Schilling will take the mound vs. Twins today
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Curt Schilling, scheduled to start a minor league game today, will instead make his Grapefruit League debut, opposing Minnesota's Brad Radke at 1 p.m. at City of Palms Park.
Manager Terry Francona said this would probably be Schilling's only spring start. He'll pitch again Wednesday, likely in a minor league game. Schilling is expected to begin the season on the disabled list but make his regular-season debut on or before April 14.
Teams can count up to 10 days of spring training toward the 15-day minimum needed for a player to go on the DL. However, if a player pitches in a spring game that charges admission, the DL clock cannot begin ticking until the following day. Today's game charges admission. A minor league game Wednesday would not.
Additionally, a player who opens the season on the DL must spend a minimum of six days of the regular season on the sideline. Schilling would be eligible to pitch April 10. The following day is the home opener vs. the Yankees. His scheduled day, assuming regular rest and no setbacks, would be April 14, also against the Yankees.
If Schilling were to pitch in two Grapefruit League games -- today and Wednesday -- he wouldn't be eligible to come off the DL until April 15.
Today he'll throw about 50 pitches, though that count is somewhat flexible.
"He's been to 60, but not under those conditions," said pitching coach Dave Wallace.
Schilling's primary obstacle is his pitch count. He threw three quick innings (37 pitches) Monday in his one minor league start.
Matt Clement, who was scheduled to start today, will instead pitch to Doug Mirabelli in the minor league game.
Impressive debut
Jon Papelbon, who has never pitched above Single A Sarasota, was on the mound yesterday for what could be one of those seminal moments in a prospect's career.
Papelbon, 24, went 0 and 1 on Sammy Sosa in the fourth inning of the righthander's first spring training game. In the top of the inning, Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera had twice gone inside on Jay Payton, hitting him the second time. So, ahead on Sosa, Papelbon busted a mid-level fastball inside. Sosa took one step toward the mound.
"I didn't know what he was doing," Papelbon said. "He didn't say anything. He just stared at me."
That won over some people in Red Sox uniforms.
"And I'm one of them," Francona said.
Papelbon immediately came back with a curveball that a bailing Sosa swung at and missed. But Sosa shot the 1-and-2 offering inside the third base bag. Rafael Palmeiro followed with a hit, ending Papelbon's day. In three-plus innings, he was responsible for four runs on five hits in the Sox' 10-inning 5-5 tie. He struck out two (Melvin Mora looking and Palmeiro swinging) and walked one.
"Poise, stuff, good arm, and he wasn't intimidated by anything," Wallace said. "Anybody who handles himself like that, those are big names."
Papelbon, recently rated the Sox' third-best prospect by Baseball America, will begin the season at Double A Portland.
"I think he's good enough to be with us right now," Johnny Damon said. "He's got good composure. He's not afraid to throw inside. We'll definitely use him this year. We just didn't like him being late for the bus this morning. He'll learn."
Francona irked
Payton left the game with a bruised right hand and was scheduled to undergo an X-ray back in Fort Myers. Francona, who jogged to first base to check on Payton, stared at Cabrera for a few seconds on his way back to the dugout, then talked with plate umpire Joe West. "I was tired of our guys getting hit," Francona said. "Our guys need to stop getting hit." . . . Kevin Youkilis's sharp play at third and first base, the need to get Bill Mueller a regular day off, and an injury to Roberto Petagine made it rather clear this month that Youkilis would make the team. Yesterday, Francona made that official. "He deserves to be on our ball club," Francona said. "That's a no-brainer, but because we do like him, we have concerns about his playing time." Francona said Youkilis could play one day a week at third, then one day at first, ensuring he's in the lineup twice a week. He will not be used as a defensive replacement at first, however. "Out of fairness to him, I don't think I'd put him in for defense," Francona said. Francona hasn't announced who will occupy the last bench spot, though Dave McCarty is a good bet.
Embree flawless
Alan Embree pitched an efficient sixth inning, going 1-2-3 through the core of Baltimore's order. Miguel Tejada popped to first, Sosa struck out looking, and Palmeiro grounded to first. It was Embree's first Grapefruit League appearance since March 16, though he did throw a minor league game Monday to "call my own game and throw a lot of pitches I usually don't," Embree said. He had his left elbow iced down postgame but said, "It's nothing different than every year. I've always had a little bit of something to start out the spring." . . . The Boston bullpen had retired 28 consecutive batters before Luis Matos's fifth-inning single yesterday off Byung Hyun Kim. The streak included the last eight batters Monday vs. Los Angeles, the last 16 Tuesday vs. Cincinnati, the last two in a rain-shortened game Wednesday vs. Baltimore, and two yesterday against the Orioles. Nine pitchers combined for the feat: Juan Perez, Anastacio Martinez, Scott Cassidy, Keith Foulke, Mike Timlin, Jack Cressend, Lenny DiNardo, Matt Mantei, and Kim . . . Kim went two innings, allowing two hits, a run, and no walks. He got two lefthanded hitters, B.J. Surhoff and Jay Gibbons, to ground into double plays. "His velocity wasn't great," Francona said, "but the ball looked like it came out great." . . . Damon played his third game in as many days since returning from cellulitis. He is 0 for 8 in those three games.
