From staff reports
Jerry Sands never got to play a game for the home team at Fenway Park.
Sands, who was a great player at Catawba from 2006-08, is on the move again.
Sands, who was dealt by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Boston Red Sox during the 2012 season, is now officially a Pittsburgh Pirate.
He was included in a trade that sent Pittsburgh’s closer Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox.
The 25-year-old Sands was a 25th-round draft pick by the Dodgers after his All-America junior season at Catawba.
In three years at Catawba, the Smithfield native set school career records for home runs (61), walks 132) and slugging percentage (.752). He also set single-season records in 2008 for RBIs (85) and walks (56).
Sands batted .350 with 14 homers in 41 games at Ogden in rookie ball in 2009 and hit .333 with 18 homers and 46 RBIs in 69 games in the Class A Midwest League in 2010 before being promoted to Double A Chattanooga. He accumulated an additional 17 homers and 47 RBIs with Chattanooga and was named the Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Year.
The past two seasons, Sands has been mostly with the Dodgers’ Triple A team in Albuquerque. He got into 61 games in L.A. in 2011 but played only nine MLB games in 2012.
A 6-foot-4 right-handed hitting first baseman and outfielder, Sands has put up impressive home run, walk and RBI totals in Triple A, but in 70 big league games he’s batted .244 with four homers and 27 RBIs.
He appeared likely to get a chance to play regularly with the Red Sox, but he now he’ll become part of a rather crowded outfield/first base situation in Pittsburgh, although the Pirates may still make more deals to reduce the logjam.
Sands was traded by the Red Sox along with two prospects and reliever Mark Melancon. The Red Sox got young shortstop Brock Holt along with Hanrahan, a difference-maker who saved 36 games in 2012.

Local golf
The Warrior’s Brian Lee was recognized as Honorable Mention for the 2012 U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids’ Teachers.

Baseball lessons
Pfeiffer assistant baseball coach Ross Steedley, who starred at East Rowan and at Charlotte as a catcher is offering lessons. Steedley can be contacted at 704-267-2210.

Prep hoops
In the New Bridge Bank Classic at Ledford, Central Davidson’s Chris Pompey scored 21 points in an 82-33 rout of South Davidson.
Pompey went over 1,000 points for his career.
• Tyler Groomss scored 23 points to lead West Davidson to a 63-42 tournament win against East Davidson.
• South Davidson’s girls beat Central Davidson 53-49. Addie Grubb scored 13 for the Wildcats.
• East Davidson’s girls beat West Davidson 52-26. Lori Morgan scored 14 for the Golden Eagles.
East’s Davidson’s Don Corry, who has coached boys and girls in a lot of places, celebrated his 500th win when the Golden Eagles beat Wheatmore recently.
• Daily admission for the Sam Moir Classic is $7 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12.
• A.L. Brown opens play in the CMC-NorthEast tournament at Cox Mill today. Brown’s girls play Butler at 10, while the boys play Sun Valley at 11:30.

Parks and Rec
Salisbury Parks and Recreation is accepting registration at Hall Gym for youth basketball leagues for boys and girls ages 5-6 and girls ages 7-15 through Jan. 12. Cost of the league is $35. Practices begin the end of January, with games starting in February. Space is limited, so register early.
Contact Lakai Brice lbric@salisburync.gov or Steve Clark sclar@salisburync.gov at 704-638-5289.