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Pregame Here and There

-- Alex Cora, who has been hampered by a sore right elbow, was given clearance to hit off a tee today. But, while Cora says he is feeling better and is "chomping at the bit" to start throwing again, according to manager Terry Francona, the team's medical staff has not cleared the utility infielder to begin playing catch.

-- Struggling David Ortiz is healthy, says Francona, but his offensive woes are due more to problems with movement in his legs and head as the ball approaches the plate than issues with his surgically repaired right knee. Francona didn't think Ortiz was at the stage mentally where he needed to give the designated hitter a day off to regroup.

-- J.D. Drew's continued hot streak -- he hit his third homer on Friday night; last year his third homer came on June 8 -- has not prompted Francona to move Drew up from sixth to fifth in the Red Sox batting order to replace the disabled Mike Lowell (sprained thumb). Francona is using Kevin Youkilis in the number five hole. Youkilis went 0 for 3 Friday night, but hit the ball hard in the air to right field in each at-bat.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 1:31 PM | Permalink