Kimbrel tools around
Mechanics drive closer
FORT MYERS — Because the back end of the bullpen needs a little drama to keep up with the back end of the rotation, there’s a closer mini-makeover going on in Red Sox camp.
In January, Craig Kimbrel said he identified some mechanical things to work on in spring training. It’s not like he was throwing off a mound in December, so, now’s the time to implement what he found. Not everything has clicked yet. “I wouldn’t say trial and error,” manager John Farrell said yesterday. “It’s normal maintenance to a delivery. Today was the better of the three (bullpens) that he’s thrown to date. And it’s more about his posture. When he starts to dive in with his lead shoulder, that’s when he gets off line, and you start to see some errant pitches up to his arm side that are pulled down and away.
“A good work session. We took an extra bullpen session with him rather than get into live (batting practice) with him today for that very reason. Whether it’s Craig or other guys, on the whole, as guys are getting into their multiple bullpens and now BP, they’re making solid progress.”
Heading into the 2016 postseason in his first year with the Red Sox, Kimbrel’s control was no small concern. He allowed six earned runs in his final four games of the regular season, including a Sept. 28 meltdown in New York on the night the Sox ended up clinching the AL East ( Mark Teixeira’s walkoff grand slam off Joe Kelly capped a Yankees rally that started against Kimbrel.).
Abad on a bad situation
The Red Sox reliever who lost his arbitration case, Fernando Abad, didn’t like how the Yankees treated their reliever who lost his arbitration case, Dellin Betances.
“It’s bad,” Abad said. “I don’t know why they’re talking about him like that.”
Yankees president Randy Levine publicly put Betances through the ringer after a threeperson panel decided the set-up man deserved the $3 million salary submitted by the team in 2017 rather than the $5 million request made by the player.
“What his agents did was make him a victim of a attempt to change a market place in baseball that has been well established for 30, 40 years,” Levine told reporters. “I feel bad for Dellin that he was used in that way by his agent.”
Abad filed for $2.7 million but will make $2 million instead this season. There doesn’t seem to be any acrimony about the loss.
“It’s a new year. New season coming,” Abad said. “So I feel fresh in my mind.”
The left-hander, acquired from the Minnesota Twins at last summer’s trade deadline, said he’d try to take advantage of every opportunity “Mr. Farrell” gives him.
Dombro, Swihart chat
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and Blake Swihart chatted behind the batting cage yesterday as batting practice wrapped up. Dombrowski at one point in the conversation brought his right arm up and made a throwing motion, but said afterward he was not discussing throwing with the catcher, who has had some trouble getting the ball back to the pitcher early in camp.
“He’s throwing to the bases fine,” Dombrowski said. “I haven’t had any update today but nobody’s overly alarmed.” . . .
Fifteen of the Sox’ 39 exhibition games this spring are to be televised on NESN, and 35 are slated for the radio on WEEI. In addition to the NESN broadcasts, games on March 8 (New York Mets) and March 24 (Toronto Blue Jays) will air on MLB Network, and a March 27 contest (Baltimore Orioles) will be on ESPN. . . .
Today’s workout will be an abbreviated one because of a scheduled visit by the Players Association in the morning and the annual charity golf tournament in the afternoon.