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Postgame -- Timlin's Struggles Continue »
June 11, 2008
BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- Daisuke Matsuzaka spent the afternoon throwing a bullpen session, which he says, went well. He'll throw again on Friday. Manager Terry Francona said he will sit down with Dice-K after batting practice today to discuss next week's plan, meaning a possible minor-league rehab start.
Francona did not watch the session, but pitching coach John Farrell reported Dice-K had a very aggressive bullpen.
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Red Sox pitchers participated in a session of pitchers' fielding practice, commonly known in the baseball world as PFP. With the upcoming interleague games against the Reds and Phillies, Francona felt it was best to "refresh" the practice. Defenses will likely see more bunting during interleague play, so the Red Sox wanted to spend some time today working on fielding.
The pitchers have also been in the batting cage this week. Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield and Jon Lester can all handle the bat pretty well. Justin Masterson and Bartolo Colon have interesting swings.
Prior to PFP this afternoon Wakefield was describing his only career home run, which he hit whole playing for the Pirates in 1993. He hit it at the old Astrodome, some 420 feet into the left-center field seats.
Beckett, who played five seasons in the National League with the Marlins, has two career homers. He hit one for Florida in 2005 and the other came with the Red Sox, when they were playing in Philadelphia, in 2006.
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Manny Ramirez is serving as the club's designated hitter again tonight. His hamstring is still sore, but come Friday he'll have to play through it or his bat will not be in the lineup due to the interleague games.
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 AP Photo | As the earlier post on this blog reported, David Ortiz was sworn in as an American citizen today in Boston. The Red Sox slugger denied the report when asked about it in the clubhouse -- even though photographers captured the moment at the courthouse (left) and Ortiz spoke to reporters there -- but Red Sox spokesman John Blake confirmed the story.
Francona didn't even know. When asked about it during his afternoon meeting with the local media, the manager asked, "Is that why he had a sports coat on? I didn't know."
Fellow Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez became a U.S. citizen in May of 2004 and then ran out to left field to start the game with a small version of an American flag in his hand.
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Posted by Joe McDonald 
at 4:25 PM | Permalink
