Several Red Sox players made the 2 1/2-hour hike from their spring home in Fort Myers, Fla., to Roger Dean Stadium, only to find out shortly after arriving that it was for naught.

The continuation of UMPS CARE's efforts, like any charitable endeavor, relies heavily on fundraising. One of their most successful endeavors has been the UMPS CARE online auction, which returns for its second year and will begin on Friday morning, March 12 and run through March 22.

Friday's scheduled Grapefruit League game between the Cardinals and visiting Boston Red Sox at Roger Dean Stadium was postponed because of rain.

John Lackey, new to this whole Grapefruit League thing, spent the longest bus ride he has ever had leading into a Spring Training start snoozing. But when it was time to pitch, he perked right up and fired three shutout innings on Thursday.

How will the Red Sox manage to hit enough without Jason Bay? Boston's erstwhile left fielder, who now wears No. 44 and plays left field for the New York Mets, has heard that question for weeks because he follows baseball. Still, he doesn't understand that line of thinking.

John Lackey threw three scoreless innings Thursday, and the Red Sox held former outfielder Jason Bay hitless while stifling the Mets, 8-2, in a rainy win in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Intertwined throughout the Hot Stove months, John Lackey and Jason Bay meet on the diamond today when the Red Sox visit the Mets. It's Bay's first meeting against his former team.

SI.com reported Wednesday that the Red Sox and Josh Beckett have "growing optimism" that a new pact can be struck within the next few weeks.

The retirement of Nomar Garciaparra brought a flood of memories not just for No. 5 himself, but for those who were around him during his time in Boston.

Nomar Garciaparra, a two-time batting champion and six-time All-Star, announced his retirement on Wednesday at a press conference held by his original team.

Jacoby Ellsbury clubbed two homers and drove in three runs, and Jon Lester allowed just one unearned run over 2 2/3 innings in the Sox's 8-6 loss to the Rays on Wednesday.

Sporting a beard and a new uniform, former Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida, now with the Red Sox, enjoyed a successful return to Roger Dean Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

They are the diminutive duo for sure, but the listed heights of Dustin Pedroia (5-foot-9) and Marco Scutaro (5-10) hardly do justice to how big the new double-play combo will be for the Red Sox.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was effective over three scoreless innings, giving up two hits while fanning one as the Red Sox pounded the Marlins, 9-0, on Tuesday in Jupiter, Fla.

In the span of barely more than a week, pitcher Casey Fien has been a member of the Tigers, the Red Sox and the Blue Jays.

His Red Sox career is in its infancy, so Jose Iglesias doesn't have many memorable moments in his career. He added perhaps his first one on Monday afternoon in a Grapefruit League contest against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Josh Beckett's second outing of the spring couldn't have gone much better. Facing the Cardinals on Monday afternoon, the Red Sox's ace pitched three perfect innings while striking out three.

Josh Reddick spent just 27 games in the Majors in 2009, but the prospect gained valuable experience from the callup, getting to know his big league teammates and learning to be more selective.

The number 13 was a lucky one for the Red Sox on Monday. That was the number of players the team announced it had signed to contracts for the 2010 season.

Josh Beckett threw three perfect innings on Monday, and the Sox took a no-no into the seventh before winning, 7-6, over the Cards, thanks to Josh Reddick's heroics in the ninth.