FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s rather unsettling having baseballs drilled at you from 60 feet, 6 inches away.
Boston Red Sox pitchers tossed aside any fear they might have had going into Monday’s workout at JetBlue Park. Several of the team’s hurlers participated in a “Rag Ball” drill, which is designed to prepare them for the sizzling comebackers they’ll inevitably face on the mound at points in their careers.
Sure, fielding comebackers is a small portion of a pitcher’s spring training preparation. But “Rag Ball” is a fun drill to watch, if nothing else, and the players typically let loose during it. Jon Lester and John Lackey, for example, used to place friendly wagers on who could better field his position.
Clay Buchholz and Rick Porcello were among those who participated in “Rag Ball” on Monday. Everyone walked away from the drill, which is performed using a ball softer than a baseball, unscathed.
