Wells plays nice, apologizes to Selig, MLB

Usually bombastic, brutally honest, and unapologetic, David Wells went out of character yesterday, taking back his recent, biting criticism of Major League Baseball and its commissioner, Bud Selig.

''I met [yesterday] with Major League Baseball and the Players Association and was happy to have the chance to answer questions about my press conference [Monday] and to learn more about the drug-testing program and on-field disciplinary suspensions," Wells said in a statement released through the players' union.

''Now that I have had this opportunity to sit down and discuss the issues, I better understand the procedures that go with steroid testing. I now know that neither Bud Selig nor anyone else delayed the [Rafael] Palmeiro case and that the Commissioner's Office has worked with the union to improve the steroid policy.

''I also understand that [MLB executive vice president, administration] John McHale, rather than Bud Selig, was the ultimate decision-maker relating to on-field disciplinary suspensions imposed by Bob Watson. I understand that I was wrong in my statements about these issues, and for that, I apologize."

Note, however, that Wells did not apologize directly. Instead, the players' union issued Wells's statement on his behalf following a meeting between the 42-year-old pitcher, MLBPA executives, and one MLB executive, a meeting the league office requested in the wake of Wells's 18-minute rant on Monday.

Selig, the primary target of Wells's words earlier in the week, did not attend yesterday's meeting, according to the list of those in attendance provided by the MLBPA. Rob Manfred, MLB's executive director of labor relations, represented the league. Wells was joined by his agent, Gregg Clifton, as well as Michael Weiner (MLBPA general counsel) and Bob Lenaghan (MLBPA associate general counsel).

An industry source described the meeting as ''uneventful," saying the time was spent educating Wells on the key topics he railed about Monday. That was the day MLB upheld his six-game suspension stemming from a July 2 game in which he was ejected, invoking his hostility.

Wells, in that session, claimed Selig intervened in the appeals process, wanting to ''stick it" to Wells. He also belittled Selig's handling of the steroid issue, claiming, ''Major League Baseball I don't think has a clue what's going on. They're just hoping that somebody screws up [and fails a test]." Wells also said MLB waited to announce Palmeiro's failed test until Aug. 1, a day after the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, to avoid unwanted attention.

No highs at Lowell

Standing in front of his locker on the eve of his activation, Keith Foulke was asked whether he accomplished what he set out to in his three rehab appearances with Single A Lowell (3 2/3 innings, 8 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned runs).

''Probably not," Foulke said.

Asked what he was encouraged with Tuesday in his final tuneup in Lowell, Foulke said, ''Traffic wasn't that bad driving up, 40 minutes to get up there. Wasn't bad at all."

The Sox closer rated his command as a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

''If I said I struggled, that was the one thing I wasn't real happy with, was command," Foulke said.

The righthander was encouraged that his fastball stayed down most of the time, and he located his changeup. However, his velocity peaked at 87 miles per hour Tuesday.

''That wasn't exactly what I was expecting," Foulke said. ''There's a lot of things that go into that. Hopefully, things will be better in a big league ballgame, better intensity, a little better lighting, better backgrounds, [I'll] be able to focus a little better."

If 87 m.p.h. is all he has?

''It depends where 87 is at," he said. ''That's what I was throwing last year. If it's up and in, down and away, on the black, heck, 82 is fine."

Foulke, as of yesterday, was unsure about his immediate role. He hasn't pitched in the majors since June 4, two days before undergoing left knee surgery.

''I don't think me jumping out there in a tight situation after not pitching in a big league game for two months is the best thing," he said. ''I might need to get out one or two times, to get my feet wet. We'll see.

''I'll get a lot of questions answered [today]."

Moving on up

Teams can expand 25-man rosters to as many as 40 today, and the Sox today are expected to add three players from Triple A Pawtucket: righthander Matt Perisho (12 games, 2.13 ERA), infielder Alejandro Machado (.303, 21 steals in 26 attempts), and lefthander Lenny DiNardo. DiNardo last started Sunday for Pawtucket, meaning he'd be available to pitch in Wells's spot in the rotation tomorrow on normal rest.

Manny Delcarmen, optioned back to Pawtucket Tuesday night, must wait until Sept. 6 -- the day after Pawtucket's season ends -- to be recalled.

Kelly Shoppach also would have gotten a call today, if he hadn't been injured on a play at the plate Tuesday night in Ottawa. Shoppach stuck out his left leg, steered Tim Raines Jr. off the plate, and applied the tag for the out. But Shoppach sustained a left ankle sprain in the process. He experienced swelling in the ankle and, as of yesterday afternoon, was listed as day-to-day.

The Sox could call up Shawn Wooten as a third catcher, though Wooten isn't on the 40-man roster.

''If [Shoppach's] hurt for a couple days, we have two catchers here," manager Terry Francona said.

No players with Double A Portland are expected to be called up immediately. The team begins the playoffs Sunday, and could play as late as Sept. 18.

Tender mercy

Francona initially wrote Tony Graffanino into the lineup last night, batting fifth and playing second base. But Graffanino showed up at the park with what Francona dubbed a ''tender" hamstring. With rain expected, the manager didn't want to play his regular second baseman on a potentially soft field. So, he inserted Alex Cora in the No. 9 hole and moved everyone else up a spot in the order . . . Add right shoulder to right thumb and hamstring as body parts injured this season by Rule 5 outfielder Adam Stern. While playing right field on a rehab assignment with Pawtucket Tuesday, Stern felt pain in his shoulder throwing what one observer called a ''300-foot BB" to third base. ''He came in and hit, then took himself out of the game," Francona said . . . Wade Miller threw close to 30 pitches yesterday off a bullpen mound at 75 percent effort, Francona said. If Miller pitches again this season, it would in all likelihood be a spot start or two . . . As expected, the Sox recalled Kevin Youkilis -- .322 average, .459 on-base percentage with Pawtucket -- prior to last night's game. Youkilis is here for the season and is eligible for the postseason roster. A few statistical insights, provided by The Maniacal One, Chuck Waseleski: The Red Sox have trailed at some point in 45 of their 62 home games and have lost only 19 of those games. They have won 84 percent of the games in which they have had a lead at Fenway. David Ortiz, during the Sox' 19-game home tear (18-1), is hitting .377 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs. Ortiz is slugging .855 in those 19 games with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging) of 1.361. He's homered five times in six games on this homestand . . . The Sox' 18 wins in August (18-9) marked their most wins in a month since last September (18-10) . . . Doug Mirabelli's seventh-inning steal was just the third of his career.