FORT MYERS, Fla. Donovan Smith Jersey . - Grady Sizemores long journey back from a series of injuries that almost ended his promising career is complete: He will be the Boston Red Soxs starting centre fielder on opening day. The three-time All-Star is set to play for the World Series champions Monday at Baltimore. "Its very exciting," Sizemore said Friday. "Its been a long road for me and Im happy to keep moving forward and to be in this position for this team." Sizemore beat out highly regarded prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. for the starting job. The Red Sox said Friday that Bradley will begin the season at Triple-A Pawtucket. Sizemore has not played in the majors since September 2011 with Cleveland. He has undergone seven operations since 2009, including surgery on both knees, his back and elbow. The Red Sox lost star centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the Yankees in free agency during the off-season. Boston signed the 31-year-old Sizemore in January, hoping he could still make an impact. Sizemore hit .333 in spring training, going 13 for 39 with a home run, two doubles, three walks, and four strikeouts. He held up well in the outfield, playing 82 innings. "This is one of those situations where the game was taken away from a player and now that its back in his reach, that appreciation is only going to grow," Farrell said. "Theres a greater appreciation that I think any player goes through when theyre able to attain that level again. "He hasnt had any push back with the repetition and the volume in spring training, saying his body cant take it," Farrell added. "We have had a cautious level of optimism with each passing day." Entering spring training, the Red Sox were not sure what to expect from Sizemore. But hes passed every marker. Whats left is to see how he holds up during the rigours of a full season. "As far as the durability question, we answered it as best we could given the number of spring training games," Farrell said. "He will still be on a progression in the month of April where theres a prescribed number of games played and theres a progression to that. Its premature to give you an exact number of games per week. But were working toward an everyday status." Sizemore was a third-round pick of the Montreal Expos in 2000 before being acquired in a six-player deal by Cleveland in 2002 when Farrell was the Indians director of player development. Before his injuries, Sizemore was one of baseballs most dynamic players. A left-handed batter, he hit 20 or more home runs with 20 or more stolen bases in each of his first four full seasons, from 2005-08, the most 20-20 seasons in Indians history. The only other players ever to record three 20-20 seasons within their first four big league seasons are Darryl Strawberry (1984-86) and Bobby Bonds (1969-71). Despite his time away from the game, Sizemore never gave up on his baseball career, though. "I didnt think it was over," he said. "I just didnt know if Id ever get back to feeling healthy. It wasnt really a matter of playing baseball. It was the little things like being able to run. It was one of those things where youre just trying to find answers." The last few years have not been easy on Sizemore. After appearing in a total of 639 games from 2005-08, he has played in just 210 since. But, on Monday, expect that to change. "Its nice to have some positive news," Sizemore said. "In the last couple of years everythings been so negative. Its almost hard to realize whats going on. Hard to sink in." Ronde Barber Jersey . Patty Mills scored 15 points, Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes, and San Antonio trailed for only 11 seconds late in the first quarter of a 103-90 victory over Portland on Wednesday night. Kendell Beckwith Jersey . The future hall of famers stole the show at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night, with Jagr moving into seventh place in all-time goal scoring and Brodeur stopping 29 shots as the Devils downed the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. http://www.shoptheofficialbuccaneers.com/Customized/ . He never mentioned anything about his hitting. The 33-year-old right-hander had success with both Sunday, pitching six solid innings and helping the offence-starved Mets with an RBI single as New York salvaged a doubleheader split with a 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs dont have the look of a team more interested in draft position than on-field success. One day after the Central Division cellar-dwellers couldnt have looked worse in a 13-3 embarrassment against the lowly San Diego Padres, they showed some grit in a come-from-behind, 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, who suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Friday. A persistent wind at their backs, the division rivals treated the largest crowd at Wrigley Field this season to five home runs and 23 hits. "A good team win," said manager Rick Renteria, whose club trailed 3-0 before even getting a chance to bat. "The crowd was buzzing all day. It was a pretty neat environment. Obviously, the fans were into it." Luis Valbuena hit a decisive two-run homer in the seventh to decide the see-saw affair. Kevin Siegrist (1-2) hit Anthony Rizzo with a full-count pitch to start the inning. One batter later, Valbuena launched the first pitch into the centre-field bleachers, his first homer against a left-hander in 37 at-bats this season. "I was looking for a fastball, and I got a fastball right there," Valbuena said. "Thats why I got aggressive." "We had the match-ups we wanted right there," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "We wanted (a left-hander) in that situation, in that part of the lineup, and a lefty ended up getting him." The Cardinals tied the score 5-5 on solo homers by Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday in the fifth inning. Pinch-hitter Oscar Taveras singled to break the tie in the sixth, but the lead was short-lived. Justin Grimm (3-2) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Hector Rondon retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances. Cubs starter Travis Wood did well to survive five innings after a rocky start. He allowed five runs -- two earned -- and seven hits with one walk. Wood aided his cause with a solo homer off Joe Kelly in the fourth inning, his third of the season. He became the first Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano (2009) with at least 10 RBIs in a season. "They fought off a lot of pitches andd made me work," Wood said. T.J. Ward Jersey. "I was only able to go five, but luckily, I was able to keep it close and we were able to pull it out." Ryan Sweeneys three-run homer pulled Chicago even at 3-3 in the second inning. Kelly had not allowed an earned run in 18 1-3 innings against the Cubs before then. One inning later, Sweeney singled home Valbuena, who had walked, for a 4-3 lead. Kelly lasted 4 2-3 innings allowing eight hits and two walks. St. Louis struck first with three unearned three runs in the opening inning, when Wood was forced to throw 32 pitches largely because of two errors behind him. Carpenter and Holliday singled, then rookie second baseman Arismendy Alcantara threw away a potential double-play grounder that allowed a run to score. One out later, Jon Jay hit a two-run double, and when left fielder Chris Coghlan allowed the ball to get past him, the batter advanced to third base on the second error of the inning. NOTES: One night after his team played a 3-hour, 36-minute, nine-inning game, Renteria said there was no easy solution to quicken the pace. "The only thing that speeds up ballgames is good pitching and good defence," he said. "There are a lot of times, to be honest with you, when were ready to go and were waiting for the TV (signal). Sometimes you cant control the length of ballgames. They are what they are." ... Cubs RHP Edwin Jackson is not expected to miss a start. He left the game in the sixth inning on Thursday because of cramps in his pitching hand. ... OF Justin Ruggiano (groin) was not in the lineup for the second consecutive game but was available off the bench once again. ... St. Louis RHP Shelby Miller will make his first start since July 10 on Saturday. The veteran had been moved to the bullpen because of a minor back ailment and pitched one innings in his only appearance. "I felt a little tired (before), but at the same time, you always want to be out there," he said. "Right now, I feel really strong. My body is where it needs to be." ... The Cardinals have a 4-6 record since All-Star C Yadier Molina (thumb) was placed on the DL. 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