Adrian Gonzalez hits off a tee

Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports that Adrian Gonzalez has been cleared to begin hitting off a tee and did so this morning. Feeling fine and no need to consult with a doctor as was previously suggested he might. He’s supposed to begin live batting practice soon. So that’s some good news for a Red Sox Nation that has had nothing but … oh, wait. They’ve basically had nothing but good news since November. Forget I said anything.

Speaking of tees, this weekend I bought my son a regulation tee, a couple of balls and a glove. This on the heels of a recent declaration that he wants to play t-ball this spring. Then — before I gave them to him — he told me that he’d rather play soccer. The equipment is now sitting in my trunk, for I fear that if I give them to him now I am officially that dad who pushes his kid into stuff he doesn’t want to do. Of course, if I don’t give them to him, he’s going to go through childhood thinking that soccer is a real sport or something.

Parenting is hard, yo.

Former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi has reportedly withdrawn his name for consideration in the Reds’ managerial search, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Per Rosenthal, Girardi was considered the frontrunner for the position, but elected to keep his current gig as an MLB Network analyst for the foreseeable future.

The 54-year-old skipper holds a lifetime 988-794 record in 11 years with the Marlins and Yankees. He cut his teeth on the Marlins’ 2006 season, during which the team skidded to a fourth-place finish in the NL East, then helped the Yankees to 10 consecutive winning records and a World Series title. While Mark Feinsand of MLB.com adds that Girardi “absolutely wants to manage again,” it’s unclear when and with whom he might choose to do so.

Without Girardi, the Reds still have several candidates left in play, not the least of whom is retired MLB third baseman David Bell. Bell previously served as the Reds’ Double-A and Triple-A manager from 2008-2012 and racked up a cumulative 227-332 record during that span. His resume also includes several coaching positions with the Cubs and Cardinals, and most recently, a role as VP of player development for the Giants in 2018. As Rosenthal points out, however, the 46-year-old coach is hardly a lock for a managerial spot with the Reds, as he’s also made a strong impression on the Blue Jays, Rangers, and Giants this fall.