Catching Up

Ex-Yankee pitcher Alex Graman, Daisuke Matsuzaka's teammate on the Seibu Lions last season, on the adjustment from Japan's six-man rotation and 136-game schedule:

That probably will be the biggest adjustment, going with four days' rest, but it probably won't be that big a deal. I'd heard a lot about him before going over there, but I was pretty impressed. He throws such a wide variety of pitches and throws them for strikes. He has a lot better control than I thought. I think he tried to overpower people when he first started, but he's learned how to pitch. He can throw in the mid-to-upper 90s, but in the lower 90s he locates so well, he'll just dial it up when he needs to blow one by you. His changeup when he got it going was unhittable.

Boston has invited eight players to spring training: "Super Joe" McEwing, outfielder Kerry Robinson, catcher Alberto Castillo, pitcher Travis Hughes, and infielders Jeff Bailey, Luis Jimenez, Ed Rogers and Bobby Scales. ... The Sox also signed former Royals RHP Runelvys Hernandez and well-travelled RHP Adam Bernero.

This year's Patriots Day game will start at 10:05 -- that's 7:05 AM (!) for fans of the visiting Angels.

Darryl Strawberry offers some advice:

I hope Jeter would embrace him [Slappy] this year, in spring training, and bring him into the full circle as a part of the Yankee family. If Jeter does it, I think everybody else will respond. ... I remember them when they were young and they went to dinner together and they did everything together. ...

I think the Yankees' problem is that they just don't support each other enough. I mean, back when I played in those years we were winning, we all supported each other, we all cared for each other. I think they need to get back to that, because the talent is there, but everybody seems like they're going their separate ways.