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October 9, 2007
Several members of the Red Sox pitching staff threw a simulated inning or two this afternoon after the team concluded its regular workout.
The "outing" of most note was turned in by Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballer who was kept off the ALDS roster because of soreness in the back of his right shoulder.
Wakefield threw five "innings," totaling 77 pitches, mixing in a few fastballs along with his trademark floater. Wakefield, who had been bothered by the shoulder troubles (which the Sox initially called back problems) as far back as Aug. 20, threw without apparent discomfort.
When asked how he felt as he walked off the field, Wakefield said "good enough."
Red Sox rookie Brandon Moss called Wakefield "dirty."
There were some hard-hit balls hit off him, including a homer by Royce Clayton that made it to the top of the wall near the light-tower toward center field. But it wasn't the results that were important. It was how Wakefield felt physically with an eye toward a Game 4 start in Cleveland on Tuesday.
"Unless something unforeseen happens, Wakefield will start Game Four," said Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. "He will be re-evaluated (on Wednesday). . . He went through these five innings with no problems getting loose between innings; that's always the key when you're getting up and down multiple times."
Mike Timlin, Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester also threw to hitters.
Timlin (15 pitches) and Papelbon (22) threw one "inning" apiece, while Lester (40) went two. Lester was tagged for a homer over everything in left by Doug Mirabelli, who still was wearing his shin guards from having caught Wakefield when he stepped in to hit against the left-hander.
Those taking some hacks were Kevin Cash, Eric Hinske, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Brandon Moss, Alex Cora, Coco Crisp, Clayton and Mirabelli.
-- Steven Krasner and Joe McDonald
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 3:33 PM | Permalink
