If Joe Torre and Terry Francona had hugged at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium, it might have been seen as an act of treason.
Under the sun of spring training Thursday, there was hardly a rivalry in sight. Especially now that the two managers are in different leagues.
There was Francona, fresh off his second World Series championship with Boston, putting his arm around Torre behind home plate. There was Torre, out of New York and now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, smiling with his friend in the dugout.
“It’s nice to chat with him without someone thinking that some covert operation was going on,” Torre kidded after the Dodgers beat the Red Sox 9-6 in Fort Myers, Fla.
“You know, while we’re doing that, we’re in the clubhouse stealing everything else that he has,” he said.
Torre also got to spend time with another member of the Francona family. Terry’s father, Tito, and Torre played together in Atlanta.
For part of the game, Tito stood in the stands next to the Dodgers dugout and visited with his old teammate. Torre called it a “bonus.”
When Torre was in New York, he and Francona used to talk on the phone after Yankees-Red Sox series. The two of them were always close friends, although they could hardly afford to be so cordial on the field.
“I never went out there to the batting cage” to greet Torre the past four years, Francona said, “not just because of me. I just didn’t want to put him in that position. People don’t want to see that.”
At Tempe, Ariz., Los Angeles Angels ace John Lackey, out with a sore throwing shoulder, threw in the bullpen. Lackey said he would be able to make four spring starts and be ready by opening day, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia said four starts would not be enough.
“That’s not something were considering,” said Scioscia, who said five spring starts would be the minimum for one of his pitchers to open the season.
“You have to build up stamina. Unless something unforeseen would happen, we would at least want John to be at 100 pitches so that he can pitch deep enough into his first start. That’s going to take a little bit of work,” Scioscia added.
In other spring games:
Braves 5, Tigers 4, 8 1/2 innings
At Lakeland, Fla., Dontrelle Willis allowed two hits in three innings, lowering his spring ERA to 1.80 after two starts. He walked one and struck out three. Tom Glavine made his second start of the spring for the Braves and allowed two runs in 2 2-3 innings. He struck out two but walked three.
Reds 12, Yankees 8
At Sarasota, Fla., Edwin Encarnacion hit a grand slam and a two-run single for the Reds. Chien-Ming Wang retired only two batters in the first inning for New York, giving up six runs on six hits.
Twins 8, Orioles 7
At Fort Myers, Fla., Craig Monroe hit a two-run single for Minnesota after being out a week because of a strained calf. Delmon Young went 3-for-3 with a two-run single.
Rays 6, Phillies 4
At Clearwater, Fla., Philadelphia starter Adam Eaton failed to overcome back problems and gave up four runs and five hits in two innings.
Pirates 8, Blue Jays 7
At Bradenton, Fla., Pittsburgh’s Freddy Sanchez, playing with a slow-to-heal right shoulder, singled, hit a sacrifice fly and drove in two runs as the designated hitter.
Indians 11, Astros 5
At Kissimmee, Fla., C.C. Sabathia threw three perfect innings. Grady Sizemore tripled and doubled for the Indians, who had 19 hits.
Cardinals 5, Marlins 2
At Jupiter, Fla., Skip Schumaker, Joe Mather and Albert Pujols hit consecutive home runs off Marlins closer Kevin Gregg in the fifth inning.
Royals 4, Diamondbacks 3
At Surprise, Ariz., Kansas City’s Ryan Shealy led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run off Jailen Peguero.
Angels 9, Giants 1
At Tempe, Ariz., Jered Weaver allowed a solo homer to Eliezer Alfonzo in three innings, and Vladimir Guerrero hit his first spring homer. Giants starter Matt Cain allowed five runs and five hits in 2 1-3 innings.
Padres 10, Rockies 3
At Peoria, Ariz., Padres center fielder Jim Edmonds will miss a day or two with a calf injury. Starter Jake Peavy allowed Troy Tulowitzki’s solo homer in an otherwise efficient three innings: two runs and four hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
Rangers 6, White Sox 1
At Tucson, Vincente Padilla allowed an unearned run in three innings for the Rangers. Chicago’s Bobby Jenks walked two in one scoreless inning.
Mariners 5, Brewers 2
At Phoenix, Seattle’s Felix Hernandez gave up home runs to Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks. Greg Norton hit a two-run homer for the Mariners.
Athletics 2, Cubs 1
At Phoenix, Chicago’s Jason Marquis threw three shutout innings. He has allowed one run in five innings this spring. Kerry Wood threw a scoreless inning for the second straight time.
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