FORT MYERS, Fla. — For almost all baseball teams, it has become part of spring training to take a break from practice and schedule a team-bonding activity. The same is true of most NBA, NFL, and NHL teams, too.
Last year, the Red Sox had a former Navy Seal give the players a motivational talk. On Wednesday, they will watch the movie “Patriots Day’’ as a group at a local theater. The players, coaches, and their families are all invited.
“To me, that’s a part of our recent history, a significant moment,’’ said manager John Farrell.
Dustin Pedroia and Jackie Bradley Jr. are the only current Red Sox players who were in the lineup on April 15, 2013, the day two terrorists detonated two bombs at the Boston Marathon.
Bradley, Pedroia, Farrell, and members of the coaching staff remember the uncertainty of leaving Fenway after the game and boarding buses to the airport for three games in Cleveland, uncertain of exactly what happened.
The Red Sox became an institution the city rallied around in the months that followed, beginning with David Ortiz’s emotional speech before their first game back on Saturday, April 20, and continuing with their surprising run to the World Series.
The Sox helped popularize the “Boston Strong’’ motto and solemnly placed a team jersey at the Marathon finish line after celebrating the championship.
“It’s a big part of who we are in Boston, and I think it will be important for our guys to understand what we’ve gone through,’’ Farrell said. “You look for opportunities, and this is a meaningful one.’’
“Patriots Day’’ stars Mark Wahlberg as a fictional police officer. It has been a box-office letdown, grossing only $31 million since its release in December.
Changeup for pitcher
Chris Sale spent seven seasons in the White Sox organization and went through six spring trainings in a program designed by pitching coach Don Cooper.
Now he’s with a new team and adapting to the methods espoused by Farrell and pitching coach Carl Willis.
Sale had a 3.00 earned run average in Chicago, so there’s not much to change. But he is adhering to the Red Sox’ organization-wide shoulder protocol for pitchers. The weightlifting regimen is designed to strengthen shoulder muscles and help prevent injury.
Sale feels there has been a “great balance’’ between the old and new.
“It’s all feedback,’’ he said. “There’s an open line of communication. Me filling them in with what I’ve done the past couple of years and incorporating some new things, I think, are really, really valuable in helping me get to where I need to go.’’
Put your Sox on
NESN will carry 15 of the 38 major league games in spring training starting with Saturday’s game against the Twins. MLB Network picked up two games (March 8 at the Mets and March 24 at the Blue Jays) while ESPN will show the March 27 game at the Orioles.
WEEI will broadcast 35 games on either its AM (850) or FM (93.7) signals.
Only two major league games, both of them split-squad road games, will be unavailable via television or radio.
Famous faces
Pedro Martinez and Jason Varitek were in uniform for the workout and interacted with the players. Martinez spent 45 minutes afterward signing autographs . . . MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark led a morning meeting with the players. His staff included Mike Myers, the sidearming reliever who was with the 2004-05 Red Sox. Myers works for the association and follows his two sons in college baseball . . . Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who also works with the Players Association, spent time chatting with Dwight Evans . . . Craig Kimbrel will face hitters for the first time Wednesday.
Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.
