Live Coverage: Red Sox 4, Twins 3 (Final)

WHO: Red Sox vs. Minnesota Twins
WHEN: Friday, 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: jetBlue Park, Fort Myers, Fl.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Hector Velazquez vs. RHP Aaron Slegers
TV/RADIO: WEEI 850 AM



IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

• Hector Velazquez pitched two innings, and allowed a hit while recording a strikeout. Of the 26 pitches thrown, 17 were strikes.
  Velazquez pitched fairly well in spot duty last year. He could be in line to pitch the fifth game of the season in Miami on April. Figure that Chris Sale, David Price, Drew Pomeranz and Rick Porcello will start in the opening series in Tampa Bay. With both Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright recovering from knee surgery, it's likely neither will be ready to go in the first week, and then add in the potential for Wright to be given some disciplinary action stemming from his December arrest on domestic assault. That would move Velazquez into the rotation, at least temporarily.
  After the opening road trip, the Sox have a stretch in which they have three off-days in the span of six days, enabling them to go with four starters the next two times through the rotation. But for the first  five games, Velazquez could get pressed into action.
  "I've always seen myself up in the big leagues with this team,'' said Velazquez through a translator, "whether that's as a starter or reliever. Last year, I did a little bit of both.  I'm focused on helping the team any way I can.''


• If Blake Swihart is being showcased -- or merely trying to make the Red Sox Opening Day roster -- he's doing all the right things. Swihart, the starting DH Friday, banged a double high off the left field wall in his second plate appearance. That follows Thursday's bases-loaded triple against Northeastern University.


• Jeremy Barfield's standing in the organization was bolstered by the trade of Bryce Brentz earlier in the week. With Rusney Castillo locked into Triple A because his salary would count against the luxury tax in the big leagues, Barfield may be next in line if the Red Sox need outfield help during the season. Barfield has had a crazy career with more organizations than he can count and even tried pitching before returning to the outfield. He showed incredible power at Double A last year (27 homers in 88 games) and could, at 29, get his shot in the big leagues later this year. On Friday, he banged a two-run double to account for the Red Sox' first two runs of the Grapefruit League schedule.

• The Red Sox, like all MLB teams, will wear special hats recognizing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of last week's horrific school shooting. The hats worn during the game will later be auctioned to benefit funds to assist victims and families of the Feb. 14 shooting. Manager Alex Cora, who has a home in the Miami area, spoke movingly of worrying about his 15-year-old daughter every day. "Wearing the hats today, I think that means a lot to all of us,'' said Cora. "It puts everything in perspective. It's something that, obviously, gets your attention. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everybody in the community and everybody that was affected.''


• Infielder Marco Hernandez is out for the remainder of spring training. Hernandez, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder last season, was experiencing some discomfort in the first week here and was flown to Boston to be examined further. According to Cora, he had some "hardware'' (pins) removed from the joint. "I can't give a time when he's coming back,'' said Cora. "It depends on what he can (tolerate). There's guys who come out right away and there are guys who still feel it and there's a longer process. Hopefully, he can come back sooner rather than later.'' That leaves Tzu-Wei Lin, Brock Holt, and Deven Marrero in the mix for the backup infield spot.


• Cora spoke about his depth options in the starting rotation, including Velazquez, Friday's starter. Others in contention are LHP Jalen Beeks, who threw Thursday, and LHP Brian Johnson. "We feel comfortable (with the depth),'' said Cora.


• Cora was asked about being bilingual and its benefits. "It came up in the (interviewing) process, not only with this team, but other teams,'' Cora said. "For me to look at them eye-to-eye and give the message straight, it helps. You'd probably have to ask the players how they feel about it, the non-English speaking guys, if it's better. But from my end, it's a lot better. Instead of going through an interpreter, it's a lot easier.''


•  Holt will see most of his playing time on the left side of the infield this spring to get into a rhythm at short and third, though he'll also see time at first, second and the outfield. Holt needs to rebound from a poor season and show that he's fully recovered from the concussions that have impacted him the last few seasons. "He's stronger than I thought he was,'' remarked Cora. "You see him in the weight room, see him in the training room, he's doing everything he needs to do to stay healthy. He's upbeat, he's into it. I talked to him a lot during the off-season to pick his brain. It seems like the utility guys have the pulse of the team. When you don't play everyday, you see everything. I'm happy that he's healthy. It's good to see him running around.''