January 3, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Rookie Development Program 2009
The fifth annual Red Sox Rookie Development Program is set to take place at Boston College from January 4 - 16. The development program is a 13-day camp that allows Red Sox major and minor league coaches to instruct MLB-ready prospects on life in the big leagues. Team management chooses players for the program that are likely to contribute at the major league level within the next twelve to eighteen months, regardless of the level they played at in 2008. The players are tutored on the physical and mental aspects of playing in the majors, with a particular focus on the challenges of playing in Boston. Many young Red Sox who have participated in the past have spoken highly of the program, including Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and Justin Masterson.Included in the program are sessions on dealing with the media, money management, alcohol, drugs, umpire relations, and other obstacles that players may face upon reaching the major leagues. Typically, mornings are spent working out, with afternoons spent in classrooms. The program also gives the players a chance to get to know one another, as they may have played at different levels during past seasons.
According to WEEI's Alex Speier, the thirteen players who will participate in this year's Rookie Development Program are 1B Lars Anderson (pictured), RHP Daniel Bard, OF Zach Daeges, RHP Dewon Day, SS Argenis Díaz, LHP Felix Doubront, LHP Kris Johnson, RHP Richie Lentz, RHP Wes Littleton, RHP Adam Mills, OF Josh Reddick, LHP Dustin Richardson (who also participated in last year's program), and C Mark Wagner. With the exceptions of Day (AAA), Doubront (Hi-A), and Littleton (MLB), all of this year's participants finished up the 2008 regular season in AA Portland. For more information on participants in previous programs, check out the Sox Prospects Wiki.