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September 26, 2007
-- Center fielder Coco Crisp will miss his second straight game because of dizziness. Manager Terry Francona said that Crisp, who was scratched from Tuesday night's starting lineup because he was ill, would be examined more fully tomorrow.
"He's not feeling a lot better today. Any time there's an inner ear problem it can lead to a virus so we want to get some answers," said Francona a few minutes ago.
Jacoby Ellsbury will start in center field in place of Crisp as he did Tuesday night.
-- Hideki Okajima has rebounded well from his 40-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday and will pitch in tomorrow night's game against Minnesota, said Francona.
The manager said he may not be used in his customary role, but Francona said the Sox want him back on the mound at some point during the game. Okajima hasn't pitched since giving up four runs in only one-third of an inning against the Yankees on Sept. 14. The left-hander has been strengthening and conditioning his left shoulder since that poor outing.
The Sox don't necessarily need to see him pitch back-to-back days before the playoffs begin next week, said Francona, who added he was expecting Okajima to "pitch a lot in the postseason."
"His arm is probably stronger than it has been since early in the season," said Francona. "He never got to the point he was hurt. He was fatigued."
-- Kevin Youkilis starts at first base today, his first start since Sept 15, when a pitch from the Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang struck him on the right wrist.
-- Manny Ramirez reported no ill effects from playing Tuesday night, his first game since leaving an Aug. 28 contest in New York because of a strained left oblique. So Ramirez will start tonight in left field, once again batting second so he can get some quick at-bats and leave early as his body readjusts to playing.
-- Curt Schilling will pitch on Sunday in the regular-season finale, said Francona, dispelling the notion that the veteran right-hander might skip the start so as to be better rested for the postseason.
-- Steven Krasner
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 2:16 PM | Permalink
