Francona calling Sox Yankees tonight on ESPN
By:Gordon Edes
Well at least it will be completely unbiased...
Anyways, Aaron Cook is starting tonight and with the recent injuries to Padilla and Miller he could throw himself into the mix with a good start. Red Sox/ Yankees spring training games always have a different buzz around them and the fact that ESPN is bringing the whole crew should only add to that.
The Sox also appear to be trotting out what - if the season started today - would most likely be their starting line up in:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Cody Ross, LF
7. Ryan Sweeney, RF
8. Kelly Shoppach, C
9. Mike Aviles, SS
Let's see if Papi can get something going here because if not it might be time to at least looking for the panic button.
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Good morning from the Fort, where a production crew from ESPN spent the day before preparing the ballpark -- hanging up mikes on the screen, checking out camera placements, etc. -- for Thursday night's telecast of the Red Sox game against the Yankees.
You may have noticed, ESPN tends to take an interest when the Sox and Yankees play. The WWL has the Yankees and Sox down twice for Sunday Night Baseball telecasts --April 22 and July 8 from the Fens -- and that's only the part of the schedule done in advance. It's a pretty good bet that the Sox-Yankee games from the Bronx on July 29 and Aug. 19 will also make their way onto the schedule, but that's to be determined.
Bobby Valentine, of course, worked those Sunday Night games last season. Thursday night, the man he succeeded as Red Sox manager, Terry Francona, is scheduled to be here as Valentine's successor as analyst with Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser on Sunday Night Baseball.
This will be Francona's first visit to the Fort in his new capacity. He already sat down with Valentine for an interview with Karl Ravech during the baseball winter meetings in December, shortly after both he and Valentine were appointed to their new positions.
Well at least it will be completely unbiased...
Anyways, Aaron Cook is starting tonight and with the recent injuries to Padilla and Miller he could throw himself into the mix with a good start. Red Sox/ Yankees spring training games always have a different buzz around them and the fact that ESPN is bringing the whole crew should only add to that.The Sox also appear to be trotting out what - if the season started today - would most likely be their starting line up in:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. Cody Ross, LF
7. Ryan Sweeney, RF
8. Kelly Shoppach, C
9. Mike Aviles, SS
Let's see if Papi can get something going here because if not it might be time to at least looking for the panic button.
