RED SOX : News & Notes March 15,2014.

RED SOX : NEWS & NOTES
March 15,2014.




~Victorino has setback : Shane Victorino was scheduled to play in a minor league game back in Fort Myers but was scratched with some discomfort in his surgically repaired right thumb. Victorino did take batting practice and is expected to play tonight.

~Breslow update : Lefty reliever Craig Breslow was slated to throw another bullpen session Friday and is "getting closer" to pitching in a Spring Training game, Farrell said, though there is no specific date set for Breslow's Grapefruit League debut. Farrell said he'd like to have Breslow make three-to-five appearances before the regular season, but it's not necessary."It's more about how he feels physically and how he's responding to the consistent work," Farrell said. "He's always contended that as long as he has his arm strength and maintaining arm slot, then he's confident that he can execute pitches."

'GREEN MONSTER' SEATS JUST GOT MORE EXPENSIVE

~'Dynamic Pricing System' for 'Green Monster' : Green Monster tickets, some of most hard-to-come-by tickets in sports, will begin changing in price regularly as the Boston Red Sox roll out a dynamic pricing system for the 2014 season.The new system will determine the cost of the seats based on the market demand in real time. The date of the game, opponent and weather that day are three of the variables that will be used in the analysis, provided by the companies Qcue and tixtrack.The tickets, which go on sale March 18 at noon, have always been a hot commodity. Even standing room only tickets in the Green Monster section are pricey (for a game against the New York Yankees in September, two tickets were listed on eBay Friday morning for $322 each).While the new system could, at times, raise face value prices and take away from profits on the secondary market, they could also save the ticket-buyer money on tickets for lower-profile games.“This pricing model for Green Monster tickets is similar to how airlines and other industries – including several other Major League teams – price their tickets,” said Red Sox chief operating officer Sam Kennedy. “Unlike the variable pricing structure adopted in other parts of the ballpark, where prices vary by game but are set in advance for the season, dynamic pricing can and will change based on market conditions.”

~Hill makes 1st Appearance : Red Sox relieverRich Hill made an emotional return to the mound Friday against the Blue Jays, throwing a perfect inning in his first appearance following the tragic death of his newborn son.Hill's progression this spring was delayed by a late arrival to camp following his infant son's recent death. But Hill impressed Boston manager John Farrell with how quickly he prepared himself after reporting and wound up recording three straight outs in the bottom of the fifth inning Friday at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium during Boston's 3-1 win.Afterward, Hill couldn't hide his emotions when asked what was going through his mind on the mound."It was tough, but it was good," Hill said, pausing to compose himself. "It was good to get out there and pitch. ... I remember the 3-2 count, and before you'd [think], 'I've got to make the pitch, I've got to make the pitch.' And it just comes to you where you're just -- you're playing baseball. This isn't something that you were dealing with a few weeks ago."So it was kind of a sense of ease just to go out there and play the game the way that we were meant to play it as kids. So that was kind of the emotions and the feelings that were out there today."Added Farrell: "He's done everything he could to get back in a game. I'm sure in his mind just to get back out on to the field and compete hopefully gives him a little peace of mind. Still, we're going to reserve any judgment and any kind of evaluation until we get more appearances. But more than anything, he's out there and he's in the flow of things."Hill said he had to fight the desire to do too much and work too hard to catch up with the rest of Boston's pitchers, but he was pleased with the way he threw Friday. Hill got Dioner Navarro on a popout, induced a flyout to center field from Moises Sierra and struck out Ryan Goins looking. The lefty admitted he didn't have his best stuff, but that might have made the results even more encouraging."You really had to focus on feeling the ball come out and trusting it and just executing the pitch," Hill said. "It was a great day because you look at it and you take it as, 'Wow, you had 'B' stuff today but you were able to go out there and execute and get guys out.' That was exciting for me."