Control issues doom Houck
LeBron lands stake in Red Sox
The Red Sox are taking their time with Tanner Houck, and it’s clear why after three appearances this spring.
The young and exciting right-hander has had an uneven spring so far. After struggling in his first appearance, Houck bounced back with three shutout innings last week, but he lost his command again in Tuesday’s 5-3 victory over the Braves.
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
Houck wasn’t right from the beginning, walking the first two batters he faced before hitting Marcell Ozuna with a pitch. He finished the day with four walks and three earned runs on three hits, including a three-run homer to Ozuna, in 2 M innings. In 6 L innings this spring, Houck has issued 10 walks and allowed six earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
“Just not attacking the zone, honestly,” Houck said. “That’s what it boils down to. It’s as simple as that. Just didn’t throw enough strikes, so just part of it. I’ll come back in tomorrow, continue to work. I still got stuff to work on obviously and I’ll continue to say that for the rest of my career.”
Though he dazzled in his first three career starts last September, Houck needs more time to develop. Alex
Cora confirmed Tuesday that he’ll start the season with a five-man rotation, and though he wants to carry 14 pitchers, that means Houck will likely start the season at the alternate site in Worcester.
Houck has come into the spring with a higher velocity on his fastball, while his slider is his best pitch. But there’s room to grow on his third pitch, his splitter, which he’s gaining confidence with after throwing it a handful of times on Tuesday. He knows that pitch is vital to having a long career as a big-league starter.
“I threw some really good ones today,” Houck said of his splitter. “I got, I think it was three swings and misses on it. Threw one for a ball. In my eyes, that’s good progression. I didn’t throw a lot of them. I probably could have thrown some more in some different situations, but I’ll take that as a win. That’s a small victory. Three out of four, I’ll take that were competitive strikes and I think I got one of them called for a strike, not even swinging on it. I’ll take that. …
“There’s some good takeaways from today and some stuff I’d obviously like to work on more, but it’s just part of it. If I was perfect, then it’d be easy.”
LeBron becomes part owner
LeBron James has long claimed to be a Yankees fan, but now he’s going to have to turn in his New York cap.
James, a longtime Celtics villain and now Lakers star, is set to become a partner of Fenway Sports Group, which would effectively make him a part owner of the Red Sox, according to multiple reports on Tuesday. It was first reported by the Boston Globe.
Maverick Carter, James’ longtime friend and business partner, will also become a partner with Fenway Sports Group, according to the report, which would make them the first Black partners in FSG history.
James has held roughly a 2% share of Liverpool Football Club, which is owned by FSG, since 2011. In addition to the Red Sox, he and Carter will also become part owners of other FSG subsidiaries, including NESN and Roush Fenway Racing. James will own an undisclosed amount of shares from FSG, according to the Globe.
Fenway Sports Group also approved a $750 million private investment to make Redbird Capital Partners a partner, the Globe reported, as FSG continues to seek expansion. That deal is pending approval from Major League Baseball.
Robots at Fenway
The Red Sox will be using UV disinfecting robots to keep Fenway Park safe and clean as it welcomes fans back this season.
The organization partnered with the company Surfacide, which will employ the robots that are built with UV-C light energy to kill deadly viruses and is “scientifically validated to inactivate coronavirus — the family of virus that make up SARS-CoV-2 and COVID19,” according to a press release. Fans will see a trio of robots around the ballpark as they’re allowed to return to games beginning with Opening Day on April 1.
Fenway will welcome back fans at a 12% capacity, which is about 4,500 fans.
“A lot of time and consideration went into outlining our heightened sanitation procedures for the upcoming season and our partnership with Surfacide is an important part of those protocols,” said Jonathan Lister,
Red Sox vice president of facilities management, in a statement. “With a hospitalgrade UV technology product like this, we are able to ensure our ballpark is ready to safely receive fans throughout the 2021 regular season.”
Casas ‘feeling great’
Top prospect Triston Casas has played in three consecutive games after having to go to Boston earlier this month for an undisclosed, nonbaseball medical reason. The 21-year-old Casas, who drove in a run on a sacrifice fly Tuesday, didn’t get into details about the situation but said he’s healthy.
“No, I didn’t really have any concerns,” Casas said. “I’ve been feeling great since I arrived into camp. It was just some precautionary stuff, making sure that I go throughout the season as best as I can without something popping up. Just making sure they’re sending me out there 100% with no little aches and pains is what was really on their minds, and I feel like it turned out for the best because I’m feeling great right now and looking forward to the season on a good bill of health.” …
The Red Sox on Tuesday optioned three players to the alternate site: pitchers Eduard Bazardo and John Schreiber and catcher/
infielder Connor Wong.