It adds up to a four-man rotation
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- While the Red Sox remained relatively tight-lipped about their postseason pitching plans, they made this much clear: They will go with a four-man rotation and resist any temptation to bring back their Game 1 starter on short rest in Game 4.
"In a five-game series," manager Terry Francona said, "Game 1 is going to pitch Game 5."
The Sox followed a similar course last year when they started John Burkett against the A's when they faced elimination in Game 4 of the best-of-five Division Series. They also pitched Burkett in Game 6 of the League Championship Series when the Yankees could have eliminated them. The Sox won both games behind Burkett and pitched Pedro Martinez on regular rest in the series finales.
The Sox have yet to say whether Martinez or Curt Schilling will start Game 1 of the Division Series Tuesday. By most indications, Schilling is the leading candidate.
The Sox also have to determine which of their other starters will join Martinez and Schilling in the rotation, but by ruling out bringing back their Game 1 starter in Game 4, the Sox guaranteed that only one starter would be relegated to a relief role. "If we thought it was the best way to win, we'd do it," Francona said of bringing back the opening starter on short rest. "[Pitching coach Dave Wallace] and I have talked about it pretty extensively and he's so against it. He just doesn't think it's in our best interest, and I was sort of glad he said it because I've always agreed with that."
Since the start of the 1999 postseason, starters are 7-20 when they go on three days of rest in the playoffs, though Schilling helped lead the Diamondbacks to a championship by starting Games 1, 4, and 7 of the 2001 World Series.
The Twins, a possible opponent in the ALDS, have indicated they will go with a three-man rotation, pitching Johan Santana in Games 1 and 4. But the Sox also could play the A's, Angels, or Rangers in the first round.
The Sox plan to make any adjustments to their rotation no sooner than Friday, when they open a four-game series in Baltimore. Tim Wakefield is scheduled to start Friday, though he may split the game with Schilling or move to Saturday.
As it stands, Schilling and Bronson Arroyo would be scheduled to start the day-night doubleheader Saturday, with Derek Lowe scheduled to work the finale Sunday. But unless the Sox move into serious contention for the division title, they plan to start Pedro Astacio in one of the games Saturday to help rest the staff.
Number play
Martinez laughed off a report in New York's Newsday about a purported message he sent to Felix Heredia, who wears the same number (45) for the Yankees. Newsday reported that Martinez sent a message through a mutual friend to Heredia: "Next year, when I'm a Yankee, you've got to give me your number." Martinez said the story went like this: "[Heredia] joked that if I came over, he would give me the number without any hesitation. That was it. He said he would give it to me willingly." . . . According to the Maniacal One, Chuck Waseleski, the Sox are the only team in the American League that has not lost a game in which it has scored eight or more runs (44-0) . . . With his three-run triple, Johnny Damon tied his career high with 88 RBIs. He has knocked in 22 runs in his last 21 games . . . Lowe's appearance was his 383d for the Sox, tying Roger Clemens for third on the club's all-time list. Wakefield is second with 386, and Bob Stanley leads with 637 . . . Doug Mirabelli hit a ball that landed on top of the padding on the left-field wall for a ground-rule double. Francona protested, but the ground rules state the ball must clear the yellow stripe over a screen atop the padding to be a home run.
Ruling comes down
Francona huddled before the game with Astacio, who was suspended three games and fined $1,000 by Major League Baseball for throwing behind Kenny Lofton in Sunday's 11-4 victory over the Yankees at Fenway Park. Astacio appealed the disciplinary action, which will allow him to pitch this weekend. Astacio was not surprised by the suspension. "Most of the time when the umpire throws you out in a situation like that, you get suspended," Astacio said. New York's Brad Halsey also was suspended three games for throwing at Dave Roberts in retaliation for Astacio sailing his pitch behind Lofton. Astacio had sent a message to Lofton for elbowing Doug Mientkiewicz . . . Jason Varitek was out of the lineup as the Sox selectively tried to rest players for the postseason without conceding the division race. "I think I owe it to the players and organization to try to have our guys ready to play next week, but I also understand the importance of trying to win every game, so we're going to try to do both," Francona said . . . Don Zimmer, who managed Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski from 1976 to 1980 with the Red Sox, was stunned to learn that Yastrzemski's son, Mike, died Sept. 15 at age 44 after hip surgery. "He was just a young kid when I knew him," said Zimmer, now a senior adviser for the Rays. "What a tragic thing."
