Booming in Boston

By Greg Echlin, correspondent

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With the shock of the off-season trade worn off, outfielder Ryan Sweeney of Cedar Rapids is making the most of his opportunity with the Boston Red Sox.

Sweeney admits he wasn't happy in Oakland last year while trying to regain a foothold on the starting spot in the outfield he enjoyed in 2009 when he hit .293 in 134 games. His situation with the Athletics had not been the same since 2010 when the left-handed hitter's season was abbreviated by season-ending knee surgery.

“There were a couple times last year when I wasn't playing that I wanted to be traded,” said Sweeney who began the week with a four-hit game against the Baltimore Orioles in Sunday's 17-inning loss at Fenway Park and raised his average to .360, third at the time in the American League.

“Baseball is like anything else when you get labeled as a fourth outfielder,” Sweeney said. “That's what happened last year and teams automatically assume that's what you are, I think.”

When the Athletics tendered Sweeney a contract in the off-season, he was resigned to the possibility of continuing his fight to get more playing time in Oakland. But after the Dec. 28 trade with closer Andrew Bailey for outfielder Josh Reddick, pitcher Raul Alcantara and first baseman Miles Head, Sweeney found himself in competition for right field with a better ballclub.

“It was probably one of those spur-of-the-moment things where a couple of guys were in on the trade and they said, ‘throw him in,'” said Sweeney.

He has turned out to be better than just a throw-in, especially since Bailey, the focal point of the trade to fill the void left by Jonathan Papelbon's signing with Philadelphia, is on the mend from thumb surgery.

Right field is where Sweeney is most comfortable. Since last year's incumbent, J.D. Drew, is no longer on the scene, Sweeney was primed to compete for a spot there. Left and center would be occupied by Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury. Injuries, however, to those two shuffled the picture and as a result presented Sweeney with more opportunity to play.

“I was excited about the new opportunity,” Sweeney said. “Playing at Fenway in the past, the other guys that I played with said, ‘You'd be perfect to play in this ballpark.' That was one of the things that I always wanted to do.”

Along with his gap power - he's among the A.L. leaders in doubles with 13 - Sweeney took solid defensive credentials to Boston. When Sweeney was charged with an error April 23 at Minnesota, it broke a streak of 221 errorless games in the outfield.

Then there's his torrid start at the plate, especially against right-handed pitching. Before the three-game series against the Royals this week at Kauffman Stadium, Sweeney's .403 average against right-handed pitching was the best in the A.L.

“He's a professional hitter. He gives you a good at-bat,” said Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan. “He swings at strikes. When he gets his pitch to hit, he usually hits it hard.”

Hitting it off early at the plate and in the field has enabled Sweeney to earn high marks so far with the Red Sox.