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The Pitching Plan

About 10:15 this morning, as reporters were waiting for a scheduled 10:30 meeting with Sox manager Terry Francona, Julian Tavarez was called into the manager’s office.

As is usually the case in those situations, the news was not good for Tavarez. He was told he was going to be the primary victim of today’s postponement. For the second time in less than a week, he was going to be pushed back in the Boston rotation.

Francona reported that he had decided to have Josh Beckett, today’s scheduled starter, pitch tomorrow's Patriots Day game. Tavarez, who was scheduled to work tomorrow, now will not take the mound until Thursday on Toronto. Daisuke Matsuzaka will go Tuesday, as planned, for the opener in Toronto. Tim Wakefield will get the start Wednesday and Tavarez Thursday.

That means Curt Schilling, who pitched so well Saturday, will get an extra day’s rest and will work the opener of the Yankees' series Friday. Schilling is not likely to object to having to wait an extra day but be able to return to the mound in Fenway. He was 9-1 at Fenway last season and fired eight shutout innings Saturday against the Angels in his home debut.

Because of the weather problems, the Sox asked Tavarez to stay today. He was to go to the batting cage where he will throw against some live hitting. Alex Cora, for one, headed down to the cage to hit against him. Tavarez also will do some light throwing Tuesday to some work in, Francona said. It is not expected that he will be made available to do any work in relief. With the starters pitching so well, the bullpen is extremely well rested.

Posted by Paul Kenyon  at 11:07 AM | Permalink