Baseball

[smc]

Here's the latest from Red Sox Nation:

Sox picked up Adrian Beltre as the new starting 3rd baseman, which means Mike Lowell will be traded or platooned, Kevin Youkilis will stay at his Gold Glove position across the diamond, and Casey Kotchman will not become the starting 1st baseman.

With Jason Bay gone to the Mets, the Sox announced that Jacoby Ellsbury (or "Wonderboy," as I call him) will move to left field and newly acquired Mike Cameron will play center. Ellsbury was reportedly disappointed, but manager Terry Francona makes an excellent point: "The way we're constituted, with [Cameron's] long strides and Jacoby's first-step quickness, it seems that we're set up better that way." Left field is a tough position in Fenway, because you have to learn to read the wall.