Red Sox Press Release

Red Sox Press Release

7/30/2013 11:57 P.M. ET

Red Sox acquire RHPs Jake Peavy and Brayan Villarreal, send Jose Iglesias to the Tigers in 3-team, 7-player deal

Red Sox send minor leaguers Wendelken, Montas, and Rondon to White Sox; OF Avisail Garcia goes from Tigers to Red Sox to White Sox

BOSTON, MA-The Boston Red Sox tonight acquired right-handers Jake Peavy from the Chicago White Sox and Brayan Villarreal from the Detroit Tigers and sent shortstop Jose Iglesias to Detroit in a three-team, seven-player deal that sent three minor leaguers to Chicago. In the trade, the Red Sox acquired outfielder Avisail Garcia from Detroit and sent him to Chicago.

The Red Sox sent minor leaguers J.B. Wendelken and Francelis Montas, both right-handed pitchers, and infielder Cleuluis Rondon to the White Sox.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

A Cy Young Award winner and three-time All-Star, Peavy, 32, has gone 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA (38 ER/80.0 IP) in 13 starts this season for the White Sox. He has compiled 76 strikeouts compared to 17 walks in 2013 for a 4.5 strikeout to walk ratio, which entered today as the sixth-highest mark among all American League pitchers with at least 80.0 innings.

Peavy, who has thrown 6.0 or more innings in 10 of his 13 outings this season, spent time on the disabled list this year with a fracture of his left fourth anterior rib. He has won both of his starts since being activated on July 19, victories over the Atlanta Braves on July 20 and Detroit Tigers on July 25.

The Mobile, AL native, who began his career with the San Diego Padres in 2002, was the unanimous National League Cy Young Award winner in 2007 after he led the majors in both ERA (2.54) and strikeouts (240).

Peavy also led the majors in ERA in 2004 (2.27), his second full big league season with San Diego. He is that franchise's all-time leader in strikeouts (1,348), and ranks in the top five in several other Padres career pitching categories including wins (T-2nd, 92), winning percentage (2nd, .575), starts (3rd, 212), and innings (4th, 1,342.2).

In 45 starts since the beginning of 2012, Peavy has won 19 games and owns a 3.61 ERA. With Chicago last season, he ranked ninth among AL qualifiers with a 3.37 ERA and was named an All-Star for the third time in his career. He also placed among 2012 AL leaders in innings (5th, 219.0), opponent batting average (5th, .234), and strikeouts (8th, 194), and earned his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

A 12-year major league veteran, Peavy was originally a 15th-round selection of the Padres in the 1999 June Draft. Over his career, he has a record of 128-97 with a 3.49 ERA (730 ER/1880.1 IP) in 296 big league games (295 starts) between the Padres (2002-09) and White Sox (2009-13). Peavy's 1,824 career strikeouts rank 11th among active major leaguers.

Peavy's career average of 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings pitched entered Tuesday as the second-best mark among active pitchers with at least 1,500 career innings, trailing only Johan Santana (8.8). He ranked third among actives with a .235 opponent batting average and fifth with a 1.18 WHIP.

The 26-year-old Villarreal, a native of La Guaira, Venezuela, has fanned 86 batters in 75.0 career major league innings, all in relief with the Tigers over the past three seasons beginning in 2011. In his big league career, he is 4-8 with a 4.56 ERA (38 ER) in 73 appearances. This year he has appeared in seven games for Detroit, going 0-2 while allowing 10 runs in 4.1 innings. He spent most of 2012 in the major leagues, ranking fifth on the Tigers with 50 appearances.

Villarreal has spent the majority of his 2013 campaign with Triple-A Toledo, where he is 2-2 with one save, a 3.15 ERA (12 ER/34.1 IP), and 41 strikeouts compared to 26 walks allowed in 28 relief outings. He has not surrendered a home run at Triple-A all year. The Tigers signed him as an international free agent in 2005.

He had been on the disabled list with Toledo, and was immediately optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he will remain on the DL.

Iglesias, 23, has hit .330 (71-for-215) with 10 doubles, two triples, one home run, 19 RBI, and 27 runs in 63 games with the Red Sox this year, making 34 appearances at third base (33 starts) and 29 at shortstop (27 starts). He leads American League rookies in average, on-base percentage (.376), and hits (71), and earned AL Rookie of the Month honors in June after hitting at a .395 clip in that month. 

A native of Havana, Cuba, Iglesias was signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent on September 8, 2009. He has played in 98 major league games with Boston over the last three seasons, including 61 at shortstop, and has compiled a .280 average (81-for-289) with 12 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 21 RBI, 35 runs and 15 walks.    

Wendelken, 20, is 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA (20 ER/65.0 IP) and 10 saves for Single-A Greenville. The right-hander has appeared in 27 games for the Drive this season and has 54 strikeouts, 59 hits allowed and 20 walks. He was selected by the Red Sox as their 15th pick (13th round, 421st overall) in the June 2012 draft.

Montas, 20, is 2-9 with a 5.07 ERA (54 ER/85.1 IP) in 19 games, 18 starts, for Single-A Greenville. Signed as an international free agent in 2009, the right-hander has struck out 96 and allowed just 32 walks in 85.1 innings for the Drive.

Rondon, 19, has hit .276 (34-for-123) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, seven walks and 10 RBI in 37 games with Short-A Lowell. He was signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2010.

Garcia, 22, is hitting .374 (55-for-147) with seven doubles, a triple, five home runs, 23 RBI, and 23 runs in 33 games for Detroit's Triple-A Toledo club. He has appeared in 30 games over three stints with the Tigers this year, most recently from June 21-July 4, and has hit .241 (20-for-83) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, 10 RBI, and 12 runs with the big league club. Garcia began the season on the disabled list and also appeared in six rehab games with High-A Lakeland. 

Signed by the Tigers as an international free agent on July 6, 2007, Garcia was Detroit's Minor League Player of the Year last season and has hit .269 (35-for-130) with three doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBI, and 19 runs in 53 career major league games. He also played in 12 postseason games last year over the Division Series, League Championship Series, and World Series, including going 3-for-4 (.750) with a walk and two RBI as a pinch hitter

Sox land Peavy in three-team deal; Iglesias to Tigers With Buchholz weeks from returning, GM Cherington makes move to bolster rotation

Sox land Peavy in three-team deal; Iglesias to Tigers

With Buchholz weeks from returning, GM Cherington makes move to bolster rotation

Peavy on win, trade rumors00:02:04

7/25/13: Jake Peavy and Tyler Flowers talk about topping Justin Verlander and the Tigers and Peavy addresses trade rumors

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BOSTON -- The exhaustive search for a proven starting pitcher wound up a successful mission for the Red Sox as general manager Ben Cherington reeled in right-hander Jake Peavy from the White Sox in a three-team, seven-player deal late Tuesday night.

To pry Peavy away from the White Sox, the Red Sox also had to include the Tigers. Jose Iglesias, who started at third base for Boston on Tuesday only to be removed in the ninth inning once the deal seemed probable, is headed to Detroit.

The trade was completed with a little time to spare before Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Trailing the Rays by a half-game in the American League East, Cherington hopes Peavy can aid the final push for Boston's attempt at its first postseason berth since 2009.

"We're really excited to bring Jake here," said Cherington. "He's obviously a proven Major League starter. He's had a ton of success in his career. And I think if there's one thing we wanted to do -- if we could pull it off -- is to add a starting pitcher. As we looked at the next two months, we're in position to compete for a playoff spot and we just felt like adding a starting pitcher was probably the most important thing we could do to protect our chances to do that."

Boston also landed Detroit right-handed reliever Brayan Villarreal, who will report to Triple-A Pawtucket. Tigers outfielder Avisail Garcia, whom the Red Sox acquired in the deal, was then sent to the White Sox.

The Red Sox also sent Minor League right-handers J.B. Wendelken and Francelis Montas and Minor League infielder Cleuluis Rondon to the White Sox.

Peavy gives the Red Sox another proven arm in the rotation at a time when Clay Buchholz remains out with a right bursa sac strain.

Buchholz last pitched for the Red Sox on June 8, and he is likely three to four weeks from being activated.

"There's no new update on Clay since the last time we talked. He's continued to progress and is doing well," Cherington said. "As I said before, the situation with Clay, we've been aware of for a while, certainly it's been a factor to some degree in our discussions with other teams, but we still expect Clay to come back and be in our rotation.

"We just felt, again, that the most important thing we could do to protect the team, to give the team every chance to be strong over the last couple of months was to bolster the rotation. Assuming Clay does come back, we'll be even better at that point."

The 32-year-old Peavy is 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA in 13 starts. He has made two starts since returning from the disabled list. Peavy had been sidelined with broken ribs.

Iglesias has been playing mainly third base for the Red Sox, but he's a superb defender at shortstop.

The Tigers could soon see their starting shortstop Jhonny Peralta get suspended as part of the Biogenesis case that could impact several teams during the pennant race.

Will Middlebrooks, who was demoted to Triple-A on June 25, could be recalled by the Red Sox as early as Wednesday to fill the void left by Iglesias.

Though the Red Sox have been linked to the Phillies' Michael Young in some rumors, Cherington said he doesn't expect to trade for a third baseman before Wednesday's Deadline.

Iglesias got off to a hot start for the Red Sox at the plate this season, but has cooled off of late. He went 0-for-3 on Tuesday and is hitting .330 with one homer and 19 RBIs.

Boston signed Iglesias out of Cuba in 2009. He has always been highly touted for his glove, and this year has proved his bat also has some life in it.

Xander Bogaerts, the top position player in Boston's farm system, is a shortstop, perhaps making it easier for the Red Sox to put Iglesias in a trade.

"We certainly didn't go into this July looking or expecting to trade Jose, but we felt like given the strength at that position in the organization with Stephen Drew, obviously, our everyday shortstop in Boston right now and the guys we have coming in behind him in the Minor Leagues, it was a relative area of strength to deal from," said Cherington. "And if we could get the starting pitcher that we really wanted, ultimately, we thought it made sense to do the deal."

MLB Network contributor Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com was the first to report the Red Sox and White Sox had agreed to a deal. WEEI.com reported that the Tigers were also involved and could be getting Iglesias from Boston.

The Red Sox control Peavy's contractual rights for next season, when he will earn $14.5 million.

Peavy also has innings-based incentives that could kick in a $15 million option for the '15 season.

"The extra year of control is important. We went into the Deadline feeling like if we could make a move to improve the team and protect our chances to compete and give us every chance to get into October, we wanted to do that," said Cherington. "We wanted to do it in a way that's not all about this year, preferably, and we were able to find this deal that fit in that category."

Peavy joins a rotation that also includes Jon Lester, Felix Doubront, John Lackey, Ryan Dempster and, presumably, for the final few weeks of the season, Buchholz.

"Hopefully it puts our rotation in a good position this year," said Cherington. "It's an area of strength and it should be an area of strength as we move to 2014, too."

In 12 Major League seasons, Peavy is 128-97 with a 3.49 ERA. He won the National League Cy Young Award with the Padres in 2007, going 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA.

Peavy has been with the White Sox since 2009.

He should make his Red Sox debut within the next two to three days. Peavy would have started for the White Sox on Tuesday night, but he was scratched because of the trade possibility.

Cherington said Peavy would not pitch Wednesday, as Lackey will make that start.

For weeks, Cherington had spoken with the White Sox about Peavy. But the clubs didn't have a direct match. The Red Sox had no interest in including Middlebrooks in that swap.

Once the Tigers were included, things sped up.

"We had talked to the Tigers a little bit," Cherington said. "We talked to every team over the course of the days leading up to the Deadline, so we talked to the Tigers a little before today, but it really became more of a three-team picture today. I can't remember what time today, but it was pretty much today."

Though Peavy might not be as dominant as he was in '07, he was an All-Star as recently as last season.

"He's an intense competitor," Cherington said. "Loves to pitch. He's got a good assortment of stuff, a fastball with a ton of life, along with a good slider and changeup. He throws strikes. He attacks hitters and he loves to pitch. I think he'll fit in nicely with the group we have and he's obviously been very successful in his career.turning, GM Cherington makes move to bolster rotation

Me doing something crazy at blogher 2013 in Chicago IL

Pedroia agrees to seven-year extension

Four-time All-Star thrilled with prospect of spending entire career in Boston

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Pedroia staying with Boston00:02:05

7/23/13: Red Sox reporter Ian Browne talks about reports that Dustin Pedroia has agreed in principal to a contract extension through 2021

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BOSTON -- In a matter of days, the Red Sox will formally announce that they've reached a seven-year, $100 million contract with Dustin Pedroia.

Although the financial security is nice, Pedroia made it clear that his motivation in signing is to make sure he never plays a Major League game for any team other than the Red Sox.

"It's not official or anything, but this is my home." Pedroia said. "I love being here, I love my teammates, love this city. If it becomes that, I'll be pretty excited.

"That's really important. The Red Sox drafted me. A lot of teams passed on me because of my size and stuff like that. It's pretty important. That's why I want to make sure I work as hard as I can to make sure that they made the right choice in drafting me and me being here my whole career."

The deal is complete, pending a physical, which is expected to take place on Wednesday

That being said, Pedroia admitted how exciting the likelihood is that he will be with the Red Sox through at least 2021.

Pedroia, 29, is in the fourth year of a six-year deal that included an $11 million team option for '15. Instead of an option year, that will now mark the starting point of his new deal, which was first reported by WEEI.com and subsequently confirmed by MLB.com.

"I just want to make sure I'm playing my last game here. That's important," he said. "It's the only thing I know. I love putting on the Red Sox uniform every day. Every game is important to me and my teammates. It's pretty special."

In this day and age, it is rare for star players -- or any players for that matter -- to spend an entire career with one team. But Pedroia and the Red Sox have always had a unique relationship.

Pedroia loves all that playing baseball in Boston entails, and the Red Sox fully appreciate a player who embodies everything they want their franchise to represent.

"As far as the contract, I know there's conversations going on. I don't know that anything is official yet," said manager John Farrell. "What Dustin means to this team is the example he demonstrates every day, whether it's his early work, the way he competes inside a game. He sets the tone for us. He embodies everything that we value as far as a player -- the respect to the game that he has and the effort he puts forth every night."

Fresh off making his fourth All-Star appearance last week, Pedroia is hitting .308 with six home runs, 57 RBIs and 13 stolen bases while appearing in an American League-best 100 games.

His consistent production during his eight seasons with the Red Sox has included his winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2007 and being named AL MVP one year later. He led the AL in hits, runs scored and doubles in his MVP season and also led the league in runs scored in 2009.

Overall, he is a .303 lifetime hitter with 96 home runs, 466 RBIs and 115 stolen bases.

Although there can sometimes be concern about a player letting down his guard after signing a long-term extension, it's hard to fathom that ever being an issue with Pedroia.

"Not at all," Pedroia said. "You guys have all seen me since I had a little bit more hair. I think I'll play the same way I do for every game I play to the end. That's about it."

Perhaps the Red Sox will one day make Pedroia their captain, a role Jason Varitek filled from 2005 through his retirement after the '11 season.

But titles have never meant much to Pedroia.

"It's not going to change who I am or my role with the team," he said. "My job is still to go out there and to try to help us win a game every day. I try to do all I can to make that happen."

The importance of wearing the Boston uniform is something Pedroia can't emphasize enough.

"Yeah, it's really important to me. I'm a pretty loyal guy. I love being here," he said. "I live and die by this team. It's important to me to be here my whole time."

East Hartford ct spare engine 7

4th Annual Newtown Hook and Ladder Firehouse Ride

Newtown Hook and Ladder Co. #1 will be hosting its 4th annual Firehouse Motorcycle Ride/Pig Roast on September 29, 2013 at the One Eyed Pig located at 71 South Main St, Newtown, CT. Registration begins at 9am and the ride starts at 11am. This will be an extended 50 mile ride with blocked intersections. The ride is to support H&L with building a new firehouse as well as supporting the Sandy Hook Family Healing Fund. Check out the websites listed below for further info:
http://www.firehouseride.com
https://www.facebook.com/NewtownFirehouseRide

City of New Haven,ct new Sutphen Tower

At least 1 dead, several reported missing after train carrying crude oil derails in Quebec

At least 1 dead, several reported missing after train carrying crude oil derails in Quebec

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/06/train-carrying-crude-oil-derails-in-quebec/#ixzz2YPvyb5rdA large swath of a town in eastern Quebec was destroyed Saturday after a train carrying crude oil derailed, sparking several explosions forcing the evacuation of up to 1,000 people, killing at least one.

Several people were reported missing and officials reported one death in the town of Lac-Megantic (Lack-MAH-Gan-Tic), about 155 miles  east of Montreal.

The explosions ignited a blaze that sent flames shooting into the sky, and billowing smoke could be seen from several miles (kilometers) away hours after the derailment. Some of the train's 73 cars exploded and the fire spread to a number of homes in the town of 6,000 people.

Lac-Megantic resident Claude Bedard described the scene of the explosions as "dreadful."

"It's terrible," Bedard said. "We've never seen anything like it. The Metro store, Dollarama, everything that was there is gone."

"The flames in the sky were really impressive," said resident Pierre Lebeau.

The cause of the derailment was not immediately known.

Authorities set up perimeters as firefighters battled to control the fire, and worried residents looked on amid fears that some of their friends and loved ones may have died in their homes.

"We're told some people are missing but they may just be out of town or on vacation," Brunet told a news conference.

Environment Quebec spokesman Christian Blanchette said a large but undetermined amount of fuel had also spilled into the Chaudiere (Ah-DER-Re) River.

"Right now, there is big smoke in the air, so we have a mobile laboratory here to monitor the quality of the air," Blanchette said.

"We also have a spill on the lake and the river that is concerning us. We have advised the local municipalities downstream to be careful if they take their water from the Chaudiere River."

Firefighters and rescue workers from several neighboring municipalities, including Sherbrooke and Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, were called in to help deal with the disaster. A fleet of fire trucks from northern Maine were also deployed to the Quebec town, according to a spokesman at the sheriff's office in Franklin County. The town is about 135 miles (217 kilometers) north of the Maine border.

The train, reportedly heading toward Maine, belongs to Montreal Maine & Atlantic. According to the railroad's website, the company owns more than 500 miles (800 kilometers) of track serving Maine, Vermont, Quebec and New Brunswick.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/06/train-carrying-crude-oil-derails-in-quebec/#ixzz2YPwWAZbo

PRESCOTT,AZ LAST ALARM 6/30/2013

IN THE MEMORY OF THE 19 Prescott firefighters