The weather outside was absolutely frigid. It’s hard to believe in three weeks we will be heading down to Florida. The pitchers threw off the practice mounds and worked on their change ups and of course, location. Coach Zackrison is slowly but surely rounding the staff into shape. More importantly, everyone is throwing free and easy. Saturday we’ll ramp up the pitch count and then we’ll establish two groups and stagger the days on which they will throw.

I spoke to the hitters about bunting, when we will use it and how to approach the different strategies involved. We discussed sacrifice versus squeeze and the importance of placement, that is anywhere, but directly back to the pitcher. There was a review of signs, so that the runner and the hitter are on the same page. There is nothing worse than a botched suicide squeeze, particularly if it results from either offensive player having a brain cramp and not acknowledging that the play is on.

We finished up with infield drills. I think that defensively, we are going to be very solid. The outfielders managed to get outside and take fly balls two weeks ago. I doubt we will be able to get them outside again, until we touch down at the Sports Village in Vero Beach. That is always problematic, but everyone else is in the same boat, if they are located anywhere in Massachusetts.