Trade confirmed this wasn't Payton's place

He was the Red Sox version of Corporal Maxwell Klinger. Except Jay Payton got out.

Klinger pulled numerous escapades to qualify for discharge in the 1970s and '80s hit television series ''M*A*S*H," but never pulled it off. But Payton, in a ''5-10-second" tirade in the Sox dugout after manager Terry Francona called on him to be part of a double switch, received his wish, a ticket out of Boston. He hooked on with the Oakland, where he's helped the A's stay afloat in the playoff race.

Too bad, because the Red Sox could use Payton now. And they could have used him then.

The speedy outfielder was starter quality, but Payton, acquired from the Padres Dec. 20 for Dave Roberts, did not want to be used sparingly in an outfield of Trot Nixon, Johnny Damon, and Manny Ramirez.

The Red Sox replaced Payton with Gabe Kapler, a great team guy, but he ruptured his Achilles' tendon Wednesday and now the Sox have Adam Hyzdu as their fourth outfielder.

Was it worth it? To Payton, yes. What he wanted was a chance to play and improve his value for a future contract. He would have been happy had the Sox picked up a $4 million option for 2006, but, according to Payton, his agent informed him, after the fact, the Red Sox weren't interested in picking up the option or discussing a long-term deal. The A's haven't, either, but Payton figures with a good season and the chance to play for a playoff team, ''Jay Payton will be playing somewhere."

Payton (2 for 5 with an RBI), who was booed in his first plate appearance against Curt Schilling last night, said he made it clear from the moment he was traded to Boston that he didn't want to go. In the end, he executed a masterful escape.

He didn't do it the right way -- screaming at your manager in the heat of a ballgame -- but ''it had reached the boiling point." And so the words came out of his mouth in one short, powerful sound bite, and Francona told him to pack his bags.

Payton said yesterday he hoped to speak to Francona and Sox bench coach Brad Mills to clear the air.

''I'd love to speak to Terry and Brad because Brad was always the messenger, but I love those guys. I think they're great guys, Terry's a very good manager, and Brad does a good job with what he does.

''I don't think [the incident] was anywhere near what people made it out to be," said Payton. ''It was made out to be a huge argument between me and Terry. Obviously, I wasn't happy with the situation I was put in with a double switch. I kind of expressed that at that point in time. I expressed that I didn't want to be here. I told him I wanted to get out of here and it was maybe a 5-10-second exchange as far as me saying that and him saying get out of here. After the game, I was put on waivers. I have nothing personal against Terry. He just happened to be the guy in the position of manager and he's the one I had to vent my frustration to. That's basically all it was.

''I had bit my tongue and everybody was saying 'do it the right way' and ask for this and ask for that. I'd been doing it the right way for three months ever since I'd got here. I'd asked for a trade two months prior to that. I was still here and it didn't look as if there was anything on the horizon. Basically, I reached my boiling point."

It might have been all about the money, but players in Boston and Oakland say Payton is a good teammate. With Damon on the verge of free agency, the possibility Ramirez could be dealt in the offseason, and Nixon's recent injury history, why didn't the Red Sox try to work out a deal?

Simply put, the organization didn't believe Payton would be happy here.

''Obviously, I still wanted to play," said Payton. ''Part of playing is also having security for a job next year. The way it was going, I would possibly have been out there in limbo at the end of the season searching for a job. If they had picked up my option, it would have satisfied me from a business standpoint. It would have made it easier to finish out the season here."

Payton, acquired July 13 along with cash considerations, is batting .277 with 13 homers and 39 RBIs in 54 games with the A's. He hit .263 with 5 homers and 21 RBIs in 55 games for the Sox. He hasn't committed an error in 107 games. He's played 33 games in left field and 21 in center for the A's.

''I couldn't be happier now," Payton said. ''I just wanted to go someplace to compete. If I played well, I'd have an opportunity to play more, and so far things have worked out pretty good here. Things worked out well." Payton said the Red Sox treated him well and did their best to play him. But both parties knew it wasn't enough and as Francona indicated yesterday, Payton was not going to handle the situation well.

''That's why I expressed to them at the time of the trade that I didn't want to come here," said Payton. ''They still traded for me but it didn't work out. They treated me good while I was here and they did the best they could as far as finding me playing time. I have no regrets. It's part of the game. It's a business that I got put in a situation for a few months that I didn't want to be in. Fortunately, I got out of it and things are working out fine now."

Klinger would have been proud.