FORT MYERS, Fla.
Arthur Moats Steelers Jersey . - Grady Sizemores long journey back from a series of injuries that almost ended
his promising career is complete: He will be the Boston Red Soxs starting centre
fielder on opening day. The three-time All-Star is set to play for the World
Series champions Monday at Baltimore. "Its very exciting," Sizemore said Friday.
"Its been a long road for me and Im happy to keep moving forward and to be in
this position for this team." Sizemore beat out highly regarded prospect Jackie
Bradley Jr. for the starting job. The Red Sox said Friday that Bradley will
begin the season at Triple-A Pawtucket. Sizemore has not played in the majors
since September 2011 with Cleveland. He has undergone seven operations since
2009, including surgery on both knees, his back and elbow. The Red Sox lost star
centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the Yankees in free agency during the
off-season. Boston signed the 31-year-old Sizemore in January, hoping he could
still make an impact. Sizemore hit .333 in spring training, going 13 for 39 with
a home run, two doubles, three walks, and four strikeouts. He held up well in
the outfield, playing 82 innings. "This is one of those situations where the
game was taken away from a player and now that its back in his reach, that
appreciation is only going to grow," Farrell said. "Theres a greater
appreciation that I think any player goes through when theyre able to attain
that level again. "He hasnt had any push back with the repetition and the volume
in spring training, saying his body cant take it," Farrell added. "We have had a
cautious level of optimism with each passing day." Entering spring training, the
Red Sox were not sure what to expect from Sizemore. But hes passed every marker.
Whats left is to see how he holds up during the rigours of a full season. "As
far as the durability question, we answered it as best we could given the number
of spring training games," Farrell said. "He will still be on a progression in
the month of April where theres a prescribed number of games played and theres a
progression to that. Its premature to give you an exact number of games per
week. But were working toward an everyday status." Sizemore was a third-round
pick of the Montreal Expos in 2000 before being acquired in a six-player deal by
Cleveland in 2002 when Farrell was the Indians director of player development.
Before his injuries, Sizemore was one of baseballs most dynamic players. A
left-handed batter, he hit 20 or more home runs with 20 or more stolen bases in
each of his first four full seasons, from 2005-08, the most 20-20 seasons in
Indians history. The only other players ever to record three 20-20 seasons
within their first four big league seasons are Darryl Strawberry (1984-86) and
Bobby Bonds (1969-71). Despite his time away from the game, Sizemore never gave
up on his baseball career, though. "I didnt think it was over," he said. "I just
didnt know if Id ever get back to feeling healthy. It wasnt really a matter of
playing baseball. It was the little things like being able to run. It was one of
those things where youre just trying to find answers." The last few years have
not been easy on Sizemore. After appearing in a total of 639 games from 2005-08,
he has played in just 210 since. But, on Monday, expect that to change. "Its
nice to have some positive news," Sizemore said. "In the last couple of years
everythings been so negative. Its almost hard to realize whats going on. Hard to
sink in."
Lynn Swann Steelers Jersey . This time, it was Eric Chavezs turn. Stuck in a rut since coming off the disabled list, Chavez
hit the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning for a run-scoring single, sending
the Diamondbacks to another walk-off victory, 4-3 over the San Francisco Giants
on Saturday night.
Cameron Heyward Steelers Jersey . He has spent much of his adult life trying to give back to his native South Sudan, the
war-torn African nation the Cavaliers forward and his family fled when he was a
young boy.SILVERSTONE, England -- Lewis Hamilton won a crash-hit British Grand
Prix on Sunday to cut Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosbergs lead in the drivers
championship from 29 points to just four after the German had his first
non-finish of the season. Hamilton, the 2008 champion, started sixth on the
grid. The British driver leapt to fourth on the opening lap before it was
red-flagged, and suspended for an hour, following a crash involving 2007
champion Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari and Felipe Massa of Williams. Hamilton then
took the lead after 29 laps as Rosberg retired with gearbox failure. Hamilton
came home 30 seconds clear of Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams, who started
14th. Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull finished third ahead of Jenson
Button, the 2009 champion, of McLaren and defending four-time champion Sebastian
Vettel in the second Red Bull. Two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was
sixth. It was Hamiltons fifth win this year, his second in his home event and
the 27th of his career, drawing him level with fellow-Briton and three-time
champion Jackie Stewart in the record books. "England! What a great feeling
guys, I couldnt be happier, Im sorry about yesterday, but a fantastic job today,
as ever!" a delighted Hamilton told his team by radio. Hamilton made a mistake
in qualifying on Saturdaay after wrongly deciding the track was too damp, or
wet, for him to improve his best lap time.
Mike Mitchell Steelers Jersey. From the winners podium, Hamilton added: "This shows you never give up! Right now, its
very mixed emotions at the moment, but we have the greatest fans here. It was
you guys who spurred me on. At the beginning, I allowed him (Rosberg) to get a
good gap and look after the tires. "But we came out on the harder tire and could
not believe I had that kind of pace. I dont want to see a team-mate fail, I want
a one-two, but I really needed this result." Raikkonen was involved in a
spectacular high-speed opening lap accident that halted the race for an hour to
allow repairs to the barriers. The Ferrari driver lost control, spun, hit the
barriers and collided with the Williams of Brazilian Massa, who was starting his
200th Grand Prix. Both escaped serious injury but Raikkonen, whose car was
massively damaged, limped away and required later X-rays on his right ankle.
Massa was forced out with a damaged car, but like Rosberg, stayed to cheer the
teams at the end of the race. Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen finished seventh for
McLaren ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, Russian rookie Daniil
Kvyat of Toro Rosso and 10th-placed Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne in the second
Toro Rosso.
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