The Boston Red Sox never were in the running to sign Shohei Ohtani last offseason. After a bizarre recruitment saga, the 23-year-old eventually signed with the Los Angeles Angels. However, the Japanese pitching-hitting phenom nearly joined the Red Sox organization in 2012, according to a piece published Monday by WEEI’s Rob Bradford. Ohtani, then a high-school sensation, was one of the hottest names on the international market. And a pair of Red Sox scouts — Jon Deeble and Eddie Romero — were hot on his trail. “After (meeting with Ohtani), we thought we had a good chance to sign him,” Romero recently told Bradford. When ask... NESN.com
Tag: sign
Red Sox Sign Catcher Christian Vazquez To Three-Year Contract Extension
Get used to seeing Christian Vazquez behind the plate at Fenway Park. The Boston Red Sox on Saturday signed the 27-year-old catcher to a three-year contract extension. The deal runs through the 2021 season and has a club option for the 2022 season. Prior to signing the extension, Vazquez was due for arbitration in 2019 and 2020, and was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2021. In addition to signing the contract, Vazquez offered to make an annual donation to the Red Sox Foundation. Here are the terms of the deal, per the Boston Herald’s Jason Mastrodonato: Perhaps the best defensive catcher in Major League Baseball,... NESN.com
MLB Rumors: This Team Expected To Sign Jake Arrieta In Coming Days
UPDATE (5:15 p.m. ET): The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly have landed their new ace. ORIGINAL STORY: It’s been an abnormally slow MLB offseason in terms of the open market, but marquee free agents have begun to start finding homes. Yu Darvish served as one of the first chips to fall, signing a hefty free-agent deal with the Chicago Cubs in mid-February. Eric Hosmer and J.D. Martinez relocated not long after, inking long-term contracts with the San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox, respectively. There still are a number of big-name free agents out there, but it appears one of them will be off the mark... NESN.com
Internal Competition An Encouraging Sign At Bruins Development Camp
The Boston Bruins have made six first-round picks over the last three NHL drafts. As a result, they have a deep, talented prospect pool. Many of these prospects recently attended the Bruins’ development camp, where internal competition for potential NHL roster spots was an encouraging sign for the team’s future. For an in-depth look, check out the “NESN Sports Today” video above, presented by People’s United Bank. ... NESN.com
Tender Patriots Placed On LeGarrette Blount Hadn’t Been Used For A Long Time
Share this: When word broke last week that the New England Patriots used an unrestricted free agent tender on running back LeGarrette Blount, the option was widely described as “rarely-used.” That might not have done the infrequency justice. The unrestricted free agent tender, or May 9 tender, hadn’t been used since 2000, Peter Schrager reported on NFL Media’s “Good Morning Football.” Twitter user Bryan Brackney says the tender, which formerly was known as the June 1 tender, last was used on Seattle Seahawks guard Frank Beede on June 1, 2000. The tender is a one-year deal worth $1.1 million, or 110 percent of Blount’s 2016 salary. If Blount signs with a team before July 22, the tender means he counts against against that team’s and towards the Patriots’
Theo Epstein Pulls Curtain Back On Failed Alex Rodriguez-To-Red Sox Trade
Share this: The Boston Red Sox, as it turns out, didn’t need Alex Rodriguez to win the 2004 World Series and end 86 years of heartbreak. But when a player of that caliber comes that close to joining your team, it’s impossible not to wonder, “what if?” It’s now well-known that the Red Sox nearly landed Rodriguez in a 2003 blockbuster trade involving the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox. In fact, the then-superstar shortstop was ready to sign with Boston before the Major League Baseball Players’ Association vetoed the deal, leading A-Rod to turn around and sign with the New York Yankees. It’s one of the most fascinating stories in sports, and Theo Epstein made it all the more compelling Sunday. The former
Floyd Mayweather Wants Conor McGregor To ‘Sign The Paper’ For Mega-Fight
Share this: It sounds like Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally is ready to get in the ring with UFC champion Conor McGregor. All he needs is McGregor’s signature. Mayweather spoke to ESPN’s Ben Dirs in London about the potential mega-fight with the Irish UFC star, claiming he’s just waiting on McGregor to put pen to paper to make the fight happen. “If Conor McGregor really wants this fight to happen, stop blowing smoke up everybody’s ass,” Mayweather told Dirs. “Sign the paper. Sign the paper. You said you were boss, so just sign the paper and let’s make it happen.” While Mayweather makes it sound simple, the logistics behind the potential fight are much more complex. There are issues with the purse for both fighters, as well