s
s, For Kid
id
K
y
B
Written
Vol. 3, No. 2
September 2008
Inside:
MLB All-Star Game, Red Sox Game Highlights,
Interview with Dustin Pedroia and more!
Red Sox Nation Opens Homes and Hearts
to Young Japanese Baseball Players
R
ed Sox Nation welcomed twelve new members
this summer – all young baseball players from
Japan. The 12 to 14 year old boys came to
Boston on a 10 day exchange run by the Red Sox
Foundation and generously sponsored by global electronics giant Funai Electric. The idea was to help
Japanese and American kids better understand each
other’s culture through their shared love of baseball.
‘What I loved the most was I felt I had made a whole
team of new brothers,” declared 11 year-old Max Runci,
the son of one Charlestown, MA host family.
Thirteen year old Takumi Shiraishi of Chiba, Japan
was equally enthusiastic. “I love baseball,
Boston – and the Boston Red Sox!”
“They didn’t speak a lot of English and we
didn’t speak Japanese, so it was pretty quiet the first
few hours,” explained Eli Swab, an 11 year old member
of another Boston host family. “But once we started
playing baseball, we understood each other perfectly.”
Each morning, the boys participated in baseball clinics
at Harvard, Northeastern, Boston College or games with
local youth teams. In the afternoons, they explored
Boston including the Freedom Trail, the Museum of
Fine Arts, and quacking their way through a Duck
Boat Tour. There was also a day trip to
Cape Cod, where the Japanese boys tried
their first American lobsters and swam
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Hear From You!
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Boston, MA 02215
in what they called “Siberia water.” “The Pacific is a lot
lot warmer,” explained Japan Society executive Rico
Mochizuki, who served as both exchange organizer and
den mother for the group. “But they return to Japan
with great affection for Boston and the warm welcome
Red Sox Nation has offered them.”
Red Sox Pitcher and Kyoto native Hideki Okajima
provided a highlight of the trip when he generously
offered a pitching and fielding clinic at Fenway on his
Red Sox Kid Nation
Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way
Boston, MA 02215
As sponsor of the Exchange,
Funai President Yoshikazu
Uemura and Red Sox pitcher
Daisuke Matsuzaka celebrate
with the Japanese.
continued on page 2
Presorted
Standard
US Postage
PAID
Boston, MA
Permit No. 53692
Have a question for Dustin Pedroia?
E-mail it to [email protected]!
continued from page 1
So as Manny went off to LA this summer, here in Boston, little leaguers from across the globe were making hits – and friendships –
to last a lifetime. “It was an honor to introduce these terrific youngsters
to the excitement and camaraderie of Red Sox Nation and learn more
about their customs,” said Red Sox Foundation Executive Director Meg
Vaillancourt. “And it’s clear that like music, the magic of baseball is an
international language that knows no boundaries.”
Japanese Exchange players reach for a ball tossed by Dice-K up to the
Monster.
day off. “I can’t believe I am throwing a baseball with my hero,”
Hiroaki Sano, a 12 year old catcher of Kyoto said via a translator.
“And he is so nice and encouraging. I must pinch myself to see if I’m
awake!”
A day later, the youngsters were honored at a Red Sox game shortly after
meeting Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. After many more
predictable inquiries about his pitching technique and how he prepares
for games, one youngster asked Matsuzaka a more personal question.
When, one youngster wanted to know, did Daisuke first fall in love?
Tossing his back with an infectious laugh, Daisuke joined in the fun, joking: “Well, I’m not sure but I think it was in kindergarten!”
The exchange followed up the team’s historic Opening Day in Tokyo
this year. “Japan is a deeply respected member of Red Sox Nation and
since the arrival of Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, interest in
Japan among our fans has grown exponentially,” said Red Sox
Chairman Tom Werner. “With this exchange, we can be part of life
transforming experiences for children in Boston and Japan. And when
kids can overcome barriers and connect, the world can change in small
ripples that can lead to more significant ones.”
“Funai is honored to help cultivate this cultural exchange through
baseball, a game that is beloved in both nations,” added Tetsuro Funai,
Executive Chairman and Founder of Funai Electric Company. “I’m
convinced that youngsters participating in this event will create a lifetime of fabulous memories.”
Hosting the boys at the Welcome Breakfast, Boston Mayor Thomas
Menino declared the exchange “a homerun for all of us.” And at a
meeting at the Massachusetts State House, Governor Patrick called the
boys “terrific ambassadors for Japan” Asked what he learned from his
Japanese guests, 12 year old Eli explained, “They are extremely polite
and like saying thank you, which was a good reminder to me. And they
bow as sign of respect, which we thought was cool.’”
2
Added fellow Boston host Max: “We learned they are just
like us. Only their arms are not actually like ours. They’re
more like cannons, because they can throw the ball really,
really hard!”
Hideki Okajima walks Japanese players onto Fenway’s famous outfield for a
pitching and fielding clinic.
Meet the
Portland Sea Dogs
MINOR LEAGU
E PROFILE
— FOUNDED —
1994
— EASTERN LEAGU
E TITLES —
2006
— MASCOT
Slugger the Se—
a Dog
— WEB —
www.seadogs
.com
The Portland Sea Dogs are the
Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
The Sea Dogs are the second
highest minor league team for
the Red Sox. Currently there are 11 former Sea Dogs on the Red Sox
roster including Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia,
and Kevin Youkilis. Sometimes Red Sox players like David Ortiz make
rehab appearances in Portland.
The Sea Dogs have been around since 1994. From 1994 to 2002, the
team was an affiliate of the Florida Marlins. Josh Beckett played for the
Sea Dogs in 2001 earning Minor League Baseball Player of the Year honors. In 2003, the Sea Dogs began an affiliation with the
Boston Red Sox. The team colors were changed from teal to
red and blue.
The Sea Dogs play at Hadlock Field located in
downtown in Portland, Maine. In left-field
there is a 37 foot high green wall, just like at
Fenway, nicknamed “The Maine Monster.”
When the Sea Dogs hit a home run, a lighthouse
rises above the centerfield fence. One of the most popular items at the ballpark is the Sea Dogs Ice Cream Biscuit.
The Sea Dogs offer great family entertainment at an affordable cost, tickets range between $4.00 and $9.00. For more
information visit www.seadogs.com.
HP Hood and Boston Red Sox Announce
12 Winners of the Kid Nation Captains Contest
June 26: Hood and the Boston Red Sox announced the 12 winners of the first-ever Red Sox
Kid Nation Captains Contest presented by Hood.With so many worthy applicants—nearly 700
from 29 states—the selection was not an easy one, and it took Hood and the Red Sox two
rounds to narrow the field to 25 finalists.
May 23: The 25 finalists were unveiled and Red Sox fans across the country were invited to
vote for their favorite candidates. Nearly 32,000 votes were cast on RedSox.com.
August 13: The Captains participated in a board meeting with Jerry Remy and Rob Crawford,
Vice President of Red Sox Nation. They were recognized in a pre-game ceremony that evening.
And now, presenting the 12 Kid Nation Captains:
Aaron Kanzer, age 13 of Cotuit, MA
Nick Bolden, age 14, of Milton, MA
Megan Moriarty, age 13, of Bridgewater, MA
Stephanie Boudro, age 14 of Reading, VT
Haley Poulin, age 11 of Waterboro, ME
Ben Brandeis, age 10, of Mill Valley, CA
Patrick Quarters, age 10 of North Kingston, RI
Victoria Glidden, age 10 of Lynn, MA
Neil Sunil, age 12 of Nashua, NH
Daniel Hines, age 12, of Dorchester, MA
Keyon Vafa, age 13 of Chestnut Hill, MA
Drew Johndrow, age10, of Dayville, CT
J U L Y 2 8 – ON THE GREEN GRASS OF RIGHT FIELD ON THE 28TH OF JULY, KID NATION
BOSTON REGION GATHERED TO MEET DUSTIN PEDROIA. HE SPOKE ABOUT
MADDIE ANDRES CAUGHT UP WITH
DUSTIN AFTER THE EVENT TO ASK HIM SOME QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF KID NATION MEMBERS
WHO COULDN’T BE AT FENWAY ON THAT DAY:
MEMBERS FROM THE
FIELDING, HITTING, AND HAVING FUN ON THE TEAM.
Maddie Andres: Have you always played second base?
Dustin Pedroia: No. Last year was actually my first season playing a full
season second base; I played shortstop before last season.
MA: How old were you when you began to play baseball?
DP: I started playing t-ball at the age of 5, and ever since then I have been
playing baseball.
MA: How does it feel to be a professional baseball player?
DP: It’s great! I am having the time of my life. You always dream of doing
this so it’s great coming here every day!
MA: What did you do during the off-season to stay in shape when you were
younger?
DP: I didn’t really practice, I just played in the yard. I had an older brother so
I was playing with him and his friends. I think the more you play the
better you’ll be.
MA: How does it feel to start at second base in the All-Star Game this year?
DP: It was awesome, I had so much fun! Getting a chance to meet all of
those great players, especially in New York where all the Yankees hate
us. I loved being a Red Sox player there.
Interview:
Dustin
Pedroia
by Maddie Andres
MA: Do you have any superstitions or pre-game rituals?
DP: I don’t believe in any of that stuff, some guys do, though.
MA: Do you see a difference in West coast baseball and East coast baseball?
DP: Yeah, I think the fans on the East coast take it a lot more seriously than
the West coast. But, the quality of baseball, especially at the younger
levels, on the West coast is much better because you can play in the
winters. But on the East coast the fans make it a lot more fun to play
professional baseball.
MA: I have noticed at games, players have Poland springs water bottles filled
with pink stuff, what is that?
DP: It’s like a Gatorade drink. It’s not like we are drinking Kool
Aid or anything. It is supposed to rehydrate you.
3
Red Sox Highlights
by Maddie Andres
20 Justin Masterson throws five
strikeouts in six innings to pick up his
first major league win.
22 Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew
hit grand slams to complete the fourgame sweep of the Kansas City
Royals.
30 Josh Beckett strikes out 10 in
his six innings of pitching. Mike Lowell
provides two RBI in a 5-2 victory.
31 Red
Sox left-fielder
Manny
Ramirez
hits his
500th homerun against the Baltimore
Orioles.
June:
5 Starter Jon Lester allows one run
on eight hits, and Ramirez brings in
four runs to sweep the heated series
against the Rays.
BRITA MENG OUTZEN
May:
7 Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew
each hit home runs to reinforce Tim
Wakefield’s fourth win of the season.
12 Jon Lester’s win is secured by
home runs from Lowell, Youkilis, and
Drew.
25 Tim Wakefield pitches seven
shutout innings against the Arizona
Diamondbacks. Kevin Cash seals
the 5-0 win with a three-run homer.
22 Daisuke Matsuzaka pitches 7
1/3 innings and Jonathan Papelbon
gets his 30th save in the 4-2 win
over the Mariners.
August:
July:
BRITA MENG OUTZEN
3 Red Sox come
back from their five
game losing streak
with a vengeance,
beating the rival New
York Yankees. Dustin
Pedroia hits a single to
extend his hitting
streak to eleven games.
4
BRITA MENG OUTZEN
9 Red Sox end the
series against the Twins
with a bang. Every starter gets at
least one hit, lead by Jacoby
Ellsbury with four. The final score
ends in Twins-5, Red Sox-18.
CINDY LOO
27 Daisuke Matsuzaka
throws five scoreless
innings to collect
his ninth win of
the season.
1 Jason Bay, the
new Boston left
fielder traded for
Manny Ramirez,
ended the
twelve-inning
game scoring
twice in a
walk-off
win.
9
Daisuke
Matsuzaka's road
record moved to 6-0 in
2008. David Ortiz hit a
clutch three-run double during Boston's four-run seventh.
12 Ortiz provides two three-run
homers in a 10-run first inning. After
a furious rally by the Rangers, Kevin
Youkilis' second homer of the night,
a three-run blast over the Monster,
won the game in the eighth inning.
18 Jason Bay slams two homers
to push the Red Sox to a win in
Baltimore. Jon Lester pitches an
impressive seven innings for his 12th
win.
27 Dustin Pedroia hit a grand
slam during a seven-run 8th inning to
lead the Red Sox to an easy win at
Yankee Stadium. Bay also assists with
four RBI to give Paul Byrd his second
win while playing for Boston.
September:
3 After Boston was trailing by four
runs, Mark Kotsay hits a two-run
triple in the eighth to tie
the game. Alex Cora
scores the winning run in
the ninth to give the Sox
a sweep of the O’s.
8 Red Sox fans
celebrate the recordbreaking streak of
456 home sellouts,
with a 3-0 shutout of
the Rays. Jon Lester
gets his 14th win with
a dominating performance on the mound.
CONGRATULATIONS, RED SOX NATION, for breaking the 456 Consecutive Game Sellout
record on September 8! We couldn’t have done it without you!
MLB All-Star Game
By Eli Kaufman
On Tuesday the 15th of July, the 79th annual
Major League Baseball All-Star Game entertained fans for 15 innings and four hours and
fifty eight minutes. The Red Sox sent seven
all-stars to New York’s Yankee Stadium to participate, including starters, Kevin Youkilis,
Dustin Pedroia, former Red Sox outfielder
Manny Ramirez, along with Manager Terry
Francona. Other Red Sox invitees included
Jonathon Papelbon, Jason Varitek, J.D Drew,
and “Big Papi” David Ortiz.
innings. There was no score going into the top
of the fifth, when the National League’s Matt
Holliday bombed a homer to deep right field
off of an Ervin Santana fastball. In the bottom
of the seventh, after an A.L double by Justin
Morneau, J.D. Drew stepped up to the plate
with a chance to tie the ballgame. Drew hit a
line drive home run to right field off of
Edinson Volquez to tie the game at two.
Adrian Gonzalez gave the National League
the lead again in the top of the eighth. The
A.L. rallied back in the bottom half of the
inning to tie the game once again.
As the game moved well into extra frames, both
managers became increasingly worried that they
would run out of players. They had already used
up most of their available players and only a few
pitchers remained in the bullpens.
Dustin Pedroia and J.D. Drew awaited their turns
during pre-game batting practice.
The American League had not lost in eleven
straight All-Star games. With home field advantage in the World Series on the line for the
sixth straight year, the players united in a common cause, and were ready to give it their all.
Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee got the
nod as the starter from American League skipper Terry Francona, and pitched two scoreless
After squandering multiple scoring chances for
the American League in extra innings, the A.L
was finally able to capitalize in the bottom of
the fifteenth. Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad
Lidge was in to pitch for the N.L. Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew walked to load up the bases
with one out for Michael Young, the Texas
Rangers’ shortstop. Young hit the first pitch he
saw to right field, where outfielder Corey Hart
caught the ball, Morneau tagged up at third and
barely beat the strong throw from Hart, to win
the game for the American League.
J.D. Drew was named the Most Valuable Player
after going 2-for-4 with two 2 RBI, including a
two run home run and a stolen base. By the
time the game ended at 1:30 in the morning, a
J.D. Drew slugs a 2-run game-tying homer which
led the A.L. to a win and earned himself MVP honors for the evening.
total of twenty-three pitchers had taken the
mound and sixty-three players took the field or
got up to bat, an All- Star Game record. The
two teams combined for 27 hits, and left 28
runners on base, also All-Star Game records.
The 2008 All-Star Game was a game for the
ages and a true Midsummer Classic.
Kid Nation
Captains Board
Meeting Recap
By Kid Nation Captain - Aaron Kanzer
O
n August 13th, the newly elected 12 Red
Sox Kid Nation Captains, NESN’s Jerry
Remy, RSN VP “Regular” Rob Crawford, and
representatives from Hood kicked off what was
the first ever board meeting of the Red Sox Kid
Nation Captains. The meeting focused mainly
on the future of RSKN, including a community
event to be scheduled sometime after the end
of the regular season and feedback on this
year’s RSKN membership package. Through
the inspiring words of RSN VP Rob Crawford,
the 12 Captains became aware of the
importance of their positions. The Captains
then received their Captain’s packets full of Red
Sox and Hood gifts including free Hood Ice
Cream for a year, a personalized jersey and an
autographed Dustin Pedroia baseball.
The Captains were then asked to tell the
stories of their community service and acts of
good will and what motivated them to do
these deeds. Short on time though, the
meeting had to end there, but overall it was a
good success and a great step in the right
direction for the Red Sox Kid Nation
Captains. Later, the Captains were
honored in a pre-game ceremony on
the field at Fenway.
5
It’s a Bird,
It’s a Plane,
It’s the Hood Blimp!
One of New England’s favorite icons, the
Hood Blimp returned for the 2008 season and
flew over beaches, events, festivals and Red
Sox games throughout New England. Here are
answers to a few of your frequent questions.
Q: How fast can the Hood Blimp go?
A: The Hood Blimp’s maximum speed is 53
miles per hour.
Q: How long can the Hood Blimp stay in
the air, and how far can it go?
A: The Hood blimp can stay in the air for 15 hours and can travel more than 425 miles!
Q: How old is the Hood Blimp?
A: The Hood Blimp was first launched in May 1999.
Q: How much gas can the Hood Blimp hold?
A: The Hood Blimp holds a maximum fuel capacity of 74 gallons.
Q: How heavy is the Hood Blimp?
A: The Hood Blimp weights approximately 2,770 pounds.
Q: How is it that can we see the blimp at night, like during the night games at
Fenway?
A: The Hood Blimp features two 1,000-watt light bulbs (typical home light bulbs are
between 60 and 120 watts) that cause the blimp to glow, illuminating the red and white
Hood logo at night.
For more information about the Hood Blimp, visit Hood.com.
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6
Did you know that about 77% of kids between
the ages of 9–19 do not meet their recommended dairy intake of three servings per day?
To keep your body running, you need to refuel
with nutritious food and drinks. Here are some
quick tips on how to get the nutrients and extra
calcium you need:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reach for fruit and veggies at snack
time!
Enjoy at least three servings of Hood®
Milk every day. It’s one of your best
sources of calcium, which is important
to build strong bones.
Delicious snack idea: graham crackers
with a glass of Hood Simply Smart® Fat
Free Chocolate Milk.
Sip water instead of soda when you’re
thirsty.
One hundred percent of the time,
choose 100% juice. It has less sugar and
more nutrients than other fruit drinks.
Xtra treat: Cool down with a ChocoMint
Shake (recipe below) made from Hood
Fat Free Vanilla Frozen Yogurt and Hood
Premium Lowfat Chocolate Milk.
Inside the Front Office
FUTURES AT FENWAY
By Anthony Greco
For the past three seasons, Fenway Park has hosted the
Futures at Fenway game in early August when the Red Sox
By Jeremy Adler
Like many of you reading this article, I too have the dream of working for the Red Sox,
and because I won the “Break into the Biz of Baseball,” essay contest run by Bentley
College and MLB.com, I get to experience that dream for one month this summer!
It is impossible for me to put into words how amazing the internship has been. But I’m
going to try. The first thing I received when I arrived at Fenway Park was an ID with
my picture on it, giving me access to the entire park! Having the freedom to walk
around “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark,” at any time is a luxury, and is something
that I will always remember. I have worked a lot with Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a
sports-oriented, sales and marketing organization that works very closely with the Red
Sox, MLB.com, Boston College, and NESN, among other companies. With FSG, I
have done research on Digital Marketing and have tried to contact Digital Marketing
firms that FSG may use in the future.
Also, I have worked a great deal with the
Red Sox Foundation. The Foundation’s primary focus is in serving the health, education, recreation, and social service needs of
children and families in need across New
England. They had an event on July 26th,
called “The Monster Mash,” and I assisted
in the preparation of the event. I helped
with the Red Sox Scholar program as well.
To become a Red Sox Scholar, you must
attend public school in the city of Boston,
and you must apply for the honor. If accepted, you receive get a $10,000 college scholarship, and get invited to Fenway Park for
many special events.
David Ortiz takes the field with one of the
25 Red Sox Scholars to be honored this year.
are on a road trip. During the double-header, two minor
league Red Sox teams compete against opponents. This
event is very family friendly with more affordable tickets
than regular season games. Also, this is a great experience
for some of the minor league players who may soon have
the opportunity to play in a big league ballpark.
The Lowell Spinners defeated the Hudson Valley
Renegades in an extra-inning thriller. With a 1-1 tie in the
top of the third inning, Anthony Scelfo bombed a homerun over the 420-foot marker to give the Renegades the
lead. The Spinners rallied back in the bottom of the inning
scoring two runs on a Will Middlebrooks' double, taking
a 3-2 lead. In the ninth inning, an error by Lowell first
I assisted with the Red Sox MLB
Authentication department a few times too.
After games, all of the game used bats, balls, bases, jerseys, and other collectibles, are
given to the MLB Authentication department, to be authenticated, proving that the
items were actually used in the game, and not fakes bought online. I have worked in
the clubhouse a couple of times as well, and I have assisted the clubhouse attendants
with the setting up of the dugout, bullpen, and field. If that wasn’t enough, I have
gotten to hang out and meet almost all the players, which is any Red Sox fan’s
dream! That was certainly one of the many highlights of the internship.
basemen Deshaun Brooks allowed Hudson Valley to score
In addition to all that, I have done some work with the Corporate Partnerships
Department. All of the needs of the Boston Red Sox corporate partners are taken
care of in this department, including obtaining of tickets to a game, or aiding the
tours of Fenway Park for them. In the Corporate Partnerships Department, I helped
file receipts and organize the tickets that were sold. One day, I got to help out the
Red Sox Fan Services department. All of the fan mail written to the Red Sox goes to
the Fan Services department. When I worked there, I read some of the fan mail, and
put it in the Red Sox database, so the Red Sox organization has a record of all the
mail they receive.
by a score of 5-2. During a big 4th inning, in which Jeff
During my time with the Red Sox, I have learned so much, and seen that there is so
much more to major league baseball than just the game on the field. I have already
met many baseball celebrities and hopefully I have made some acquaintances that
may help me get a job in the business of baseball in the future.
the tying run. But, in the bottom of the 12th inning,
Middlebrooks' single, just shy of Anthony Scelfo's dive,
brought home the winning run from the third and ended
the 3 hour and 41 minute game.
In the second game, the Pawtucket Red Sox, or "Paw
Sox" as they are often called, beat the Charlotte Knights
Corsaletti, Gil Velazguez and Jeff Bailey all crushed doubles, givingave the Paw Sox the edge. Royce Huffman
scored both of the Knights runs. With both home teams
coming away victorious, the Sox farm teams remain undefeated, a perfect 6-0, in games played at Futures at
Fenway.
7