12:21 p.m.: Coincidentally, the Napoli question asked of Cherington is the last of the news conference.
Red Sox fans are probably going to be excited after hearing what the new No. 18 had to say. Not only that, they’re going to be excited with the way that he said what he said.
The outfielder definitely enjoys talking, and he appears to be a very outgoing guy. He’s very personable. It’s clear that the club is looking to restore its image both on the field and in the clubhouse, and Victorino at least sounds the part. Whether or not he can hold up to his end of the bargain on the field, however, is still a question mark for many. We’ll obviously start to find that part out in a few months.
12:19 p.m.: Ben Cherington was asked about the developing Mike Napoli situation. Cherington responded by offering no response, declining to comment on the situation.
“We’re here to talk about Shane, because that’s the [deal] we have done.”
12:18 p.m.: Victorino: “When you’re winning, everybody is happy. You’re happy, I’m happy, everybody’s happy. I don’t think there needs to be a change in chemistry. When you lose, it always looks like you need change.”
12:17 p.m.: Victorino on fitting in with the Sox:
“You’re gonna get me. I’m gonna be fun, I’m gonna be loud and talk a lot. You’re gonna get what you get, it’s gonna be me. I’m gonna go out there and have fun.
“I’m excited to be here, fit in and just be myself.”
12:15 p.m.: Victorino on playing right field at Fenway:
“It’s a big right field. But again, I’m always up for the challenge. … I’m gonna get a chance to be there in spring training and work on that stuff and work with Jacoby.
“Playing in our home ballpark, we don’t have to worry about our left fielder too much, so we shift over some.”
12:13 p.m.: Cherington on why they went out and got Victorino, and how he fits in:
“We always look at the body of work and longer track record. I think Shane last year didn’t feel quite the way he wanted to. We wanted to not just add to the outfield but add to the outfield with a centerfield-type outfielder. … We thought it was just a really good fit for a lot of reasons.
“He’s still young. He’s still in his prime years. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do. He’s been a big part of good teams. He knows when you’re a good team, it’s about 25 players being part of a team.”
12:11 p.m.: Victorino said that he originally wanted to stay in Philadelphia, but quickly added, “That’s behind me and I have three years here and I’m excited to be a Red Sock.”
12:10 p.m.: Victorino: “It’s a big market, we all understand that. I played in Philly for all those years and had success doing it. … You try to stay positive. To me, that’s important. The tradition in this place. The Green Monster. Fenway. Just thinking about that makes me happy.”
12:09 p.m.: Victorino said he didn’t need any convincing to join Boston.
“There is no convincing. That in itself, it’s the Red Sox. It’s a storied franchise. You look around baseball and there’s one rivalry you think of: it’s Red Sox-Yankees. There was no selling. You look at this team, you look at the chemistry. You look at the Pedroias, the Ortizes.”
12:07 p.m.: Victorino says he’s going to do all he can to get his average back up to where he thinks it belongs.
“It’s just about going out there next year,” he says.
Why Boston?
“Tradition, the make-up of the team. The last couple of years have definitely been tough, but we look past that now and look forward 2013 to be the best organization we can be.”
12:04 p.m.: Victorino addresses the media now.
“The tradition that this place holds, coming to Fenway,” he says, “I always said Fenway was one of my favorites. Coming here and getting an opportunity to play in Boston is awesome.”
12:02 p.m.: Ben Cherington gets things going with a statement before the whole jersey thing.
“He’s a guy who can do a lot of things on a baseball field … One of the highest-energy players in the game.”
12:02 p.m.: Things are just about ready to get under way at Fenway. We’ll have it all covered for you beginning right … now.
11:46 a.m.: If you’re into baseball players sitting in an empty clubhouse in December, the Red Sox have you covered.
They just tweeted this photo of Victorino checking out his new home, with about 15 minutes left before his formal introduction.
11:43 a.m.: Shane Victorino may add some balance to the Red Sox lineup, and he may solidify the outfield as well.
But what’s really exciting is what Victorino may bring to the table in terms of acting skills. Check out some Oscar-worthy work right here.
10:58 a.m.: Let’s talk stats for a little bit, shall we? What are the Red Sox getting in Shane Victorino, you ask?
Well, they’re getting a 32-year-old outfielder who has played seven full seasons in the major leagues. Victorino is a .275 career hitter with a .770 OPS. He’s a two-time All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove winner.
He has a .274 lifetime batting average against American League teams with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 110 games. That includes a .344 average (11-for-36) with one homer and seven RBIs against the Yankees. Finally, he’s 2-for-14 in six career games at Fenway Park.
10:07 a.m.: It’s Shane Victorino’s day at Fenway, but that doesn’t mean business doesn’t stop for the decision makers on Yawkey Way.
FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal just reported that the Red Sox are close to a deal with free-agent pitcher Ryan Demspter, which means another introductory news conference could be just around the corner.
Nothing is official yet, but here are the early details.
8:30 a.m. ET: Shane Victorino will get his first taste of the big baseball lights on Thursday afternoon when he’s introduced to Boston down at Fenway Park.
The former Phillies outfielder will be introduced by the Red Sox at Fenway with a 12 p.m. ET news conference. The news conference will be carried live on NESN beginning at noon, but you can also follow along here for all of the details.
Victorino is already getting accustomed to live in New England, and he’s making it clear that he’s ready to dive in to being a member of the Red Sox community. He’s already getting acquainted with the local cuisine, for instance. That being said, the weather is a little chilly this time of year for the native Hawaiian.
Be sure to tune in to NESN beginning at noon or stay right here on NESN.com as we’ll have updates throughout the day leading up and into the news conference at 12.
