Kim returns as closer, appears back on track

By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff, 9/2/2003

PHILADELPHIA -- It turns out the plan by the Red Sox to ease Byung Hyun Kim's burden by splitting the closer's role may have applied only to the Yankees, his chief nemesis. Manager Grady Little entered yesterday's game against the Phillies with Kim back on track as the closer.

"He wasn't [the closer Sunday]," Little said, "but today we're playing somebody else."

Kim entered with the Sox trailing, 9-7, in the eighth inning with one out and runners on first and third. He promptly induced Pat Burrell to bounce into an inning-ending double play, setting the stage for the Sox' dramatic comeback in the ninth. Kim then responded by tossing a scoreless ninth, allowing only a harmless double to Ricky Ledee.

"It's nothing but positive for B.K.," Little said of the success story.

The tale was less pleasant for lefthander Scott Sauerbeck, who continued to struggle, allowing all three batters he faced in the seventh inning to reach base, two on walks, the other on a single before Mike Timlin deftly rescued him from the bases-loaded jam.

Timlin, however, surrendered a leadoff homer to Ledee in the eighth before he ran into trouble with an uncharacteristic bout of wildness. Timlin, who had issued only four unintentional walks all season, walked Marlon Byrd and struck Mike Lieberthal with a pitch before being relieved by Alan Embree.

Embree gave up a two-run single to center to Jim Thome before being rescued by Kim.

Up and at 'em

The September shuttle from the farm began as the Sox promptly took advantage of the rule allowing them to expand their roster from 25 players to as many as 40. They purchased Bill Haselman's contract from Triple A Pawtucket and activated Brandon Lyon and Casey Fossum from the disabled list.

While Lyon and Fossum will add depth to the bullpen, Haselman will do the same for the catching corps as well as deliver a wealth of experience. At 36, Haselman has played all or part of 12 seasons in the big leagues with the Rangers, Mariners, Tigers, and Sox. He helped the Sox make the playoffs in 1995 and stuck with them until he was traded with righthanders Aaron Sele and Mark Brandenburg after the '97 season to the Rangers for outfielder Damon Buford and catcher Jim Leyritz.

"This guy is going to be a big help for us in the last month, largely for his knowledge," Little said. "This is a guy who is probably going to stay in baseball for a long time when his playing days are over."

Indeed, Haselman said he would like to manage after his playing days. And he could start his managerial career as early as next season. He said if he reports to spring training and does not make a major league roster, he would not play another season in the minors. A career .260 hitter in the bigs, he batted .225 in 79 games this year for Pawtucket.

But Haselman was not eager to look beyond his playing days.

"Once you say you're done, you're done," he said. "It's not like you can come back, or it's very difficult to do."

Haselman's arrival will become particularly helpful when Doug Mirabelli's wife, Kristin, gives birth in the next few days. To make room for Haselman on the 40-man roster, the Sox designated Double A righthander Andy Shibilo for assignment.

Ramiro Mendoza, who made the trip with the team, remained on the disabled list with a sore back. He is expected to be activated when he is healthy, though he is unlikely to beat Todd Jones, who will be recalled today from Single A Augusta. Jones was optioned to Augusta last week in a paper move to make room for Lou Merloni.

The Sox plan to call up lefthanded hitter Andy Abad once the PawSox complete their playoffs. They also are expected to summon an extra outfielder, either Adrian Brown, Lou Collier, or Anton French.

Jones was among the pitchers the Sox sent ahead to Chicago rather than have them make the detour through Philadelphia. The others were Pedro Martinez, John Burkett, and Fossum, who pitched two innings Sunday for Pawtucket.

Steal City?

No one got a bigger kick than Little out of the complaints, raised generally by the Mariners, that the Sox have been stealing signs at Fenway Park, contributing to their sizzling home record (46-24). Last year, the Sox fared far better on the road (51-30) than at home (42-39). "A lot of people think we're stealing signs playing at Fenway," Little said. "I guess last year we must have had a mobile unit on the road [to steal signs]." . . . In contrast to Manny Ramirez, who was unable to play for a fourth straight time as he recovered from an acute throat inflammation, Johnny Damon returned to action after a jarring collision Saturday with Gabe Kapler. "He's going to be banged up a little bit either way, but if he can play, he's going to play," Little said as a tribute to Damon's grit. Damon reached base four times and scored twice . . . The Phillies issued a season-high 14 walks . . . The paid attendance for the makeup game was 61,068, the largest crowd at the Vet since July 3, 1986, and the largest Labor Day attendance in Phillies history. The previous high on Labor Day was 50,869 against the Yankees in 1997 . . . The Sox hit 46 homers in August, the most in the month in franchise history. The previous high was 44 in August 1979.