BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
   
 

April 12, 2013 ... Persistent rain forced the Red Sox to reschedule Friday night's series opener with the Tampa Bay Rays and also led manager John Farrell to make minor shifts to keep his pitching rotation in order.   Felix Doubront, who was scheduled to take the mound Friday, will be bumped back to early next week, and Jon Lester will pitch Saturday. Doubront's last start came April 5 against Toronto.

The fact Ortiz was able to run the bases freely was the best news the Red Sox could expect after his first rehab game with the Pawtucket Red Sox Thursday night.   It may have overshadowed his performance at the plate, even though he was 2 for 3 with one run and one RBI in Pawtucket's 5-4 victory over the Rochester Red Wings.  Ortiz, of course, suffered an Achilles' tendon injury last July 16, and played only one more game the remainder of the season.

Since retiring last year, Tim Wakefield has started brainstorming ways to become involved in the Red Sox organization. The team announced Friday that Wakefield would return as an honorary chairman of the Red Sox Foundation as well as a special assignment instructor in baseball operations.