Fort Report: February 24

This week's minor league notes:

Jose Iglesias (Kelly O’Connor)

• Jose Iglesias has his eye on the Red Sox starting shortstop job according to Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston. SoxProspects Editor-in-Chief Mike Andrews is now projecting Iglesias to win the job. He believes that Iglesias will be the type of player who develops better on the job. Take a look at full roster projections for 2012 here.
• New manager Bobby Valentine talks about Iglesias, including the differences between him and Rey Ordonez, who Valentine managed with the New York Mets in this report by Alex Speier of WEEI.com. While Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe notes that he looks stronger.
• Speier spends time with new pitching coach Bob McClure breaking down some of the pitching depth that will likely fill out the back of the rotation or start the season with Pawtucket.
• Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports that pitcher Aaron Cook does not mind delaying his start to the season due to a sore shoulder.
• Pitcher Ross Ohlendorf went through fielding drills at half speed due to a sore back, notes Abraham.  
• Speier provides further details on the health of Ohlendorf and Cook.
• Coming off a season of injuries and ineffectiveness, this is an important spring training for left-hander  Felix Doubront as he is out of options and is trying to win a job with the big club. MacPherson talked to Doubront, who says he's feeling good coming into camp this year.
• Right-handed pitcher Stolmy Pimentel suffered a lat injury on one of the first days of camp.

  

  Stolmy Pimentel (Kelly O’Connor)

  Tim Britton of the Providence Journals reports that Pimentel hopes to be back in a couple of days. He is looking to rebound after a difficult 2011 campaign between Portland and Salem.
• MacPherson pens a piece on swingman Clay Mortensen who was acquired in the Marco Scutaro trade. He had an eventful month of January in addition to being traded. 
• With Red Sox fans and media talking about the Scutaro trade being a pure salary dump, Mortensen is out to prove his worth to the Red Sox according to Speier.
• Carlos Silva is blessed to have the chance for redemption this spring, writes Britton.
• Newly acquired pitcher Chris Carpenter arrived at Red Sox camp in Fort Myers on February 23.
• Joe McDonald reports that Carpenter is comfortable in a relief role.
• Salem Red Sox broadcaster Evan Lepler reports that outfielder David Mailman retired and has enrolled at the University of South Carolina. Mailman was a 7th round draft pick in 2007 and signed for $550,000. In his final professional season, Mailman hit .212 in 260 at-bats for the Salem Red Sox.
• Former lefty prospect Hunter Jones has signed and is in Red Sox camp, reports Speier via twitter.
• Rich Hill was added to the 40-man roster on February 22 as he has impressed in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and had the option to opt out of his contract in late March.
• Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston notes that left-handed pitcher Daniel McGrath who was signed out of Australia on February 7 is in Fort Myers for a couple of days before he returns home to finish school.
• In that same report, Edes says that sources tell him the Red Sox are keying in on 19-year old Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler.
• Scott Atchison understands the business of baseball, writes Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald. 
• Zach Kapstein took Josh Beckett deep in live batting practice, as noted by Britton on Twitter. 

Jonathan Singer is the Digital Correspondent for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jonathan_Singer.

Staff Writer Jim Crowell of SoxProspects.com also contributed to this report. Follow him on Twitter @CrowellJim.

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