The Rookie Clinic is winding down- the guys were at the Celtics game tonight against the Trailblazers, will be attending the Boston Baseball Writers' Association dinner tomorrow night, and then wrapping up the clinic on Friday. They were also out at the official Red Sox team store on Yawkey Way for an autograph session (postponed from Monday)- and raised about $8,000 for the Red Sox Foundation.

The Globe and Herald also have a whole bunch of photos of the guys working out from this week's sessions- including photos of Stickbug Clay Buchholz, who has used the offseason to add about 10-15 pounds on his lanky frame. Witness:

What a difference three years and twenty pounds makes, huh? He's all growned up!

There was also a great article in the ProJo about the host families that house the prospects while they're in Boston for the Rookie Clinic:

There are temptations around every corner and any player in their early 20s could fall victim to outside distractions that could end a promising career. So, along with this workout program the Red Sox have implemented, the organization has also asked local families to host these players and become their surrogate parents for two weeks.

The Red Sox have certain requirements for host families, including spacious living quarters so each player can have his own room and bathroom. The house must be located close to Fenway Park and the host families are also responsible for getting their "sons" to the workouts every morning and then picking them up at night, sometime just after 5 o'clock.

In the past the families would feed the players breakfast and then dinner later in the night, but now the players eat twice a day at the workout before heading to dinner with their host families. Each night the players will discuss their day with their hosts, like sitting down with a parent. Aldrich admits sometimes he's had the daunting task of getting some players out of bed in the morning.

Having a bunch of 20-year-old pro athletes in a big city with thousands upon thousands of college females around could create problems for pro organizations and host families, but that's not the case according to Aldrich. In his experience there has never been a problem, especially since the players have weekends off.

"I have to say I'm so impressed with the quality of the individuals," he said. "It's very truthful that this player-development organization has made it a very high priority to get men of character. There's no one here that you wouldn't want to have in your home. They've all been on good behavior. I haven't seen any rowdiness or drunkenness, and I don't think it's because they are in Boston and need to be on their best behavior; they are genuinely disciplined guys and incredibly focused on their training and diets.

"I think the players and the organization can get a lot out of this," added Aldrich. "I think everyone wins. . . It builds camaraderie amongst the players and it builds a set of expectations in them as to how the organization expects them to behave. It's a great way for the organization to implant the culture in a very emphatic way."

Currently, Buchholz and Lowrie are staying with the Aldrich family, but their roster of residents is an impressive one. Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Phil Seibel, Ken Perez, Mark Malaska and Adam Stern have all stayed with Aldrich's.

"We've been lucky," said Aldrich, who said he remains in contact with the players, even the ones who are no longer in the Red Sox organization or in baseball.