Red Sox hold spring training relay race to determine who rides the bus
Spring training can sometimes drag along, even for the players. In order to spice things up, teams will resort to fun games or bonding activities in order to keep things fresh.
The Boston Red Sox were the latest club to do this, holding a team relay race Sunday. The race had high stakes. Whichever side lost would have to ride the bus to the team’s spring training in Jupiter, Fla. on Tuesday.
Designated hitter David Ortiz did not take part in the event, instead opting to be the official referee. Ortiz is reportedly recovering from an illness and “nagging injuries,” but we’re thinking this was maybe a case of the veteran pulling rank on his teammates.
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In the end, there could only be one winning team. Outfielder Mookie Betts narrowly beat out Jemile Weeks in the final stage of the relay, giving his side the win. As a result, Dustin Pedroia, Hanley Ramirez and Xander Bogaerts, among others, will have to make the 7 a.m. trip to Jupiter.
Though the competition was fierce, Ramirez told Ian Browne of MLB.com that it was good for the team.
“I like it,” said Ramirez. “That brings everybody together and you see a lot of people smiling. That’s a team. You’ve got everybody on the same page and everybody’s happy. Chemistry is the most important thing right now on this team.”
Nice job by the Red Sox for finding a fun way to break up the monotony of spring training. Can we suggest a game of tug of war next time? Maybe Ortiz would suit up for that one.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
