Grade A outings, now Triple A

CLEVELAND -- The plan called for Craig Hansen to begin the year at Double A Portland, pitch two or three innings at a time, reestablish confidence in his slider, mix in a changeup, and pitch into and out of jams. After 11 innings, a 1-0 record, a 0.82 ERA, and few jams to pitch out of, the Red Sox have elevated Hansen to Triple A Pawtucket, a place he's never pitched (he skipped a level last year while rapidly ascending to the big leagues).

''They kind of have this mapped out, and I don't think this is a real deviation from the plan," manager Terry Francona said, in reference to the program Sox management designed to ensure that Hansen, 22, learns to pitch, instead or relying on heat. ''They want to probably test him further with better hitters. I don't know that he got challenged a lot."

Hansen's slider, compared with that of Houston's Brad Lidge before last year's draft but unimpressive in September, has improved markedly, Sox executives say.

''A couple times, his last couple outings specifically, they saw that slider that everybody had been talking about," Francona said.

Hansen will continue to make multiple-inning appearances, beginning tonight in Pawtucket. He's scheduled to pitch two or three innings against Durham. With Portland, he made five appearances, pitching two innings four times and three innings Monday. He yielded his only run in his last outing. Before that, he'd gone 23 1/3 innings to begin his minor league career without conceding a run. That included 20 1/3 scoreless innings at Portland, a team record.

''I'm sure he could help us right now, but I would never say that to Theo [Epstein]," Francona said. ''We get him up here and [we'd likely] use him once every four days. This is the best thing for him."

Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace, physically devastated by a hip infection this winter, is scheduled to have his hip replaced June 1, Francona said.

''So far things are still a go," Francona said. ''He's hoping if everything [goes] well he could be walking without crutches by the All-Star break."

That's remarkably encouraging news, given that Wallace's mobility and health were severely compromised for much of February and March.

Wallace, though physically limited, has begun to reinvest himself in coaching. He recently watched top prospect Jon Lester throw a side session and attended Lester's Wednesday night start at Pawtucket.

''I think [that] is probably somewhat recuperative for him," Francona said. ''I love it that he can watch some of these guys. He's going to do that when he feels he's able."

Wallace's contract is up at season's end, and he was, as of last year, leaning toward moving into an off-field capacity after this season. However, when asked if Wallace's mind-set might have changed because of his time away, Francona said, ''Yes. Definitely. Definitely. I think he misses being in uniform."

The Sox and Devil Rays, who combined for 121 hit batsmen and six bench-clearing incidents between 2000 and 2005, meet up for three games beginning tonight. Sunday's game, the pick of the weekend, pits Curt Schilling against Scott Kazmir.

Earlier this month, Schilling said hostilities between the teams are a result of Kazmir ''hitting multiple batters every time he threw against us." Schilling said, ''We made it clear to them, for the most part, that we were only throwing at guys on their team because their young pitchers couldn't throw inside. Obviously, he's getting better and he's learning."

Kazmir, 22, responded by saying, ''It's his opinion. He wants to be heard."

Schilling yesterday said Kazmir misinterpreted what he'd said.

''He didn't get the gist of what I said," Schilling said. ''He got quotes."

Schilling has since made sure his comments were clarified for Kazmir.

''I made sure that what I was trying to say got across," Schilling said. ''It sounds like I was trying to indict him. In the same sense I was trying to explain why I've seen it happen the way it's happened since I've been here. He was the guy on the mound.

''I like him a lot. He's a good kid."

Will Kazmir be gunning for Schilling Sunday?

''I don't know," Schilling said. ''If he's worried about me, he's worried about the wrong thing. He's got to get our lineup out."

David Wells is scheduled for the third and final Synvisc injection in his right knee today. He's unlikely to begin throwing again until the Sox return home the beginning of next week. The team still doesn't have a good read on how Wells's knee will respond . . . David Riske who has pitched just once this season because of back spasms, is playing catch and should be throwing off a mound next week . . . Jonathan Papelbon has now had his mohawk cleaned up twice in a week (it was ''crooked," in his estimation). But he doesn't intend to shave it off. ''I'll keep it for a little while, see how it goes," he said. Said Francona: ''I think he might enjoy it a little more than he should." Would that haircut be against Yankee code? ''That might be against our code," Francona said, laughing, ''and we don't even have a code." . . . Mark Loretta went 0 for 4 and was hit by a pitch in last night's 15-3 loss. He's 4 for 28 (.143) on the trip. Since beginning the season 7 for 19, he's gone 14 for 72 (.194) . . . Kevin Youkilis is 0 for 8 with five strikeouts over the last two nights . . . David Ortiz went 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs, giving him 15 in his last 17 games . . . Wily Mo Peña, in his first start in center field, went 2 for 4 and played clean defense. In starts the last two nights he went 3 for 8 with a home run.

Gordon Edes of the Globe staff contributed to this report.