of the things that's interesting to me about them is how little has changed about them in terms of their swing or pitching mechanics. Even back then, Manny still loaded up like soft serve ice cream before a pitch, still had the same leg kick and still had the incredible bat speed. Derek Jeter still had the habit of bending down to follow a pitch low out of the strike zone which always made me grit my teeth with exasperation. Kerry Wood still had the same vicous follow through where he folds his body like Dracula with his cape after every pitch. Not much changed with these players and I suspect not much changes with most players in general.

I think both Ellsbury and Lowrie suffered leg muscle strains.

-- MWE

Actually, Ellsbury (right quad strain) and Lowrie (high ankle sprain) are in extended spring rehabbing. Both could be back by the end of May.

-- MWE

Adam Blackley (elbow) is also rehabbing in extended spring and could rejoin the Blue Rocks soon.

-- MWE

Another reason that Hansen will probably not be starting:

Hansen's mechanics are an important component of this discussion, given that his short-arm motion could make starting difficult over the long term. During the Globe's poll of general managers and player personnel executives this spring, with the topic being Sox prospects, one team said of Hansen, ''We feel he's a dead bullpen guy because of the stress he puts on his delivery. For that reason he can't start."

Privately, the Sox concede that Hansen does not have a typical starter's delivery. However, the club also contends he has a motion better than what would fall under the classification of ''dead bullpen guy."

Schilling, for one, doesn't view Hansen's delivery as something that would rule out starting.

''There are guys who have horrible deliveries who start in the big leagues," he said. ''It's different for everybody."

Schilling, to make his point, on Wednesday motioned at a television in the Sox clubhouse showing a Dodgers game started by Brad Penny.

''The guy pitching for the Dodgers is the most stressful thrower in the big leagues, in my opinion," Schilling said.

Another issue would be Hansen's repertoire, and whether it's varied enough for him to pitch several times through the same lineup. He's always had a wicked fastball, with oomph and movement. Now he's working to reestablish the slider he threw so well in college, while adding a changeup.

''He has continued to show a dominant fastball, both in terms of velocity and life," Epstein said. ''His slider has been less consistent but is still at times a dominant strikeout pitch. He continues to work hard at the changeup, which is promising, although still a relatively new pitch for him.

From the Globe today. I hadn't heard this about Hansen's delivery before, and I didn't notice it in the brief time he pitched for the Red Sox last year. This would seem to contradict the conceit that the Red Sox had starting planned for him all along, since they surely would have scouted him and seen the stress he puts on his delivery. Brad Penny is a good pitcher, but with his injury history, it's not a promising comparison for Hansen.

Interview with Ellsbury.

-- MWE

Sox called up Alvarez.

It may only be temporary until Riske's ready, though Riske has yet to seem ready in a single AAA appearance.

I could see Alvarez having a nice little John Halama type career - effective mid to high leverage loogy and super-low leverage innings eater. I'd like to see what he can do in the back of the bullpen.

Buchholz and Hansen sucked last night. Petunia's last extra-base hit was weeks ago. The system is taking a nosedive this year.

Buchholz and Hansen sucked last night. Petunia's last extra-base hit was weeks ago. The system is taking a nosedive this year.

But he doubled and tripled today.

So did Murphy, who went 5-5 with 5 RBI's. His numbers are starting to look respectable again.

Moss and West have been awful.

Buchholz and Hansen sucked last night. Petunia's last extra-base hit was weeks ago. The system is taking a nosedive this year.

But he doubled and tripled today.

Murphy went 5-5 with 5 RBI's. His numbers are starting to look respectable again.

Moss and West have been awful.

Ellsbury was activated from the DL last night, and was 2-4.

-- MWE

Maybe I'm just not used to the difference in the talent level between AAA and MLB, but last night's PawSox game was ugly. Ginter was terrible, and the PawSox offense and defense was generally unimpressive.

Pedroia played SS and made a nice play on a ball hit up the middle, but he didn't really have the arm to make a play on a ball hit to the hole between him and the 3B. The Louisville pitchers didn't give Pedroia much to hit, and he seemed to work the count pretty well and hit the ball ok, though not for any hits. It was surprising how small how looked out there. I mean, I know how small he was going in, but seeing him next to other players really made him look like a kid. Choi looked kind of lackadasical at 1B, throwing away a double play ball that was hit to him, although he later knocked down a liner that would have gone for extra bases.

Kind of a lousy game as the PawSox lost 7-1. The beer was more expensive than I remembered (around $4.50), but they did have a good selection.