FORT MYERS, Fla. – To John Henry, the Boston Red Sox owner, the team’s goal for 2010 is the same as always. That means making the playoffs rather than focusing on winning the World Series.

”I’ve never thought that way,” Henry said Wednesday. ”If we make the playoffs, we’re going to win at some point in the postseason. We’ve been fortunate to do that twice.

”It’s tough to predict what’s going to happen in a short series. A good team can easily lose to an inferior team in a short series. So our goal really is to make the playoffs and to try to win.”

The Red Sox, champions in 2004 and 2007, were swept out of the first round of the playoffs last year by the Los Angeles Angels.

Boston will be home for the major-league opener April 4 against the champion New York Yankees, who again are projected to have the highest payroll in the majors.

”People tend to clump us together, but there’s a wide gulf financially between the two teams, and that’s going to continue,” Henry said.

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The current ownership team of Henry, Lucchino and the chairman, Tom Werner, is starting its ninth season with the club, and intends to be around for a while.

”We’re not going anywhere. We adore, we love this franchise,” Henry said. ”We were saying today as we were driving over, that these eight years have been so much fun and so rewarding for us personally.”

 

MARK MCGWIRE’S estranged younger brother said he injected McGwire with a variety of steroids and thinks obvious strength was gained from the drugs.

Jay McGwire’s book, ”Mark and Me,” is scheduled for publication Monday. Jay McGwire said his brother ”knew that he was going to get the strength and endurance and size.”

 

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RANGERS: Vladimir Guerrero will do more than be the designated hitter for Texas this season. Manager Ron Washington said he plans to use the slugger in right field from time to time because ”we want to keep him happy.”

Guerrero, 35, came to Texas after six years with the Los Angeles Angels, batting .319 with 173 home runs. Last season he was limited to 100 games because of pectoral and knee muscle injuries.

Center fielder Josh Hamilton left morning workouts after bruising his shoulder.

 

INDIANS: Russell Branyan and Cleveland completed a one-year contract that brings him back to where he started his big-league career.

 

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METS: Catcher Rod Barajas and New York finalized a $500,000, one-year contract that could be worth up to $2 million this year.

 

NATIONALS: Washington signed pitcher Livan Hernandez to a minor league contract, and will invite him to spring training, where he will compete for a spot in the rotation.

 

YANKEES: Shortstop Derek Jeter, who will be a free agent after the season, reported to spring training and said he has no problem with a team policy of not negotiating new contracts until a player’s previous deal expires.

 


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