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Baseball Today: Monday, August 6 »
August 5, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
SEATTLE — For the first time since June 18, Curt Schilling will be on a major-league mound Monday night, opening the Red Sox' three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Schilling has missed exactly seven weeks as he took time to strengthen his right shoulder and prepare himself for the final third of the season.
''I think the thing that has probably come to the surface,'' pitching coach John Farrell said, ''is the amount of work that is going to be required, at a minimum, at the age of 41, to endure the stress and the workload of a five-day rotation, in the course of 30-plus starts over the course of a given year.''
The veteran right-hander has shown improved command in three rehab starts in the minors, throwing first-pitch strikes to 23 of 25 hitters in his last outing.
''He's been able to pitch without thinking about repeating his delivery,'' manager Terry Francona said.
Farrell said Schilling's curve ball has been more effective against lefties in his rehab outings and that Schilling has been able to maintain his velocity. In his last start in Atlanta, Schilling's fastball was barely average, clocked at 87-88 mph.
Lopez to Pawtucket
To make room for Schilling, the Sox, as expected optioned Javier Lopez to Pawtucket, a move that pained Francona.
''It's not a reflection of the way he was pitching,'' Francona said. ''We value him. At the moment, he's an optionable player. It's difficult for him to understand; if I was in his shoes, I'd feel the same way. He'll be back —and he'll help us.''
Lopez was 2-1 with 2.87 ERA in 44 games.
''I'm not happy,'' said a somber Lopez, ''but there's not much I can do about it.''
Lopez admitted that he knew such a move could be possible, with Schilling returning, but had hoped his performance could save him.
''You always know what might take place,'' he said. ''It's just a numbers thing.''
Sox want Moss
The Red Sox are trying to promote outfielder Brandon Moss from Pawtucket for Monday night's series opener in Anaheim. The Sox would like Moss to take the roster spot of Eric Hinske, who is set to return to his home in Phoenix to take some time to attend to some personal matters. Hinske's wife is going through a difficult pregnancy, and the utility player recently had his grandmother pass away. The club is attempting to get Hinske placed on the bereavement list, which stipulates that a player spend a minimum of three days out of action and a maximum of seven. Moss is hitting .290 with 13 homers and 67 RBI in 111 games at Pawtucket.
Close one for Coco
Coco Crisp narrowly avoided injury when the Seattle mascot, zipping past on an all-terrain vehicle, clipped him in front of the visitor's dugout in the middle of the fifth inning. Crisp never saw the Mariner Moose coming, but heard him and managed to avoid a full-on collision.
''I've got no comment on the Moose,'' Crisp said. ''I moved out of the way. It was nothing too serious. I went down, but my knee didn't touch, so I kept running. It was just weird.''
Crisp said the mishap didn't upset him.
''I'm not an angry person,'' he said. ''I'm not going to go over and clothesline the guy.''
Francona said Seattle GM Bill Bavasi called the Boston dugout ''within minutes'' to apologize on behalf of the organization. Farrell could be seen giving an on-field security guard an earful after the incident.
Controversial attire
Francona has been getting grief and threatened with significant fines from Major League Baseball concerning his habit of wearing a pullover top during games rather than the standard-issue uniform top. Francona has tried to tell officials that he wears the top to ward off chills he feels from blood-thinning medication, but has been unsuccessful in his attempts to date.
Around the bases
With his save Saturday night, Jonathan Papelbon became the first Red Sox reliever since Jeff Reardon to notch consecutive seasons with at least 25 saves. Papelbon had 30 saves last year and 25 so far this year. Reardon had 40 in 1991 and 27 in 1992 . . . Alex Cora played second in place of Dustin Pedroia and went 1-for-1 with a run scored. He also made a spectacular play to rob Jamie Burke of a base hit in the fourth. Cora fully extended himself and made a leaping grab on a liner . . . Daisuke Matsuzaka stands to soon break the club record for most strikeouts by a rookie. Ken Brett, who fanned 155 in 1970, holds the mark; Matsuzaka has 152 after his 10-strikeout effort Saturday night . . . David Ortiz provided some comic relief in the seventh. Ortiz wasn't held on at first, so he alertly broke for second. Burke threw down, but neither second baseman Jose Vidro nor shortstop Yunieksy Betancort thought to cover and the ball sailed into center. Ortiz, reveling in his second stolen base of the season, then good-naturedly pointed at Betancort . . . Shortstop Julio Lugo was picked off second base with one out in the top of the sixth, the fourth time he's been picked off this season.
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