Here are the highlights:

“Based on what happened the last month of the season last year it seemed like everything was going south. It didn’t matter what we did, it seemed like everything was going to end up the way it did. Now this year we’ve changed things around. You learn from your mistakes. You learn from your struggles. So I’m pretty sure everybody is on same page now and things are going to be different. We have a new manager, Bobby, and he has an idea what he wants to do with all of us and I’m pretty sure that he’s going to take over and try and do his job his best.”

Beer and chicken-gate? “Well, I don’t think … not because of the beer or the chicken. The problem was when they did it. If they come out and apologize, that means they’re not going to do it again. Because of that, you need to turn the page. We’re going to be thinking of the fried chicken and the beer that they had last September and March and February of 2012? No. you’re not going to resolve any problems with that. Now, we have a new skipper, he is aware of all this stuff and he’s going to try to change things around. That’s all you can do about it.”

Playing on a one-year contract? “I’ve been playing on one year contract for the past few years, right? Of course, you want not to have to worry about contracts. That ain’t for everybody. You know what I’m saying? I tried my best to sign for the next few years. It didn’t work out. But I’m happy with what I got. I’m not going to lie to you. I’m happy with it. I want to get over it. I’m back, I’m here, at least for another year. Like I always tell you guys, I’m going to try my best. I always try to change things around when I’m on the field. I think I’ve been a well representative of this organization for years. That’s what matters to me.”

Could Ortiz have done anything better last year? “Not hitting .340? I don’t know. I mean, I think, whatever happened between me and my manager, he called me into the office and told me what I did wrong [disputing an official scorer's decision publicly]. I think that’s the best thing that can ever happen to a human being in general. And it’s because, like I say, you do things, that you think you’re doing the right thing but you ain’t. I didn’t do anything that reflected on some of the guys. Pretty much most of the things I do, when Tito used to call me into the office to say something to me, it wasn’t something that was affecting the team. It was something that I should not do because I have young guys looking out for me. So he didn’t want them to get the wrong idea about things. But it wasn’t a big deal.”

Kept in touch with Tito? “We talked a few times after the season, and I think he was just tired. He needs a break. He was in a good mood. I guess they agreed to be on the same page at a time. Tito was a close friend to me when he was the manager, and we got along pretty good. He called me the other day to congratulate me when I finalized my deal with the Red Sox. He was like, ‘You know, I don’t see you wearing another uniform.’ He was happy that we got into an agreement after anything, and he wished me good luck.”

Would Ortiz have made any wardrobe changes for the arbitration hearing, had their been one? “They told me not to wear my earrings in front of the judge. I was like, ‘Did I kill someone or something? What did I do that I’m not allowed to wear them in front of a judge?’ They were like, ‘You don’t want to have that much bling bling coming in and this and that, start on the wrong foot.”

Disbelief that the 2011 Red Sox didn’t make it to the playoffs: “I remember at one point during the season, I was like, ‘Man, this is the best ballclub that I have ever been into,’ because we were playing so good. When you’re playing that good in July, August, me personally, I already made up my mind that we would be  in the playoffs. And having the kind of drought that we had and moving forward towards the end of the season when you know that you’re running out of chances, that wears you out. That wears you out. I’m telling you, I was like having all this pressure that we’ve got to win to get to the playoffs, that’s something extra that you’ve got to bring to the table. After all, it was like, you know, I don’t know if you guys know, but I was very disappointed. But there’s nothing you can do about it this year. You have to pull yourself together and be ready to do damage next year.”

Ross was asked about his ability to step up when it mattered most in 2010, the year he helped the Giants win the World Series.

“I just had a different mindset. You go through the day-to-day routine of playing baseball and it’s a grind. You play everyday. But once you get to the playoffs, it’s like, ‘Wow, this is what we’ve played every single day for. This is why we’re here. This is why we play the game.’ You sort of have that mentality. You go and you play. Like I said, you either do it or you don’t. Fortunately for me and for us, we did. There’s a lot of guys in here with playoff experience. They understand what it takes to get there. That helps on teams. You realize from day one that you need to win this game. It can matter in Game 162, when you’re going down the stretch. That’s a good thing to have.”

Punto is no stranger to big games either, having just helped the Cardinals win a World Series. Now he will compete with Mike Aviles to be Bostons’ Opening Day shortstop.

“I’m just thrilled, excited to be part of a franchise like this, a team like this. It’s kind of a dream come true,” Punto said.  “I’m looking forward to it. I’m just here to compete, here to have some fun. I’ve worked hard this offseason. It’s going to be a good opportunity.”

And for once, he won’t be the shortest guy in the room — that honor, as always, going to Pedroia.

“It will probably the first [double play partner] I’m taller than,” Punto said. “I’m looking forward to that.”

“Oh, I can’t do nothing about what he said. I can just go out and play. It was unfortunate that he feels that way but there’s nothing to say to him but just go out and play. Oh, I wasn’t happy about it. I was a little surprised to hear the comments. But like I said, it was unfortunate he feels that way. I wish that those words hadn’t came out.”

But they did, so now all Crawford can do is have a better season.

“Last year was probably one of the toughest things I’ve had to go through. For whatever reason it was, I struggled, and it was really hard to deal with. I had a lot of time to think about it and make corrections, and I think things will be better,” Crawford said.

Crawford said he is making a nice recovery from wrist surgery and still holds out hope he can be ready for Opening Day.

STATEMENTS ON TIM WAKEFIELD
JASON VARITEK, former teammate
There is so much to say about Wake. He has been a part of so many things and he‟s meant so much to the game, the organization, the community, and personally as a friend and teammate for 14 years. He is a consummate professional with a one-of-a-kind talent that allowed this team flexibility, dependability, and endurance for 17 years. His competitiveness will be missed but his legacy and friendship will last a lifetime. It‟s sad to see it end but this will be an exciting new chapter for him in his life.

DOUG MIRABELLI, former teammate
Wakey has been a wonderful teammate and friend, and a great representative of his family and the Red Sox. When you think about the Red Sox you can‟t help but think of Wakey. What a tremendous success. He‟ll now have a chance to look back and see what he‟s accomplished from his days at Florida Tech to pitching 19 years in the Major Leagues.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA, former teammate
It‟s truly been an honor to play with him for so many years. Every game he gave it his all, supported his teammates, and his professionalism was second to none. For me to play with him was an honor, but it‟s even a better honor to know him as a friend.
CURT SCHILLING, former teammate
A consummate professional, I‟m very proud to call Tim Wakefield a former teammate and more importantly a friend. Anyone that wonders how far they can go in life only needs to look at what Tim overcame and accomplished in his long and storied career. I can honestly say I have all my fingers, toes and teeth today, because I never had to catch his knuckleball. Tim proved time and again that class and perseverance DO matter, and Shonda and I wish him much health and happiness after baseball.
MIKE STANLEY, former teammate
You always hear the term „professional hitter,‟ but you don‟t hear that about pitchers. For me, „professional pitcher‟ is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about Tim and his career. He started, was a spot starter, worked out of the bullpen and even closed for us for a short time when I was with Boston. A consummate team player, he always put his nose to grindstone for the betterment of the team and did what he was asked. That to me is what Tim Wakefield is all about. Selfishly, I‟m excited because I‟ve got my fishing partner and golfing buddy back.

TERRY FRANCONA, managed Wakefield with the Red Sox from 2004-11
I think Wake‟s career can be embodied by Game 3 against the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. With the team down, he came to me in the fourth inning and asked what he could do. He pitched more than three innings that game, sacrificing his start the next day for the good of the team. A lot of what he did went under the radar. I wish him congratulations on a wonderful career and hope his second career is as good as his first.
JIM LEYLAND, managed Wakefield with the Pirates from 1992-93
Tim had a long and tremendous career. I’m proud to have been his first manager and I’ve enjoyed watching his success over the years. I wish him nothing but the best in his retirement.
JOE CASTIGLIONE, longtime Red Sox broadcaster
Congratulations to Tim Wakefield on a marvelous career. I feel honored to have called all of his 186 wins for the Red Sox from his amazing 14-1 start in 1995 when he pitched the Red Sox to a division title to his 200th career win last September and all the great games in between, including his unselfish performance in the 2004 ALCS that made the comeback possible. I will miss Tim and his wonderful wife Stacy and family and will always cherish his friendship.
PHIL NIEKRO, Hall of Fame knuckleball pitcher
We have been friends from the first day we met. I don‟t know where the Red Sox would have been without him.
THOMAS M. MENINO, Mayor of Boston since 1993
It has been a pleasure to watch Tim Wakefield play baseball in Boston for the last 17 years. There is something to be said for longevity in a profession – and Wake is one of the few people in this town who managed to keep the same job almost as long as I have! He has been not only a legendary pitcher and teammate on the mound, but in the community as well. I thank him for everything he has done for Boston and wish him well in the future. We are going to miss this class act.
MIKE ANDREWS, Dana-Farber Trustee and Former Chairman of the Jimmy Fund
To me, Tim is everything a professional athlete should be. He handled himself in such a professional way as far as his baseball career goes and he has done what I would hope and what most people would hope professional athletes would do off the field in his charitable endeavors. What he did for the Jimmy Fund is second to none. He is beloved by so many kids and adults alike at the jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It‟s awesome what he did for the kids. I know he will be successful in whatever he chooses to do going forward.

CAROL TROXELL, Co-Founder of Pitching in for Kids
Blessed with an incredible career on the field, Tim Wakefield has also done many incredible things off the field. Never selfish with his time, Tim has raised millions of dollars through his charities to help others in need. Our organization, Pitching in for Kids, which was named for Tim’s job on the mound, is proud of him today and we are looking forward to working with him as he continues to pitch in and serve the community. Today, we not only honor a baseball champion, we honor our friend.

DATE                                                 OPPONENT                          SITE                                       TIME

Saturday, March 3                            Northeastern                          JetBlue Park                          2:35 p.m.

Saturday, March 3                            Boston College                       JetBlue Park                          7:05 p.m./TV/Radio

Sunday, March 4                               Minnesota Twins                   JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m./TV/Radio#

Monday, March 5                               Minnesota Twins                     Hammond Stadium                 7:05 p.m./TV/Radio

Tuesday, March 6                             Baltimore Orioles                  JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m.

Wednesday, March 7                          Toronto Blue Jays                   Dunedin                                  1:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 8                              St. Louis Cardinals                 Jupiter                                     1:05 p.m.

Friday, March 9                                Pittsburgh Pirates                 JetBlue Park                          7:05 p.m./TV/Radio#

Saturday, March 10                          Tampa Bay Rays                   JetBlue Park                          7:05 p.m./TV/Radio

Sunday, March 11                               Baltimore Orioles                    Sarasota                                   1:05 p.m./TV

Monday, March 12                           Miami Marlins                       JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m./ESPN

Tuesday, March 13                             New York Yankees                Tampa                                     7:05 p.m./Radio

Wednesday, March 14                        Off Day

Thursday, March 15                         St. Louis Cardinals               JetBlue Park                          2:35 p.m.

Friday, March 16                              Minnesota Twins                   JetBlue Park                          7:05 p.m./Radio

Saturday, March 17                            Baltimore Orioles (SS)            Sarasota                                   1:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 17                          Baltimore Orioles (SS)          JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m./Radio

Sunday, March 18                               Tampa Bay Rays                     Port Charlotte                         1:05 p.m./TV/Radio

Monday, March 19                           Minnesota Twins                   JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m.

Tuesday, March 20                           Toronto Blue Jays                 JetBlue Park                          7:05 p.m./TV/Radio

Wednesday, March 21                        Pittsburgh Pirates                    Bradenton                               1:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 22                         New York Yankees               JetBlue Park                          7:05 p.m./TV/ESPN/Radio#

Friday, March 23                                Baltimore Orioles                    Sarasota                                   1:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 24                            Miami Marlins (SS)                 Jupiter                                     1:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 24                          Philadelphia Phillies (SS)      JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m./TV/Radio

Sunday, March 25                               Toronto Blue Jays                   Dunedin                                  1:05 p.m./TV/Radio

Monday, March 26                             Philadelphia Phillies                Clearwater                               1:05 p.m./ESPN

Tuesday, March 27                           Tampa Bay Rays                   JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m.

Wednesday, March 28                        Off Day

Thursday, March 29                         Toronto Blue Jays                 JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m.

Friday, March 30                                Minnesota Twins                     Hammond Stadium                 1:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 31                            Tampa Bay Rays                     Port Charlotte                         1:05 p.m./Radio

Sunday, April 1                                 Minnesota Twins                   JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m./TV/Radio#

Monday, April 2                                Washington Nationals           JetBlue Park                          1:35 p.m.

Tuesday, April 3                                 Washington Nationals             Nationals Park                         3:05 p.m.

(SS)- Split Squad        Home Games at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in Lee County, Florida

TV- Game Telecast by NESN, ESPN- Game Telecast on ESPN

Radio- Game aired on WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM, Radio#- Game aired on WRKO 680 AM

–RED SOX–

Of Matt Albers’ $1,075,000 contract, $650,000 is guaranteed.

Andrew Bailey gets a $50,000 bonus for 50 games finished and 55 games finished, plus $25,000 for All-Star appearance, $25,000 for Rolaids Award, $25,000 for LCS MVP, $50,000 for World Series MVP, $100,000 for winning the Cy Young, $50,000 for finishing second and $25,000 for finishing third. He’d get the same 3 bonuses for top 3 finishes in MVP race.

Jesse Carlson’s split contract is $160,000 for Minors/$650,000 for Majors. $15,000 for 20 games,25 games, 30 games, 35 games, 40 games, 45 games, 50 games, 55 games, 50 games, 65 games. He gets $50,000 if he is Comeback Player of the Year. If he is not on the 40-man roster by April 1 or the 25-man roster by 60 games, he will be released if requested or be added to roster within 24 hours. If not on the Major League roster, he can sign with an Asian team for $50,00 by 2/19. $75,000 IF BETWEEN 2/19-4/3. $100,000 IF AFTER 4/3, or he will be added to the roster within 24 hours.

Aaron Cook’s contract is for $1.5 million if in the Majors. He gets $250,000 for 15 games as a pitcher, $500,000 for 20 games, $500,000 for 25 games, $750,000 for 30 games. He gets $50,000 if comeback Player of the Year. If he’s not on the 25-man roster on 5/1 or 6/1, he will be released if requested of added to the roster within 48 hours.

Andrew Miller gets an incentive of $50,000 for 20 games as a pitcher, and for 25 games as pitcher.

Vicente Padilla’s Major League base is $1.5 million. he gets $550,000 for eight games started, and another $550,000 for 11 games started, and 16 games started and 20 games started. He gets $600,000 for 24 games started, 28 games started and 32 games started. He gets $100,000 for 15 relief appearances and 20 relief appearances. He gets $150,000 for the following relief appearances: 25 games; 30 games; 35 games; 40 games; 45 games; 50 games. He gets $200,000 for 55 relief appearances and 60 relief appearances.

Cody Ross has a $3 million base salary, but incentives for plate appearances. $250,000 for 425, an another $250,000 for 475 PA or 130 games. He gets $250,000 for 525 plate appearances of 140 games; $250,000 for 575 PA or 150 games (Maximum of $1 million). He would get $25,000 for a Gold Glove; $50,000 for World Series MVP.

Kelly Shoppach’s $1.35 million salary includes another $100,000 if he plays in 70 games, $150,000 for 80 games, $150,000 for 90 games.

Carlos Silva’s Major League contract is for a million. He gets $100,000 if he starts 10 games and another $350,000 for 15 starts; $500,000 for 20 starts; $650,000 for 25 games started; $800,000 for 30 games started. $30,000 for each relief milestone: 25 appearances, 30 appearances, 35 appearances, 40 appearances. He gets $75,000 for 45 relief appearances and 50 relief appearances. He gets $150,000 for 55, 60 and 65 relief appearances and $50,000 if Comeback Player of the Year. If he’s not on the 25-man roster by 4/15, he will be released upon request or added to roster within 48 hours.

The second annual Not Your Average Idol event supports Youk’s Kids, the charity Youkilis founded that supports and advocates for youth needs both in Massachusetts and in Ohio, where Youkilis is from, with a tremendous view of Boston’s harbor as the backdrop.

DeGraw headlines the musical performances, and the night is hosted hosted by Sarah Colonna and Josh Wolf of the TV show Chelsea Lately. There’s also a silent and live auction and food tastings from some of Boston’s top restaurants.

Tickets are $250 and $500 and can be purchased online at www.youkskids.org or by phone at (617) 964-9685 (YOUK). Doors open at 6 p.m., the program is scheduled to begin at 7.

– Evan Drellich

“He’s going to come to camp as a starter,” said Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington. “He’ll be a part of that mix, competing for those last couple of spots. He’s pitched out of bullpen, too. He knows there’s a chance if he makes the team and we need him more in the pen, he may end up going to the pen. He’s focused on coming to camp as a starter and trying to make the team in one role or another, but he’ll come to camp as a starter.”

The Red Sox hope this signing winds up being similar to the one that brought Aceves aboard a year ago.

“He’s looked good. We saw him throw in Nicaragua a couple different times. Stuff looked very similar to his time recently in Los Angeles before he went on the DL there,” Cherington said. “Velocity was good. He has an assortment of offspeed pitches. He probably spans the velocity range about as wide as anyone in the game today. He showed that in Nicaragua, as well. We had a chance to meet with him last week in Fort Myers and talk to him and take a look at him. We were pretty pleasantly surprised about how he looked physically, specifically as it relates to his recovery from the neck procedure he had last summer, and just generally looked pretty good. So we pursued a deal with him, and we’re happy to get him signed.”

The Rangers have 30 days to make a deal with Darvish, otherwise he is returned to his team in Japan.

This is a win for the Red Sox, if only because the Blue Jays were heavily rumored to have posted the winning bid on Darvish. So instead of facing Darvish five or six times a year, the Sox will only have to see him once or twice.

The AL West will be a must see division this year with Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson with the Angels, and now Darvish in Texas, assuming the sides can make a deal.

Matsuzaka wound up signing a six-year, $52 million deal. It will be interesting to see what Darvish gets from Nolan Ryan and the Rangers.

Darvish seems to be more of a pure power pitcher than Matsuzaka and also looks to have a sturdier physical presence. But how will he fare in the Texas heat?

And for all of Matsuzaka’s detractors, if Darvish can pitch the next two years like Dice-K pitched his first two years for the Sox, the Rangers have themselves a pretty good pitcher. Their goal is to make it last a lot longer than that.

Saul Wisnia has produced such a read with “Fenway Park The Centennial, 100 Years of Red Sox Baseball”.

The cover photo of Fenway during a day game makes you feel like you’re at the park and all but makes you want to order a hot dog. And aside from the 176 pages of memories the book offers, there’s also a companion DVD narrated by Carlton Fisk, the Hall of Fame catcher.

Wisnia covers every generation of Fenway, and even includes a prologue of Boston’s 40 years of professional baseball before the “lyric little ballpark” was invented.

The Grand Opening in 1912  is covered in rich detail, as Wisnia informs readers of the three straight rainouts before the park finally opened, and of course, the backdrop of a much bigger story taking place at the time — the sinking of the Titanic.  Did you know that the deepest part of center field at Fenway during its opening was 550 feet? The right-field power alley was 405. Hard to imagine Big Papi would have put up many power numbers in Fenway’s first version.

The book sweetly transitions from the Babe Ruth Years to the beginning of Tom Yawkey’s regime, when the park underwent major renovations.

There’s all the requisite information you would want about Ted Williams, including a photo of “The Kid” taken in Life Magazine.

You want to see how high Boo Ferris’s leg kid was? Check out page 71 in the Near Misses chapter. A grand stand ticket to the 1946 World Series — illustrated on page 75 — went for $6.

The Red Sox weren’t the only local team to inhabit Fenway. The Boston Patriots, long before the glory days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, spent Sundays in the Fenwas from 1963-68. The photo on page 96 with the yard-lines in the middle of the baseball diamond is surreal.

The 1967 Impossible Dream, the best thing to happen to Sox fans until 2004, is covered in all its glory.

Did you know soccer star Pele played at Fenway in 1968? That’s another interesting side note from this book.

Most of you know all about modern Sox history, from Fisk waving it fair to the heartbreaks of Bucky Dent, Mookie Wilson and Aaron Boone, all the way to the championship glory in 2004 and ’07. But that doesn’t make it any less exciting to look back on it through Wisnia’s words and the pictures in the book. There’s a great shot of Pete Rose, dressed in civillian clothes, sitting in box seats behind home plate as the Red Sox take batting practice during the pre-World Series workout in ’75.

There are sweet vignettes throughout the book, such as that Aug. 7 game in 1982, when Jim Rice helped care for a four-year-old boy who was struck by a foul ball.

From Mike Greenwell riding a horse after the ’95 Division clincher to Mo Vaughn facing Toronto’s Roger Clemens to Nomar Garciaparra signing autographs for his adoring fans, this book takes you back through the years. There is Pedro Martinez lighting up the 1999 All-Star Game with a giant All-Star Game logo jumping out of the picture from the top of the Green Monster.

A former journalist for the Washington Post, Saul Wisnia is now the publications editor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the cancer-fighting institution that has worked in tandem with the Red Sox for more than half a century.

His book is a great way to get Sox fans primed for the 100th season of Fenway, which will be celebrated in a big way before the April 20, 2012 home game against the Yankees.