Damon gets good results
TORONTO -- An MRI of Johnny Damon's left shoulder yesterday morning affirmed what the team's medical staff already believed: No structural damage has been done to Damon's rotator cuff.
The MRI showed what would be dubbed a contusion or strain. Damon, who returned to Boston Monday night for the procedure, worked out at Fenway Park and visited with physical therapist Scott Waugh yesterday. He will repeat those activities today in hopes of playing center field tomorrow night in the opener of a four-game series vs. Oakland.
However, Damon's availability won't be known until tomorrow, when he attempts to throw for the first time since Monday afternoon. Damon, who was penciled into that night's lineup, struggled to play catch, leading him to be scratched.
''The report was as good as it could be," said manager Terry Francona. ''I think the hope is he can play on Thursday. But even if he can't, the news is good. He's going to be OK."
Damon, who injured the shoulder sliding feet-first back into second base Sept. 4, attempted to play through the injury. He took Sept. 5 off, then went 5 for 14 with two walks and two sacrifice flies in four games. But he had a cortisone injection following Friday's game, needed Saturday off, was the DH Sunday in New York, and hasn't played since. If he returns tomorrow, he will have missed five of the team's last 10 games.
''We took the shot, DH'd him, we probably should have let him rest a little more, and we didn't," Francona said.
The reason the club didn't rest Damon sooner, or send him for an MRI sooner?
''His strength tests were good," Francona said. ''That's the dead giveaway, when a guy has a structural problem. When you go through your procedure of tests, there are [tipoffs] that you'd better go check. But he passed all his tests fine.
''Sometimes we all say, 'Why didn't you do that last week?' The tests didn't show he should go do this."
Francona said that if Damon can't play center field tomorrow, he'll likely be held out of the lineup rather than DH.
''I'd rather give a guy an extra day's rest and keep our lineup some[what] intact than do that," Francona said.
Foulke on Foulke
Keith Foulke struggled again last night, allowing two runs in the seventh inning. Foulke, who wasn't sharp Monday night, either, did say he ''felt better than I have in a long time" after that outing. But he acknowledged before last night's game, ''I thought I'd be better" since coming off the disabled list. At this point, Foulke figures to be on the club's postseason roster. ''If I'm not on the postseason roster, if they don't think I'm good enough, that'll be an even bigger story," Foulke said. ''I'm making $7, $7.5 million. If I'm not on the postseason roster, there's a pretty good chance I won't be here next year." The insinuation is if Foulke isn't on the postseason roster, he assumes he'll be dealt in the offseason. His contract makes that difficult. Foulke is owed about $7 million next season. There is a 2007 team option for a similar amount, or a player option of $3.75 million. There is also a $1.5 million buyout for 2007.Miller hopeful for '06
Even if he does pitch again this year, Wade Miller will have lost half a season to shoulder woes for a second consecutive year. But he is confident that next year will be different. For one thing, he's still throwing (a year ago, he had been shut down for the season). ''Last season, I couldn't even pick up my arm," Miller said. For another, he's been able to do regular strengthening exercises and will continue to do so during the offseason. ''What I've been told [by doctors], next year will be 10 times better," Miller said. Miller will start Game 3 of the Eastern League Championship for Double A Portland Friday night in Akron, Ohio. He's expected to throw about 70 pitches, then hand the ball to Anibal Sanchez . . . David Ortiz's home run last night gave him 41 on the season and 37 as a designated hitter (he's hit four while playing first base). That ties Edgar Martinez's record for a season of 37 by a DH. Martinez set that mark in 2000, the year he also established the DH record for RBIs with 143. Ortiz has 120 RBIs as a DH and 127 total . . . More on Ortiz: His 11th-inning homer Monday night was the sixth extra-inning homer of his Red Sox career. Those ahead of him: Ted Williams (13 extra-inning HRs), Jackie Jensen, Jim Rice, and Carl Yastrzemski (8 apiece), and Dwight Evans (7) . . . Ortiz Monday night joined Yaz as the only Red Sox player with at least 40 home runs in consecutive seasons. Yaz hit 40 in 1969 and again in 1970, so Ortiz, technically, is the first Sox player in the club's 105-year history with more than 40 home runs in consecutive seasons (41 in 2004 as well).This year's nemesis
Sox killer Reed Johnson increased Toronto's lead to 9-3 in the eighth with an RBI double off Chad Harville (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB). Johnson is batting .444 (12 for 27) this year against the Sox with three home runs and 15 RBIs . . . Kevin Millar's leadoff double in the fifth inning extended his hitting streak to 15 games . . . The Sea Dogs took Game 1 of the best-of-five Eastern League Championship last night, winning, 6-4, behind Jon Lester. Chris Durbin led off the Portland first inning with a home run, and Brandon Moss homered to begin the second. Knuckleballer Charlie Zink starts Game 2 tonight at Hadlock Field . . . The Sox have now lost six of their last seven at the Rogers Centre . . . Matt Clement lost back-to-back starts for the first time this season. He's given up six or more earned runs in six starts this season. He's allowed 14 earned runs over his last two starts vs. Toronto (11 2/3 innings).
