Schilling tests ankle without protective boot
Red Sox ace Curt Schilling long-tossed on a rain-drenched Fenway outfield prior to last night's loss to the Atlanta Braves, without a protective boot he's worn on his right ankle for more than three weeks, and without the aid of a brace.
Schilling received the OK to do so from Sox team physician Thomas Gill Friday. While still walking with a slight limp, Schilling went to the outfield with trainer Chris Correnti and threw for about 15 minutes, gradually increasing the length of his throws to about 120 feet. It appeared Schilling had no problems and he walked back to the dugout at a brisk pace.
Schilling will likely increase the length of his tosses over the next couple of days. Gill said Friday there was no timetable for Schilling to return.
The Sox medical staff is gradually trying to strengthen Schilling's ankle and increase its flexibility. Gill said Friday that Schilling being restricted to a boot probably caused some stiffness that will work itself out now that he has some freedom of movement.
Barnett joins coaching staff
The Sox have hired former Blue Jays hitting coach Mike Barnett, who was let go last month by Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi. Barnett is a longtime friend of Sox manager Terry Francona and has worked as a hitting coach for Francona in the past. Francona said Barnett will be a non-uniform assistant, likely assisting hitting coach Ron Jackson, and would probably work with hitters with the help of video.
''We wish Mike well," said Ricciardi. ''I'm not sure how they're going to use him, but I know he and Terry go way back and it seems like a good fit for them. I spoke to [Sox GM] Theo [Epstein] and he was great. Since Mike was still under contract with us, we worked it out so Mike could be free to work with another team, and we're happy to do that."
Ricciardi felt the Blue Jays needed to go in a different direction with their hitting instruction, after monitoring Barnett's work for a year. Barnett had eye surgery that forced him to stay in Florida at the conclusion of spring training, but he rejoined the team during the second week of the season.
A lot on Ramirez's plate
Is there such a thing as working too much on your hitting? The subject came up in regard to Manny Ramirez's slump, which has dropped his batting average to .229. ''You never have to worry about Manny not working hard enough on his hitting," said Francona. ''He breaks it down as much as anyone I've ever seen. You can overanalyze things, but I think Manny has a great way of putting the last at-bat behind him. He knows he's going to hit. He's hitting way below his career average, but he knows he's going to be there. When you tell Manny, 'Hey, keep that stroke,' he's going to remember that and he's going to do that." In his last 26 games, Ramirez is hitting .194 (18 for 93), dropping his average from .294 . . . Francona said there was never any doubt in his mind that he would tab Jason Varitek to catch Tim Wakefield instead of call-up Shawn Wooten while Doug Mirabelli is on the disabled list with a sprained left wrist. Francona said Varitek does not use the larger mitt Mirabelli does to catch Wakefield, feeling more comfortable with the regular variety . . . Wakefield failed to work at least six innings for the first time in nine starts, allowing eight hits and six runs over five innings. His ERA rose from 3.61 to 4.24 . . . Kevin Millar fouled a ball off his left instep in the eighth inning, and although he completed his at-bat and grounded out to shortstop, he was replaced by Kevin Youkilis in the ninth. Francona didn't know whether Millar had X-rays but said, ''He's sore. He hit that ball hard. And he hit it on the same spot he hit it the ball the other day. He wanted to stay in, but you could see when he ran to first that he was hurting." . . . The Sox were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position after going hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position Friday night . . . Bronson Arroyo spent time yesterday afternoon with the Norton youngster who was suspended from his elementary school for braiding his hair to honor Arroyo, who used to wear his hair that way. Arroyo brought 10-year-old Zack Schwieger to the dugout, where he signed baseballs and talked to the youngster and his family . . . Former Sox hurler Dennis ''Oil Can" Boyd tossed four shutout innings for the Brockton Rox in a 9-3 exhibition victory over New Haven at Campanelli Stadium. Boyd, 45, struck out five in his second start for Brockton.
