On July 26, 2009, Jim Rice will receive the

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1 Vol. 4, No. 1 July 2009 Inside: Opening Day, 2009 Highlights, Interviews with Jed Lowrie and John Katz and more! Jim Rice to be Inducted to Baseball Hall of Fame by Aubree Andres On July 26, 2009, Jim Rice will receive the biggest honor a baseball player can dream of. He will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jim Rice was a left fielder for the Red Sox from 1974 to 1989, and achieved many accomplishments during his time on the field. He was an American League All-Star eight times (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986), received the Silver Slugger Award twice (1983, 1984), and was named the American League Most Valuable Player in Rice was one of the most feared hitters of his time, and one of the greatest players in Red Sox history. Only a talented few have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its founding in Jim Rice will share this honor with eight former players who also have a Red Sox cap on their plaque. There are many factors that contribute to the selection of the members of the Hall of Fame. The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), a group of distinguished journalists, vote on who should be inducted. Players can be considered five years after retirement if they have played in the Major Leagues for a minimum of 10 years. First, all players have to pass a basic screening that will separate players who are qualified enough to be considered to join the Hall of Fame. The official ballot has anywhere from candidates. Each BBWAA member can vote for up to 10 players each year. Any player that receives over 75% of the BBWAA s votes is elected into the Hall of Fame. Jim Rice had a challenging pathway to the Hall of Fame, but he finally made it this year. Because Jim Rice played for the Red Sox for more then 10 seasons, and now is in the Hall of Fame, his number (14) is eligible to be retired by the Red Sox. continued on page 3 Rice was one of the most feared hitters of his time, and one of the greatest players in Red Sox history. We Want to Hear From You! Send your stories, questions, photos or ideas for upcoming newsletters to: kidnation@redsox.com or Red Sox Kid Nation 4 Yawkey Way Boston, MA 02215

2 Have a question for us? it to kidnation@redsox.com! Red Sox Opening Day By GianCarlo Greco It was a sunny, windy day for the Boston Red Sox 2009 season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. At the announcement of former Red Sox player Gabe Kapler, home town fans burst into cheers and then a standing ovation. And now, the announcer s voice boomed, the 2009 Boston Red Sox! The fans roared for our Red Sox. First the trainers and coaches were introduced, and then the players. Instead of coming onto the field from the dugout, they came from all around the grandstand seating bowl from the fans to the field. One by one, as they were introduced, they made their way through the crowd onto the grass. Many fans held out their hands for high-fives. 2 Josh Beckett showed the Rays he was ready for action on opening day when he shut down their lineup in the first inning. All of the fans started chanting MVP! MVP! MVP! when Dustin Pedroia was announced (Dustin received the American League MVP last season). All the fans and players, Sox and Rays alike, soon took off their caps and stood when Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, who are about to release an album filled with Sox inspired songs, performed the National Anthem. As the song drew to a close and everyone placed their caps on their heads, a thunderous roar shook the park and three Air Force fighter jets maneuvered their way over of Fenway.

3 Hall of Famer Jim Rice continued from page 1 Senator Ted Kennedy threw out the ceremonial first pitch. This was followed by the ceremonial first pitch, thrown by Senator Edward Kennedy. A golf cart brought him onto the field, and he slowly got out and was helped to the pitcher s mound by two Red Sox staff. Former Sox star, Jim Rice, handed the ball to him and then squatted in a catcher s position. Edward Kennedy s pitch was off, so he tried again, this time making it to Jim Rice. The fans began a new round of applause and when it died away, the players took their places on the field. Josh Beckett trotted from the bullpen to the mound, and the first Rays hitter stepped up to the plate. Josh soon had had two strikes on the batter. He blew another pitch by the hitter, striking him out. Beckett finished off the rest of the inning with ease: a 1, 2, 3 first. After James Shields, the Rays pitcher, retired Jacoby Ellsbury in the bottom of the first inning, Dustin Pedroia stepped up to the plate, and hit a towering solo home run over the Green Monster. This was followed by a few Sox players getting on base and a double off the Green Monster by Mike Lowell, giving the lead to the Sox. Later, in the 6th inning, Jason Varitek rocketed a solo home run over the center field wall, breaking the slump that had haunted him during the end of the 2008 season. In the ninth inning, Jonathan Paplebon came into the game and clinched the win for the Sox, striking out the last Rays batter. Jonathan was awarded with a save as well as two strikeouts. This was an important game for the Sox to win after losing to the Rays in the 08 playoffs. In the off-season, the Sox picked up a few new players, such as outfielder Rocco Baldelli and veteran John Smoltz. Kevin Youkilis and Jonathan Papelbon were both back but several familiar faces had moved on from the 08 team. This first win showed that the Sox are back and better than ever. Players greeted fans on the way to the field. This honor has only been given to the greatest Red Sox players of all time, namely Bobby Doerr (1), Joe Cronin (4), Johnny Pesky (6), Carl Yastrzemski (8), Ted Williams (9), Carlton Fisk (27), and of course Jackie Robinson (42), who didn t play for the Red Sox, but is retired in all parks. Players can only appear on the ballot for a total of 15 years. After that, they are no longer eligible for induction. Rice was elected his 15th and final year, receiving 76.4% of the BBWAA s votes. During his 15 years on the ballot, he received a total of 3,974 votes, the most collected by any player up for consideration. Every year, Rice got closer and closer to the coveted 75% of votes. In 2006 and 2007, he came close, with 63% of votes. And in 2008, he got even closer when he received 72.2% of votes, just shy of election. He finally secured his spot in the history books this year, as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame a well-deserved honor. 3

4 Red Sox Highlights 2009 Season, April/May by Maddie Andres April 7 The Red Sox kick off the season with a win against rival Tampa Bay Rays. Josh Beckett starts the season with 10 strikeouts and only two hits in his 7 innings of pitching. Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek both hit home runs. 19 Jon Lester allows only one run against the Orioles with nine strikeouts in seven shutout innings. After eight, he passed the baton to Takashi Saito, who earned his first Boston save. 24 Jason Bay hit a game-tying two-run homer to center field in the ninth inning, and then Kevin Youkilis hit a walk-off solo homer onto Lansdowne Street in the 11th. 11 Jason Bay hits two homers including the game-clinching home run in the ninth, making Brad Penny s debut a success. 15 Tim Wakefield comes within five outs of pitching his first career no-hitter. Other notable plays include home runs from J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell, and phenomenal defensive plays from Jacoby Ellsbury and Nick Green. 17 After a tough second inning from Brad Penny, the Sox came back from a seven run deficit. Bay and Drew go deep and drive in two runs. 18 Kevin Youkilis goes 4-for-5 with four RBIs, clinching the third win in a row for the Red Sox. 25 Red Sox create a franchise record for the month of April, winning their ninth straight behind Varitek s grand slam and home runs from Ellsbury and Lowell while scoring 18 runs against the Yankees. Hideki Okajima gets his first win of the season. 26 The Red Sox win their 10th consecutive game due to Ellsbury s steal of home, the first time a Red Sox player has done so since Red Sox win their 11th consecutive victory on a Jason Bay three run home run in the ninth inning against Kerry Wood of the Cleveland Indians. 29 Rookie Jonathan Van Every takes the place of injured J.D. Drew, and proves himself Major-League-worthy. He makes amazing catches in right field and hits the game-winning home run to deep center field in the 10th. 7 The Red Sox break an American League Record, scoring 12 runs in 1 inning against the Cleveland Indians. 16 Josh Beckett pitches seven innings, striking out five and allowing only four runs in. He is backed up by homers from Jeff Bailey, Bay, and Varitek to beat the Mariners Jonathon Papelbon gets his 11th straight save and Tim Wakefield only gives up one run in eight innings as the Red Sox defeat the first place Blue Jays. 20 The Red Sox hit four home runs in the 5th, including the first home run of the season from David Ortiz. Varitek, Lowell, and Bay also hit dingers. Jacoby Ellsbury sets a club record and ties the MLB record for putouts in a game with Red Sox take sole possesion of first place after defeating the NY Mets behind Mike Lowell s deep left field three-run homer. 28 Josh Beckett pitches a great game with eight strikeouts in seven innings to move his record to 5-2, Red Sox win 3-1 over the Twins. May 4 4 The Red Sox shine in their first game at the new Yankee Stadium. John Lester strikes out ten batters and Jonathan Papelbon gets his seventh save of the season.

5 Interview with Jed Lowrie at Spring Training in Fort Myers, Florida By Ben Brandeis, Red Sox Kid Nation Captain February 19, 2009 Istood with more than 500 fans under the hot sun in Fort Myers, Florida, home of Spring Training for the Boston Red Sox. After the players wrapped up their field workout, I met up with Jed Lowrie and asked him some questions on behalf of Red Sox Kid Nation and the RSKN Captains. Red Sox Kid Nation Captain Ben Brandeis: How old are you and where are you from? Jed Lowrie: I am 24 years old and I am from Salem, Oregon. BB: When you were a kid, what was your favorite team? JL: Seattle Mariners. BB: Who was your favorite player when you were a kid? JL: Ken Griffey, Jr. BB: Where do you live now? JL: I live in Buckeye, Arizona outside of Phoenix. BB: How did you feel having the game winning hit in the ALDS sending the Red Sox to the ALCS? JL: It was a really good feeling and I was excited. After I hit, I made sure it got out of the infield. I looked to see if Jason Bay had scored. I touched the base and that s all I remember. BB: What do you do during winter? JL: The first month of winter, I was healing from a wrist injury. The rest of the winter, I played golf. BB: Which do you like better a Fenway Frank or an Italian sausage? JL: You know what man, what do you like? BB: A Fenway frank. JL: You know what dude, during games, it doesn t get much better than that. BB: Who is your best friend in baseball? JL: Jacoby Ellsbury and John Mayberry, Jr. Jacoby Ellsbury and I played summer travel teams together in high school. John Mayberry was just traded by the Rangers to the Phillies. BB: What are your dreams? JL: Growing up my dream was to play MLB. Now, my dream is to continue to play baseball for the Red Sox. BB: What is your message for kids? JL: Dream big. Keep your mind on that dream and don t let it let it slip away. 5

6 Hood Introduces New Red Sox Ice Cream Products! 6 Fruit Smoothie Makes 1 serving Ingredients: 1 cup Hood 1% Lowfat Milk 1 medium banana or 3/4 cup berries, strawberries or other fruit 1 tablespoon sugar or artificial sweetener (optional) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 ice cubes or about 1/2 cup crushed ice Directions: With summer and baseball season in full swing, you can cool down this summer with two new Red Sox ice cream novelty products from Hood! Hood Red Sox Ice Cream Singles are 6 oz., single-serve sundaes available in three delicious Hood Red Sox Ice Cream flavors the official ice cream of the Boston Red Sox. Comeback Caramel has thick caramel swirl and caramelfilled chocolate Sox on top of Hood Vanilla Ice Cream. Fenway Fudge features chocolate and fudge Sox swirled with thick fudge in Hood Chocolate Ice Cream. Green Monster Mint contains chocolate mint Sox swirled with a thick wall of fudge on top of Hood Mint Ice Cream. Also new this year is the Hood Red Sox Sundae Cone, which combines a cone of delicious vanilla ice cream with chocolate coating and a topping of roasted nuts. Hood Red Sox Ice Cream Singles and Hood Red Sox Sundae Cones are now available in retail stores throughout New England. Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor. Whip on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until frothy. Pour into a tall glass. Serve immediately. Vitamin D: Liquid Sunshine! Did you know that milk is one of the richest sources of vitamin D under the sun? Vitamin D is a super-nutrient that helps the body absorb the calcium in Hood Milk and other foods. It also manages the movement of calcium into and out of bones. This process bolsters skeletal strength and allows enough calcium to be available in the bloodstream to regulate heartbeat and faster normal muscle movement. Your body makes vitamin D. The process starts in the skin, when strong summer sun triggers vitamin D production. Most people especially those who live in northern regions of the country can t make the necessary amount of vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 400 International Units of vitamin D every day for children. Hood Milk is an excellent source of vitamin D; two 8-ounce glasses provide half the daily amount the AAP says is necessary to build strong bones in children of all ages. Try the Fruit Smoothie recipe below to add more milk and vitamin D to your diet. Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D.

7 MEET John Katz John Katz is the Vice-President/General Manager of the Salem Red Sox, A Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, joining the organization this off-season. by Anthony Greco Kid Nation: Baseball has a successful history in Salem, Virginia (four Carolina League Championships). Do you feel the current team, both players and coaching staff, can continue the success? John Katz: There s been professional baseball in this area since the late 1800 s. And there was somewhat of a dynasty here in the 70s and 80s. Since 1988, there s really only been one championship here. From that perspective, we re excited to have a good group of young prospects to play together. KN: In recent years, the Red Sox have had many great players come through their farm system like Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jonathan Papelbon, and Jacoby Ellsbury. How does it feel, as a Class A team, to be a big part of this franchise? JK: I think that s a very significant shift when John Henry and his group took over ownership of the team. He s really investing in their farm system. The guys that you mentioned all played at the Class A level. This is a great starting point. It s really half way in the process from being drafted to getting in the big leagues. I m from the Boston area originally, so for me as a Red Sox fan, it makes it even more special to see these kids now, and then 2 to 5 years from now be watching them on NESN. KN: Who s been your favorite player that s come through Salem? JK: This is the first year we ve been a Red Sox affiliate so it s hard to say. This is a great group of kids. They have a lot of fun together. They play hard. That s all you can ask for. KN: Is becoming the Vice President and General Manager of a Red Sox affiliate team, is that a dream come true for you, since you grew up a Red Sox fan and in Massachusetts? JK: I spent my entire childhood going to Fenway Park with my family. So it s really come full circle for me. My first internship was with Major League Baseball, and one of the teams that we worked with out in the Arizona Fall League was the Red Sox, so it s like I started there and got a little taste of what Red Sox Nation, from a players standpoint, was all about. And then, when we made the announcement back in September that we were going to be the top Class A affiliate of the Red Sox, it was kind of like, Man, if I couldn t play centerfield for the Red Sox then being GM at one of their minor league teams has to be the second best thing. KN: Do you hope that maybe some day you could be where Theo Epstein or John Henry is? Is that your goal or is where you are right now where you hope to be? JK: That s a tough one to answer. From my perspective, what I do as general manager and what Theo Epstein does are very different things. My job is to give our players a great place to play, put fans in the stands, and make it entertaining, and make them want to come back more and more to see these kids play. On Theo s side, he s obviously making the moves and bringing in the players. It s a little different. I like to say I m qualified to run a baseball team at the minor league level, and I m not quite sure I d be interested in sitting in Theo s seat. KN: Does working with a smaller fan base and a smaller team and staff make this franchise feel more like a family where everyone knows everyone else really well? JK: It s hard to say. We ve only been with the Red Sox for a short time. The biggest thing that I could tell people about minor league baseball is that you wear a lot of hats. When you re in an organization like this, everybody does everything. So yeah, I m the general manager, but last night I was sweeping up ice that had fallen all over the concourse. Two nights ago, I was changing out trash bags during a game. Our ticket person will go into the concession stand and make hot dogs, if they need help. We have a lot of fun together. It s great for all of us to be a part of the Red Sox family and the Salem Red Sox. KN: What are tips you would have for a kid who wanted to work as a GM or front office person for a minor or major league team? JK: The biggest thing is to stay in school. None of us got where we are by skating through school or dropping out of school. If you can go to college, go to college. And then the big thing is internships. Putting yourself in a position to be successful the easiest way to do that is with an internship. There are 156 plus minor league teams and of course, the major league teams. Any type of practical, real world experience you can get translates to the baseball business. You name it, there s a career for just about any skill set in minor league baseball. But the key to it is staying in school, going to college, and getting that real world experience. KN: When you were in school did you ever think that 20 years from then you were going to be a GM or is that something that came as a surprise for you? JK: It was very much a surprise to me. When I went to college, I switched majors a bunch of times, and finally settled on business management in my junior year in college. When I got my first job in baseball, I was actually starting graduate school and learned that I couldn t find a great job. So I decided to take this internship to see what the baseball business was all about. It s one of those things, once it s in your blood, it s very hard to get it out. In this business, there ll be a lot of turnover early on, but the people who ve been in the business 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years, they re in it partly because baseball is in their blood. The main reason I m in it is I love to watch the people when they come in here. You get a little boy or a little girl who s at their first baseball game, and you can make memories for them that last for a family. That s what it s all about. Salem Sox hitting coach Carlos Febles signs autographs for young fans. I spent my entire childhood going to Fenway Park with my family. So it s really come full circle for me. 7