The Red Sox announced the signings of infielder Jonathan Diaz and first baseman/outfielder Mark Hamilton to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training camp.
Diaz, 27, was a 12th-round selection in the 2006 draft by Toronto. In seven minor league seasons, the versatile defender has hit .226 with a .358 OBP, .294 slugging mark and .652 OPS. He has split each of the last four seasons between the Blue Jays’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates and has had an on-base percentage of at least .365 three times in his minor league career, albeit with virtually no power. He's played the majority of his games at shortstop, but the 5-foot-9 NC State product has also played second, third and left field.
Hamilton, 28, was St Louis’s second-round pick in the 2006 draft and played in 47 Major League games for the Cardinals from 2010-11, hitting .197 with a .258 OBP, .246 slugging mark and .503 OPS. However, in seven minor league seasons, he's hit .277/.364/.468/.832, including a .291/.385/.494/.879 line with 41 homers over 277 Triple-A games in the last four years. As recently as two years ago, when he hit 20 homers in 72 games in Memphis, he was rated one of the best power-hitting prospects in the St. Louis system. As a left-handed hitter who can play first and the outfield, he addresses a needed area of organizational depth for the Red Sox.
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Pete joined the show to discuss Tebow's signing with the Patriots. He said that Tim Tebow cant play and that he has trouble learning NFL playbooks.
On this episode of the It Is What It Is Cast, Chris Price talks with the Boston Herald's Jeff P Howe about the Patriots offseason, Rob Gronkowski's back surgery, Danny Amendola replacing Wes Welker, and how this seasons team will stack up against last seasons.
In the latest edition of the It Is What It Is Cast, Chris Price talks with Will Carroll. Injury expert and lead writer for Sports Medicine, Bleacher Report. They talk about the injury to Rob Gronkowski and what his back surgery could mean for his season.
Jeff joined the show to discuss the rumors of Doc heading to the Clippers. Jeff said that he will not discuss his future but that his brother would be a great candidate anywhere.
Stephen A. joined the show to discuss the status of trade negotiations between the Clippers and the Celtics. Stephen said that it is a 50-50 proposition that Doc ends up in Los Angeles.
Grande and Max take more calls on the Celtics and discuss what lies ahead for Doc Rivers with Steve Bulpett.
We check in with Red Sox skipper John Farrell for our weekly Sox update and get the latest on the injury to Clay Buchholz, and a whole lot more.
John Farrell postgame press conference
Joe & Dave talked to the Sox outfielder, who pounded the ball out of the park to win the second game of the doubleheader against the Rays.
The Bruins have looked quite good taking a 2-1 lead on the Blackhawks, but Shawn Thornton says the team is not getting ahead of itself. Thornton also talks about what makes Patrice Bergeron such a great player and teammate. He also squeezes in a few shots at his friend Keegan Bradley.
Pierre McGuire joins Mut and Merloni after a Bruins win and discusses the play of Rask and the defense, the Hossa injury, and Jagr.
Tony Amonte calls out Marian Hossa for missing Game 3 and recaps the Bruins win.
The Bruins have looked quite good taking a 2-1 lead on the Blackhawks, but Shawn Thornton says the team is not getting ahead of itself. Thornton also talks about what makes Patrice Bergeron such a great player and teammate. He also squeezes in a few shots at his friend Keegan Bradley.
Keegan Bradley hopped on the set in Connecticut with D&C to talk some golf, but seeing as how he's a big Boston sports fan, the interview covered a lot of ground. You can hear Keegan talk about the Bruins' Cup chances, the Doc Rivers deal that almost was, and Shawn Thornton's lacking golf game.
Legal expert Michael McCann joined D&C to take on the topic of the day: Just what exactly is happening with Aaron Hernandez? McCann addressed Hernandez' lack of cooperation in the investigation so far, and how that may play out as the case moves along.
LB joins Mut and Merloni and discusses the Stanley Cup Finals and takes phone calls from listeners.
Despite many other important newsworthy items, the Boston Herald decided it was appropriate to put a story about Mut and Lou sending a vulgar cake to a Chicago radio station on the front page of today’s paper. Mut and Merloni respond, make it clear it was just a good natured joke and not meant to offend anyone.
Buster joins the program to discuss the problems of Andrew Bailey, what closers are available in the market, the Buchholz injury, and the latest in the biogensis scandal.
We talk about the developing Aaron Hernandez story line and look at it from the context of 'the Patriot Way', the theory that the Patriots only deal with high character athletes. Is that Patriot way gone? Did it ever even exist? We discuss.
We check in with Jack Edwards live on location for an hour of Stanley Cup preview. Jack warns us all not to get overconfident, the Bruins haven't won anything yet.
We talk pucks with the lovely and talented Kathryn Tappen of the NHL Network and preview game 4 of the Stanley Cup final and beyond.
Mikey gets a surprise call from Red Sox legend Bernie Carbo. They talk about old-time baseball and Bernie's new book.
Mikey talks with Tom and Luke about their new movie, "Plimpton!" and finds out what it was like to try to encapsulate everything George Plimpton accomplished during his life.
Today on the Daily Planet, the Red Sox and Yankees face off in the Bronx, Claude Julien doesn't want players wasting energy, and Dwight Howard and free agency.
You ask us, we answer it. Or you ask Jack, he answers it.
You ask, we answer. Today featuring NESN's Jack Edwards.
The new way we end the show. You ask, we answer.
Stephen A. joined the show to discuss the status of trade negotiations between the Clippers and the Celtics. Stephen said that it is a 50-50 proposition that Doc ends up in Los Angeles.
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More from this showBoth Xander Bogaerts and Anthony Ranaudo punctuated their strong 2013 seasons with head-turning events on June 13. On that day, Bogaerts, the Red Sox' top prospect, was promoted from Double-A Portland Pawtucket, with the 20-year-old becoming one of the youngest position players in the affiliate's history. On that same day, right-hander Anthony Ranaudo punched out 13 batters for Double-A Portland, the most strikeouts by a Red Sox minor leaguer since Jon Lester in 2005. They joined Minor Details to discuss both those accomplishments and their seasons to date.
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