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Clement to the bullpen?

After his disastrous start Tuesday in Game 1 of the American League Division Series in Chicago, there was concern amongst fans, and possibly the Red Sox themselves, as to whether Matt Clement would be handed the ball for a decisive Game 5 start, also in Chicago, if the series went to the maximum number of the games.

To that end, Boston manager Terry Francona seemed to be saying Wednesday that Clement keeping his regular turn in the rotation is not a lock.

Francona said prior to Wednesday night's Game 2 that Clement, who was cuffed for eight runs, not to mention three homers in only 3 1/3 innings of Boston's 14-2 embarrassment, would try to be available for duty out of the bullpen for Friday's game in Boston, which is Game 3 of the series.

He did not rule out Clement, an All-Star pitcher this year who faltered down the stretch (0-4, 8.90 last six starts, including the playoff game) as a Game 5 starter. Other options would be Bronson Arroyo, who was taken from the rotation and put in the bullpen for the series, or David Wells on three days' rest.

Then again, Francona didn't even want to address a Game 5 situation.

``We don't go ahead that far,'' said Francona. ``That's not advantageous for us to do. We're just trying to leave every option available to us so we can win.''

Francona said Clement was called into the office and it was explained to him what the Red Sox had in mind. Clement then went out to throw, trying to get the blood flowing again in anticipation of possible bullpen use in a few days, duty he has not been called upon to perform this season.

Complicating things a bit is that Clement was smoked with a liner stung by Carl Everett in the third inning of Game 1. The ball struck Clement's left wrist and left thigh, leaving him with a contusion on the wrist that wasn't as painful as the bruise on his thigh.

Francona said that if Clement, after throwing a bit on the side, and taking the bruises into account, wasn't comfortable being available out of the bullpen, the Red Sox wouldn't go in that direction.

Posted by   at 5:36 PM | Permalink