Olerud signed to give first aid
ARLINGTON, Texas -- John Olerud is no longer a starter, no longer the guy who hit .363 in 1993 and .354 in 1998, but that's OK, because he's not coming here for his bat. Olerud is coming to the Red Sox because he's won three Gold Gloves (2000, 2002, and 2003) and is willing, at age 36, to be a late-innings defensive replacement and start on occasion.
Olerud signed a split contract with the Sox, a deal announced yesterday, that calls for a major league salary of about $750,000. He reported to the Sox' spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., Saturday and is expected to need about a week in extended spring training before joining Boston's Double A or Triple A affiliate for conditioning.
Olerud, who played last season with the Yankees, hadn't hooked on with a team because he was rehabbing offseason surgery to repair ligaments in his left foot torn during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. The 6-foot-5-inch first baseman hurt his foot on a seemingly harmless play. He hit a ground ball and dropped his bat to run out the grounder, and the bat hit the instep of his foot, causing ligament damage. He missed Games 4-6 and appeared in Game 7.
Olerud's agent, Joe McIntosh, said yesterday, "Small bones in his foot needed surgery after the season was over. We think he's pretty close."
Sox general manager Theo Epstein and his assistant, Josh Byrnes, saw Olerud work out in Phoenix recently and "he moved around fine," Epstein said. The club had talked with McIntosh back in spring training but waited for Olerud's rehab to come along before signing him.
Olerud's signing, Epstein emphasized, does not affect Kevin Millar.
"Kevin Millar is our first baseman," Epstein said. "If healthy, John Olerud has a role on our club and can help."
The cerebral, soft-spoken Olerud -- who hits and throws lefthanded -- broke into the bigs in 1989 with Toronto. He has played for the Blue Jays, Mets, Mariners, and Yankees, hitting .295. He hit .259 in 425 at-bats split between Seattle and New York last season with nine home runs and 48 RBIs.
Gonzalez on tap
Manager Terry Francona wouldn't announce tonight's starter yesterday, but it's going to be PawSox righthander Jeremi Gonzalez. Tim Kester started in Gonzalez's usual spot for Pawtucket yesterday, and Gonzalez's belongings were not in his locker at McCoy Stadium.
Gonzalez is not on Boston's 40-man roster, and to clear space, the Sox will designate Dave McCarty for assignment today. McCarty, Millar's backup and a defensive replacement, either will be traded, released, or placed on waivers. If he's put on waivers and if he clears, McCarty has the option of going to Triple A Pawtucket or becoming a free agent.
Gonzalez last pitched Tuesday and is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 24 innings (four starts) with Pawtucket. Gonzalez, 29, was 0-5 with a 6.97 ERA in eight starts last season with Tampa Bay. In 50 1/3 innings over 11 total appearances in 2004 he surrendered 72 hits (including nine home runs) and walked 20. He actually began 2004 as Tampa Bay's No. 2 starter before his season unraveled.
"I got to work with him a little bit in spring training," said catcher Jason Varitek. "He can locate with some different pitches. He sinks it a little, cuts it a little, he's got an OK changeup. He's got to locate."
With Gonzalez going tonight, and John Halama tomorrow, that gives the Sox back-to-back starts out of two guys who last season combined to make 22 starts with Tampa Bay.
Having it his way
Trot Nixon wants to appeal his two-game suspension for his involvement in last Sunday's brawl in Tampa Bay, and Sox officials sound willing to let him to do that, even though the team faces lefthanded starters Mike Maroth and Nate Robertson tomorrow and Wednesday. Nixon never starts against lefties, so it would make sense for him to sit. Nixon emphatically said Friday he would not sit out of convenience. Francona, before yesterday's game, said he's talked to Nixon and Epstein about the issue. "Whatever he wants to do is up to him," Francona said about Nixon. "If he feels wronged, there's a process to go through." . . . The Sox flew in Pawtucket second baseman Alejandro Machado for yesterday's game as a safety valve, with Mark Bellhorn (flu) and Ramon Vazquez (quad) ailing. Machado wasn't needed, though, and wasn't activated . . . With his second-inning single, Bill Mueller reached base in his sixth consecutive plate appearance . . . Entering yesterday's games, only Colorado had allowed its opponents a higher batting average than the Red Sox and Yankees. Opponents were hitting Sox pitching at a .289 average, 28th in the league. The Yankees were allowing teams to hit them at a .297 clip. Colorado was last at .299 . . . The three-game series at Ameriquest Field attracted 137,389. Yesterday marked just the Rangers' second sellout of the season. The other was their home opener vs. the Angels.
