BOSTONMarlon Byrd had an inkling he would be on the move.
Kind of a surprise, he said. I assumed I was going to get traded at some point. The Cubs are making a transition. But especially with me. I have three hits on the year. I didnt think Id be coming to a team that has a chance to win. I thought that theyd wait for me to start heating up a little bit.
"But my agents called me and it sounded like a good idea. When I talked to Cubs president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer and manager Dale Sveum it made perfect sense. They had their outfielders kind of set, had an expendable guy, which is me. And Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington wanted me over here. So it was a fit.
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Had the Red Sox' Sunday night game against the Yankees not been rained out, Byrd would have been the starting center fielder. Instead, hell wait until Monday in Minnesota.
Byrd, who will be 35 in August, has played parts of 11 seasons with the Phillies, Rangers, and Nationals in addition to the Cubs. He has a career average of .278 and can play all three outfield positions, but has played the majority of his games in centerfield.
He has gotten off to a rough offensive start this season, batting just .070 (3-for-43) with two RBI and a run scored in 13 games. But he feels hes been having better at-bats recently.
I was swinging very well but when you look up there and dont see results its just hard to tell, he said. My last game I hit the ball hard three times, two at people and the last one was a great catch by Cincinnatis Jay Bruce. But its just baseball you got to keep plugging away.
Im just grinding, grinding it out. Its one of those things when you've played for a while you know its going to come. Cant change much because its hard to get back to where you started.
He hasnt been told anything specifically by Cherington or manager Bobby Valentine about how he will be used. He knows hes here to play center field while Jacoby Ellsbury is on the disabled list with a subluxated right shoulder.
Hopefully I can hold down the fort for them until hes ready to get back and then go from there, Byrd said.
From a team standpoint, these guys are ready to win, when you see the players that theyre putting on the field. Its a good place to come into. Im a piece of the puzzle just trying to come in instead of coming in and trying to do too much. Its a great fit for me.
Hes familiar with several of his new teammates, including Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Kevin Youkilis, and David Ortiz (whom hes anxious to rib about the time he threw him out in the 2010 All-Star Game). He played against Darnell McDonald in the Connie Mack World Series as a teenager. He knows strength coach Pat Sandora from their time with the Phillies. So hes expecting a comfortable transition.