PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington has been active this off-season and next week, city residents can hear all about it.

 

Cherington is the headlining the Pittsfield Suns' second annual Hot Stove on Friday when he'll field questions about an array of topics at the Colonial Theatre.

 

"It's more of a very relaxed question and answer," said Suns General Manager Kevin McGuire. 

 

The events starts with a VIP cocktail hour during which Cherington will be signing baseballs for attendees and hors d’oeuvres will be served by Mazzeo's Ristorante. Afterward, the audience will move to the theater where the conversation will center on the Suns and Cherington and his wife and part Suns owner, Tyler Tumminia. 

 

"They'll do 10 to 15 minutes talking about two people being heavily involved in baseball and making it work. It'll be really interesting," McGuire said. 

 

Cherington will, of course, also talk about the Red Sox. This offseason he has made an array of moves to prepare for the season, including signing players such as Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, as well as trading for Justin Masterson and Rick Porcello. The team is also looking for big things out of Rusney Castillo.

 

"He'll talk about quite a bit of stuff," McGuire said. 

 

But it won't all be baseball. McGuire said there will be personal stories laced into the presentation as well as Cherington talking about how he worked his way to his current position. 

 

The program is exactly like last year's event that featured New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman. That event prompted responses noting that since this is Massachusetts, someone from the Red Sox should be invited.

 

"It's what the fans asked for and we're fortunate to be able to deliver it," McGuire said.

 

The Suns just completed their third season playing at Wahconah Park. The team is part of a fairly new Futures Collegiate Baseball League. The Hot Stove event was established last year.

 

"With our season being so short we have a very long off season. We want to stay relevant and in the community," McGuire said. "This is a little break from the monotony of winter."

 

Haddad Motor Group signed on to be the sponsor of this year's Hot Stove. VIP tickets for both the cocktail hour and the presentation is $95 while general admission tickets for the presentation is $45. Tickets can be purchased through the Suns' website.