Canadian outfielder returns after big game
FORT MYERS, Fla. --When star-for-a-day Adam Stern returned to his Boston Red Sox teammates, three of them serenaded the outfielder with his national anthem.
"They sang 'O, Canada' for me," he said. "I think they only knew the first two lines."
It wasn't very likely that Manny Ramirez, Tim Wakefield and Kevin Youkilis sang on key Saturday. Stern's all-around excellence in Canada's stunning 8-6 upset of the United States in the World Baseball Classic wasn't expected either, but it happened last Wednesday.
Canada's bid to reach the second round ended the next day when it lost to Mexico 9-1. Still, Stern figures he received 50 to 60 messages and rates his performance as one of the best in his athletic career.
"It was probably one of the bigger games I've had," he said. "You're playing against like the USA dream team, so it was fun."
Stern had a single, triple, inside-the-park homer, four RBIs and two outstanding catches in center field. Now he's simply trying to win a spot in a crowded Red Sox outfield picture.
As a Rule 5 draftee from Atlanta, Boston had to keep him all last season or offer him back to the Braves.
He had two stints on the disabled list for a fractured thumb suffered in spring training and a shoulder injury he had while on a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket. So he must remain with the Red Sox for 18 more days before they can send him to the minors without risking losing him to Atlanta.
Stern, who never played above Double-A before joining the Red Sox, doesn't expect his big game with Canada to affect his chances of staying with Boston.
"It's a great game and that's all it is," he said. "You've got to go out here and try to win a spot."
Boston's starting outfield is Ramirez, Coco Crisp and Trot Nixon. Dustan Mohr and Willie Harris are competing with the speedy Stern for the first backup spot.
Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau played on the Canadian team with Stern.
"It's good for him," Morneau said, "just showing everyone that he even belongs in the big leagues. It's a tough situation for him over here but, hopefully, if they don't have a spot for him over here he'll find somewhere to go.
"Somebody will want him. You have a game like that, people see all your tools, how he can play defense, how he can hit, how he can run."
Stern worked out with Boston on Saturday and got into Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Twins as a defensive replacement for Crisp in center field in the seventh inning.
In the eighth, Stern hit a grounder to the left of pitcher Ricky Barrett. Second baseman Luis Rodriguez bobbled the ball but the way Stern accelerated down the line, he would have been safe on a clean play.
Boston manager Terry Francona plans to work him into the outfield mix.
"He'll definitely start a few games," Francona said. "We'll move him around a little bit, let him play a little bit of right, a little bit of left. He'll get his at bats, for sure."
With Boston last season, Stern was 2-for-15 in 36 games with one stolen base. With Pawtucket, he hit .321 in 20 games but had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder last Sept. 27.
He said his shoulder felt OK in the WBC.
The 26-year-old Stern, who played three years at the University of Nebraska, was born in London, Ontario, and remembers watching current teammates David Wells and Mike Timlin pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Timlin is on the U.S. team that Canada upset.
"You shake your head and you're like, 'Is this really happening?"' Stern said of the victory.
In one game, he starred in a win over the United States. The Canadians enjoyed the feeling for a few hours, then lost to Mexico, and Stern returned to the Red Sox.
"It doesn't matter what I did in that game. It's yesterday," he said. "Everything you do with your country's colors on is a big deal, obviously, but hopefully I can do something in the big leagues noteworthy."
