Wakefield Rotarians Celebrate Red Sox Opening Day

As many organizations have, the Wakefield Rotary Club is chock-full of sports fans of all kinds. Last week, in honor of the Red Sox Opening Day, Wakefield Rotarians dressed in their favorite Red Sox gear to listen to members Jay Curley and Frank Fiorentino provide the club with their “expert analysis” of the upcoming Red Sox team. Both life-long baseball fans, each brought his unique perspective to the presentation.

Curley attended Arizona State on a baseball scholarship where he played catcher, before joining the Cape Cod League. Shining as an All Star, he was signed to the Baltimore Orioles’ Minor League team. However, having served in the Army ROTC in college, Curley was activated and served in Vietnam as an Army Infantry First Lieutenant, curbing his big league aspirations. “Duty called and I served my country first,” he said.

Fiorentino, a baseball fan since age 6, played center field with Malden Catholic, and contributed to two state championships before playing for Boston College. Like Curley, Fiorentino’s ROTC commitment called and he served as a First Lieutenant in the Army in Korea.

Curley began the presentation with an overview of how Major League Baseball (MLB) is structured, how drafts worked, and salary caps. Noting that the Red Sox have the highest ticket price in MLB, Curley commented that fans continue to attend games at the historical Fenway Park in good numbers. In addition, Curley noted the evolution of diversity in baseball with the increase in foreign-born players playing major roles every season for a variety of teams. 

Fiorentino continued with a focus on our hometown team, the Red Sox. He noted a particular “competitive American League” this year but felt that if the team can establish consistent pitching, the Red Sox will make a splash in 2026. He also gave an overview of the Red Sox 2026 roster, relief pitching needs, and how pitch count has impacted the pitching position. Despite what he noted as a “lack of power at bat since Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz,” he concluded, “overall this team is in better position than last year.”