05-14-08 Brad Mills

Every Wednesday at this time well an hour from now usually but things change because of game time we talked with a manager of the Boston Red Sox. Joining us now on the eighteenth tee hot line is the acting manager of the Red Sox filling in for Terry Francona is Brad Mills. Red Sox managers also brought to Miami insurance interest systems and doctor Robert Leonard at 1800 get hair good morning brad how -- I -- they'd say you're great. And finally I got nice weather here and are you going to be playing right field today for the Red Sox is the other concern -- I I hope I don't have to insert myself they're article going to be okay.

Brad did you tell us a story or just recap how you found out you'd be the acting manager mean did you guys that find this out during a game after game in flight how'd it happen.

Well you know unfortunately circumstances -- with -- and our thoughts and prayers are with them we were. -- was made aware. Is this mother are passing the last game after the game. In Minnesota and he really wasn't sure what to do and after talking the and and everyone's family and so on the on the -- played in.

And brad just of people understand you've known Terry Francona for more than thirty years I'm I'm sure you've met his mother in law before I mean -- you did you know the family did you did you know anything about his mother in law.

yes I've I've known -- Berrian for a long time and you know he happens to special -- to to Francona children. And it was just it was unfortunate but at the same time. It's it's. It's tough but we you know we had been sick for a while but the last ten. Owned until but it -- them.

Dick getting back to matters of baseball here from moment we've kind of it'll stretch here where the starting pitching for the Red Sox have hit a little bit of a bump in the road including last night's starter Josh Beckett anything particular going all the starters are just one of those weeks so far.

Well you know they've got on the ball so well earlier and in Canada sometimes went cycles unfortunately. But at the same time did you have got good stuff and adjustment period. Where you know -- yeah it out like that you went two periods -- like school. If you look good on the ball well it just it's just sometimes. Where they get a call give the ball -- much the plate but -- time. --

to -- and your baseball team when somebody is taken out of their normal role there's a domino effect and you have to fill in -- and other places. Now that that Terry Francona is not with the team. You're the manager now how does that change what you do and -- Hoosier bench coach right now.

Well as of right now we. Everybody has really done a good job the staff in the we can -- and went to helping out doing little things maybe doing them there again. You so everybody's kind of -- and.

Sort like the way your team had to kind of chipped in last night Coco Crisp left the game with what was described as an upset stomach. J. D. Drew sprained his wrist on that diving attempt out right field and all of a sudden Kevin Youkilis is you're right fielder did you ask him if he'd ever play the position before.

Now we know that it played left field. Before and right field and Baltimore's that's. Sort of have any particular topic hit it out and and you to good athlete and it would make those adjustments this situation last night with with Coco. You know unbeknownst to me he was -- down between innings because severe headache and and -- idea. And then as soon as he did come out of the game. Quite violent quality. So it was a situation where it was built arc and out there you can understand that he would not -- did you.

Is Coco available to you today today do you know yet.

It doesn't it doesn't look like it right off the bat and have the trainers look at him and make that probably. --

Brad do you do you talk with Francona now men always back with this family but as the head as he text and you -- the emailing you calling you saying -- we should do this through we -- think about this.

Well it's just there's other situations that we're going on. And -- and so you don't want to contact them contact the lineup you know keep in contact ones in. About it right situations he's --

The the other situation from a from an injury point of view I don't know -- went on at any other way to put it concerns Julio Lugo who got. Kind of kneed in the head on that slide at second base in Minnesota the other day and suffered some slight concussion symptoms where -- physically for you guys right now.

Well I think we're just gonna have to wait two seasons doctors -- specialist back and -- you right there you know we don't. Want to get it I'd be silly. It hadn't missed on. As great as. To take lightly so we can get that squared away and people specialist right.

In a Red Sox fans are are encouraged because we've got a glimpse of some of the younger players in the system and we've seen them do some pretty productive things. Brandon -- the first game of the season Jed Lowrie was -- Craig Hansen back report that he's back now he's he's looked a lot better than he did a few years ago. Is it top -- seat to send jet -- down after I think with a game after a couple games after -- three hits.

Well it was it was it was. -- had a really good bargain of course and it was nice to see him perform like that but distinct that he was able to come up here. And get that experience that it is the feet wet so to speak now hit an ideal but it takes some thinking about -- were gone in. -- was down triple and in the wave forms and -- better prepared and it's time to get them.

It seems sometimes yeah sometimes -- is as if it's as much a part of this game is anything else. You got the bases loaded nobody out last night and you've got Manny Ramirez at the plate it's hard to envision a scenario. Where you don't score at least one run in fact about the only scenario is a 123 double play and wouldn't you know that's exactly -- yet.

You don't Manning had certainly -- of that. And he was battling balance all the bad. And you're exactly right it's the ball anywhere almost except for what happened we get we get one run there. It's -- that's not the way it worked out but it was did it have been that in.

He -- about Manny having good at bats we asked Terry that's a couple weeks ago when. When David Ortiz was hitting in the 170s and 180s a lot of people more sane enough. That -- very encouraged what's the biggest difference you've seen from Ortiz the first couple weeks of the season and right now.

Well he's. He's getting it it will be a few more pitches I think -- the keystone -- was started in two reasonable. Whose swing it is feel it's better. And and they can lineup and out it was worst balls up. What he starts to -- confidence of sport knows. Also it's certainly -- like -- in the in this past week.

north Braddock got to -- we we really let you off the hook today now. Tito usually has to answer some questions -- second -- question from a fan -- do this in and large do that but we were. We're in a pretty good mood today so we decided to spare you but if you become -- again going to have to ask you some of these second guess questions.

Economic and yeah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. It -- can wear it and -- Exactly brad that's typical of athletes -- or released or at least give me -- cookies or something I got. Did you last night -- gave Ortiz have been thrown out because I don't sneaky right --

Well when I got I had known that he did get through thrown out. But I was more I was trying to give him away in -- assured -- that he wasn't doing stupid and I turned around. To try to get the umpire away from -- and as I can run away from Dave that's when the -- that and that's when he was ejected. And then -- Try to get the umpire waved to them separated because I didn't want to have anything as far as suspensions coming in -- play there. When I first got out there it was hard to understand what was going on considerable -- I cannot. When you start -- when you start talking Matt Loudon that's fast 1000 megawatts. And so I really. Wasn't aware how close that they weren't getting thrown out and then. And Dave and his back turned when they deployment out in did not know when I came back from the dugout. I was looking for. So trying to. What -- thank god if we get back even in this in the ballgame in and then all of a sudden victims -- and and.

So would you say it is your Spanish is okay but as long as it's. At a nice little -- he's not a running pace.

Well at K rod and so spread their lives.

Hey -- ask you how is -- and here's that was the first round pick was it two years ago oh last year for tropic lousy month seems longer how's he doing in the minors.

He's usually you'll well he got have to look at certainly had a kind of rough patch and now he's getting himself back going again. And so he's he's been through this whole process. Professional baseball and it's it's a good lesson he's come all of these colonial.

I think everybody on this team's pretty much ready to end this ten game road trip the hallmark the.

I I think so especially an octave and hopefully you know we have this game here I think it was way to balance. And hopefully come out of the -- and wanted the opposite.

It seemed like just it seemed like it seems like you should have about 25 home games in a row after all the traveling. You've done in the first couple months of the season.

Yet as it we have kind of bounced around the began got a great job handling it I think they've they've really kept a good attitude about it. And actually had -- so far. To really make it allowed I'm not going to say -- honest that's a lot more bearable. And it's a good group of guys waited and has been has been.

I want one more thing guy you gotta tell us now that now we can talk about -- behind his back a little bit he said when you guys -- in college your roommate briefly having road roommate and he said it was the odd couple. That you're you're very organized and he was a little messy is he understating. Is he really it was he really a slob in college.

I that that probably puts -- mildly yeah he was it way we were just regular. College guy in in the but -- He can play event he played really good job.

It mattered he picked up his Sox seek a playwright.

They keep playing that's exactly right I mean he had had a guy and then in the locker room with the Washington uniform. One and that's only care about have a clean uniform to the field is that.

A dale and Tito said about brad. Is that guy before laptops. Had charts on I pitchers and had you know color -- things and had everything organized and had these very detailed scouting reports it in the late 1970s.

Well you know to. You know gotten -- whole lot of outstanding ability. So I hadn't already started to compete all the guys back and it is probably -- I wound up doing that. Yeah I area. You know I enjoyed the game been. You know and things.

Brad we appreciates taken the time to join us and fill in for Terry today best of luck this afternoon.

And -- I pursuit mistakes here.

Our Brett thanks that is Brad Mills the acting manager of the Boston Red Sox filling in for Terry Francona. I'm Terry Francona is brought to you by eighteen team with more bars in more places switch to the wireless network with the best global coverage AT&T your world deliver