In Mueller's corner

Red Sox outfielder Trot Nixon doesn't want anyone to confuse his feelings for Bill Mueller with the regard he has for the Sox front office. He appreciates and respects the moves general manager Theo Epstein has made to build a championship team in Boston. That said, Nixon still hopes Epstein is not planning to trade third baseman Mueller to the Minnesota Twins for lefthanded reliever J.C. Romero before Sunday's trading deadline. Or for anyone else, for that matter.

''It's great to be a ballplayer that is wanted by a lot of other teams," said Nixon, who has seen his own name in trade rumors over the years. ''It's gratifying for us.

''But being his teammate, we all know that [Kevin] Youkilis is ready to play, too, but Billy is a tough guy to lose from this clubhouse. If you didn't feel that way about another teammate, then obviously that teammate isn't making much of an impact in the clubhouse.

''It's hard not to like him. The way he goes about his business, the respect he has for the game. That's why we call him Billy Ballgame. He's the kind of player our fans love, too. Because he's quiet and just goes out and plays hard. He doesn't glorify himself. Nobody in this clubhouse glorifies himself."

The Sox and Twins play each other here in Fenway Park and it's possible talks will continue right until the 5 p.m. deadline. It's also conceivable that a deal could be struck but not announced until then because neither the Sox nor Twins relish the prospect of having a former teammate beat them this weekend.

Clement day to day

Medical director Thomas Gill ran Matt Clement through further diagnostic and precautionary testing yesterday at Massachusetts General Hospital. And, while Gill asked to wait until today to announce any conclusions, he said Clement's status is day to day.

Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod, said no determination has been made as to whether Clement will make his next scheduled start, Tuesday against Kansas City at Fenway Park.

''He's feeling quite well," Axelrod said yesterday, which was an offday for the team. ''He has a little bit of a, not even a headache, just a little pain in his neck, maybe a little swelling at the top of his ear. He feels fine.

''He's proceeding cautiously. We'll see how this round of testing is. If they say, 'You can go out and throw,' he will and he'll see how it is. He's not going to make a stand and say, 'I'm not missing a turn.' "

Clement's only concern leaving Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Wednesday night was the flight home. He wore a small medicated patch behind his left ear to counter motion sickness.

The flight home, Axelrod said, ''was not a problem at all. He said he needed to clear his ears and chewed some gum. One of the masseuses worked with his neck."

Axelrod, who was watching Tuesday's Sox-Devil Rays game on television, recalled the fright he experienced seeing Clement lying motionless on the mound for some time after being struck by a line drive hit by Carl Crawford. But, Axelrod said yesterday, ''He froze at the trainers' instruction. It wasn't that he was unable to move. He was getting ready to roll over when the trainers got there."

When Clement does pitch again, the concerns lingering in his mind figure to be less physical than psychological.

''I've had people ask me, 'Will he be able to go out there and pitch [without reservations]?' " Axelrod said. ''I asked [St. Louis righthander] Matt Morris, 'What's the worst you've ever gotten hit?' He said, 'I've been hit in the ribs, and I flinch every time.' He said to [tell Clement to] get his butt out there and start dominating again.

''I think Matt's a pretty tough guy. He cares about his performance and he cares about winning. After leaving the Cubs he wants nothing more than to be in the playoffs with the Red Sox."

Moving up

Outfielder Gabe Kapler went into last night having hit safely in each of his four games with Pawtucket, hitting .625 (10 for 16) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, six RBIs, and six runs. He'd played center field twice and each corner outfield position once during his rehab stint, which is expected to culminate today. He's eligible to come off the disabled list and join the Sox tomorrow . . . Tonight will be the first meeting of the season between the Red Sox and Twins . . . Jon Goode, PR director of the Lowell Spinners, and his wife, Lauren, extend an invitation to attend his ''Fantasy Meets Reality" benefit for the C2Mission tonight at 7 at The Rack. A number of stars from TV reality shows are scheduled to be attendance, according to the charity's website, including Ethan Zohn (winner of Survivor: Africa). C2Mission benefits children with cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis. Tickets are $15 at the door. For more info, call (978) 455-5948.