Former Yankee and current Red Sox relief pitcher Alfredo Aceves was a thorn in the side of the team’s coaching staff last season for his on and off-the-field antics. The coaching staff has changed in Boston, but Aceves has not.
Aceves angered the Red Sox by throwing half-speed at batting practice. His agent then spoke with Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington aid he wants Aceves to be a part of the team but he has to lean to control his temper and be a team player.
“[Manager] John [Farrell] and the coaching staff are responsible for addressing anything that happens on the field and they are fully capable of doing that, and I wouldn’t comment on any specific issue but more generally speaking, as we get down to 25 guys on our team, 25 individuals, 25 diff personalities, it’s up to us, it’s up to John and the staff to get the most out of everyone of those guys. If something happens that’s outside the lines then those things are addressed,” Cherington told CSN on Monday.
Last season, Aceves received a three-game suspension from the team for his actions toward manager Bobby Valentine in a meeting. He also refused to give Valentine the ball when he was removed from a game. He has reportedly been unhappy with his role as a reliever and wants to be a starter.
“What I’ve seen this spring is we got 59 guys pulling on the same end of the rope,” Cherington said, referring to Aceves not being a team player.
After posting a 10-1 record and winning a World Series with the Yankees in 2009, Aceves appeared in ten games in 2010 missing most of the season with a back injury. He was signed by the Red Sox that offseason. He made 69 appearances last season going 2-10 with a 5.36 ERA.