Quite a changeup
Manager Terry Francona yesterday acknowledged he has never witnessed the organizational turnover -- both on the field and off -- that has taken place since the White Sox ended the 2005 Red Sox season. What follows is a look at the people who are here, and those who are no longer here. (Nonroster invitees such as Dustan Mohr are not included.)
2B Mark Loretta: Loretta, obtained from San Diego for Doug Mirabelli, has hit .314 over the last three seasons, best of any second baseman in baseball.
SS Alex González: A Gold Glove-caliber player, even without the hardware to prove it, González won't hit much (.245 career average, .291 on-base percentage) but can turn the double play as well as anyone.
3B Mike Lowell: Bill Mueller -- class teammate, excellent fielder, and professional hitter -- is a tough act to follow. But Lowell, if he can reclaim his offensive stature of 2004, is all of that.
CF Coco Crisp: Successor to Johnny Damon appears as advertised -- funny, likable, and comfortable in the spotlight. He also had an .810 OPS last season (Damon's was .805).
C John Flaherty: Randy Johnson's personal catcher a year ago, Flaherty will attempt to win that designation with Tim Wakefield.
RHP Josh Beckett: 2003 World Series MVP is in camp throwing gas, which suggests that for now, his shoulder is healthy. Curt Schilling has taken an active role in mentoring the 25-year-old.
RHP Rudy Seánez: Reliever is coming off a career year in San Diego (7-1, 2.69 ERA) and hopes to replicate that, rather than his brief stint in Boston in 2003 (nine games, 6.23 ERA).
RHP Julián Tavárez: Notorious hothead has been accommodating, even volunteering to partake in pitcher fielding drills that weren't required Wednesday. Went 2-3 with a 3.43 ERA with St. Louis last season.
RHP David Riske: Reliever, obtained in Crisp deal, figures to pitch in the sixth and seventh innings. His 2005 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) of 0.96 ranked fifth in American League.
DeMarlo Hale, third base coach: The Rangers' first base coach the last four seasons, Hale succeeds the oft-scrutinized Dale Sveum.
Al Nipper, bullpen coach/interim pitching coach: The 46-year-old organizational veteran was hired as bullpen coach but will also be the pitching coach until Dave Wallace (hip-related infection) is healthy.
Paul Lessard, head trainer: Former Arizona Diamondbacks trainer will oversee training staff, evaluate and treat injuries, implement injury prevention programs, and have input in strength and conditioning programs.
Mike Reinold, assistant trainer: Worked as director of rehab and clinical education at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Ala., where Keith Foulke stopped off last year while getting some barbecue.
David Page, strength and conditioning coach: Develops and implements inseason and offseason programs.
Don Kalkstein, director of performance enhancement: Former employee of the Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks will help players with psychological aspects of performance.
Mike Hazen, director of player development: Abington native, Princeton graduate, and former minor leaguer with the Padres fits the mold of young, bright Sox executives. He inherits Ben Cherington's former post.
SS Edgar Renteria: After making a career- and major league-high 30 errors last season, was dealt to Atlanta for Andy Marte. Sox will wind up paying $23 million of $41 million on Renteria's four-year deal.
3B Bill Mueller: 2003 AL batting champ parlayed three excellent seasons in Boston into a two-year, $9.5 million deal with the Dodgers after making $6.7 million over three seasons in Boston.
CF Johnny Damon: Sox' most marketable and congenial player turned down a four-year, $40 million deal for $12 million more to hit leadoff for the Yankees.
1B John Olerud: Cerebral, sure-handed, smooth-swinging first baseman quietly retired.
C Doug Mirabelli: Wakefield's personal catcher was dealt in what appears to be a bargain move, assuming that Wakefield doesn't suffer.
LHP Mike Myers: Lefthanded batters hit .158 against Myers last season and .195 over the last four seasons. The Yankees guaranteed him $2.4 million over two seasons in the hopes he can get David Ortiz out.
RHP Wade Miller: Shoulder woes, and ultimately surgery, limited him to 16 starts (4-4, 4.95 ERA) last season. Cubs rolled the dice for $1 million guaranteed plus incentives.
RHP Matt Mantei: The plan last year called for Mantei to close if Foulke faltered, but Mantei went down before Foulke with a bum ankle. Michigan native is attempting to make the Tigers.
RHP Jeremi González: Became the answer to a trivia question -- along with Brad Lidge, who allowed a 2005 postseason home run to Scott Podsednik after he went all season without going deep? Signed a minor league deal with the Mets.
RHP Chad Bradford: Sox deemed submariner obtained for Jay Payton last July was too one-dimensional to keep. He signed with the Mets for $1.4 million.
Lynn Jones, first base coach: Jones, offered a minor league position, declined. He's now a minor league outfield/base running coordinator with the Reds.
Dale Sveum, third base coach: Sveum, after three seasons of waving guys in, waved goodbye to accept the same position with the Brewers.
Josh Byrnes, assistant GM: Theo Epstein's former assistant, long considered GM material, gets that opportunity with a prospect-laden Arizona organization.
Peter Woodfork, director of baseball operations/assistant director of player development: Swampscott native and Harvard grad left Sox to join Byrnes as assistant GM.
Dave Jauss, major league advance scout: Jauss joined Grady Little in Los Angeles as the Dodgers' bench coach.
Chris Correnti, assistant trainer: He is taking the year off to work with players he's developed a relationship with, including Derek Lowe.
Chang Lee, assistant trainer: Moved to California. Is working with Padres pitcher Chan Ho Park.
COMPILED BY CHRIS SNOW
