Final, 0-0 (after two innings): Mother Nature isn’t going to allow the Red Sox and Orioles to play this one.
Monday’s game in Sarasota has been postponed after two innings. The clubs attempted to play after a lengthy rain delay, but the conditions simply were too crappy to continue.
The Red Sox will square off with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday afternoon.
End 2nd, 0-0: Drake Britton worked around a leadoff single in the second inning.
Matt Wieters singled into center field and advanced to second base when Delmon Young grounded slowly back to the mound.
Mike Carp made a nice play to knock down Jonathan Schoop’s well-struck liner to the right side. Carp stepped on the bag while Wieters retreated to second base.
Jemile Weeks popped out to Ryan Lavarnway behind the plate to end the inning.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: Ryan Lavarnway looked to get something going with a two-out single, but Brian Matusz had other ideas.
Will Middlebrooks popped out and Mike Carp grounded out before Lavarnway’s two-out knock. Jackie Bradley Jr. flied out to end the inning.
Anything hit in the air figures to be difficult in this one. There isn’t much wind, but the fielders are being forced to dodge rain drops while looking up into the sky.
End 1st, 0-0: J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis produced a couple of singles in the first inning, but Drake Britton escaped the jam.
Britton nearly ended the inning when Adam Jones grounded to short with one out. Jones beat Mike McCoy’s throw to first base, though, to stay out of the double play.
Britton got out of things by getting Nelson Cruz to ground to short with runners at the corners.
Mid 1st, 0-0:Â David Ortiz is overrated.
Just kidding.
But Ortiz, in his first at-bat since signing his new contract Sunday, grounded into an inning-ending double play. Ortiz swung at the first pitch, and his spring woes continue.
Jonny Gomes walked with one out before Ortiz grounded into the twin killing.
2:20 p.m.: Brian Matusz delivers a first-pitch strike, and the Red Sox and Orioles have gotten things underway after a rain delay.
2:14 p.m.: The rain has gone away — for now — and we’re about to have baseball.
1:10 p.m.: Mother Nature already is leaving her fingerprints on this one. The Red Sox and Orioles are in a rain delay in Sarasota.
12:58 p.m.: Monday’s starting lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox
Daniel Nava, RF
Jonny Gomes, LF
David Ortiz, DH
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Mike Carp, 1B
Ryan Lavarnway, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Jonathan Herrera, SS
Mike McCoy, 2B
Drake Britton, LHP
Baltimore Orioles
Nick Markakis, RF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Adam Jones, CF
Chris Davis, 1B
Nelson Cruz, LF
Matt Wieters, C
Delmon Young, DH
Jonathan Schoop, 3B
Jemile Weeks, 2B
Brian Matusz, LHP
12:50 p.m.: David Ortiz’s press conference — to announce the signing of his contract extension — took place this afternoon. NESN.com will keep you up to speed on that, but be sure to check out some initial thoughts on Ortiz’s new contract at the link below.
Click here to read about Ortiz’s contract >>
12:40 p.m.: Grady Sizemore isn’t in the Red Sox’s lineup Monday.
The Red Sox originally planned to have Sizemore play in three straight games beginning Sunday. Now, Sizemore will take Monday off and play Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday. Manager John Farrell said after Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Rays that the schedule change wasn’t due to anything physical.
Check out the link below for more on Sizemore’s status and other Red Sox notes.
Click here for Red Sox notes >>
10 a.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles will square off on Opening Day at Camden Yards in exactly one week. Some spring training tune-ups remain on the schedule, however, and the two clubs will battle in Grapefruit League action in Sarasota on Monday.
The two teams, who also will play Wednesday at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, likely will deploy several regulars for Monday’s contest. Boston’s pitching lineup will feature mostly relievers, though, as the team has decided to have Jake Peavy pitch in a minor league game Monday rather than give the O’s any free scouting reports on their veteran right-hander.
The Red Sox will take the same approach with Jon Lester on Wednesday. Lester hasn’t officially been named the Red Sox’s Opening Day starter, but you could put huge bucks on that being the case and I wouldn’t blame you in the least. Lester is expected to be followed, in order, by John Lackey, Felix Doubront, Peavy and Clay Buchholz.
Drake Britton will take the ball to begin Monday’s spring tilt. Britton is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Pawtucket, although there’s still a chance he could make the major league roster if reliever Craig Breslow isn’t ready for Opening Day. Brandon Workman likely is the front-runner to nab Boston’s final roster spot if Breslow isn’t ready, but Britton would provide an additional left-handed arm out of the ‘pen.
Monday’s action is scheduled to kick off at 1:05 p.m. Be sure to follow along with NESN.com’s live blog.
