Lightning coach Barry Melrose, who claims, "I was a better baseball player than a hockey player," will throw out the first pitch at Tropicana Field before Monday's game against the Red Sox.

Melrose, 52, dabbled as a catcher in his native Canada, and was known, according to his brother, more for prolific home runs hit during his softball days. Melrose made no promises about getting the ball over the plate and warned, "I will throw it somewhere hard."