Hansen starting to hone his skills

Jonathan Papelbon, cast in the minors as a workhorse starting pitcher, leads the major leagues in saves with 14. Craig Hansen, the reliever billed last summer and this spring as the Red Sox' future closer, started a game in Pawtucket Monday, pitching four innings as he works on developing his slider and changeup. He allowed five hits but no runs, fanning four.

Is it possible that a role reversal could take place, that Papelbon could become a closer for life and Hansen, who can touch 98 miles per hour, a starter?

''Yeah," Curt Schilling said Wednesday. ''Amazing how it works out."

Papelbon is on board with the idea. Approached Wednesday and asked about starting vs. relieving, he said, ''Starting does not even enter my brain anymore. Hopefully, I'll be able to close for a long time. I could never start a game again in my life and I'd be happy."

Hansen could not be reached this week, despite multiple attempts. General manager Theo Epstein, meanwhile, will not commit to one role or the other for Hansen or Papelbon. For now, Epstein contends, Hansen is pitching three or four innings at a time as a means of helping him with ''pitch development, command, and 'pitchability.' "

''At Triple A, Craig will be used in a manner that is best for his long-term development," Epstein said in an e-mail. ''Currently, we have him in a structured relief role with extended outings. He responded well to his start. He may get some more starts not only to guarantee his innings but also because starting may be the best way to address some specific developmental goals."

Hansen, who worked exclusively from the stretch as a reliever, has begun pitching out of a full windup at times, and, Epstein said, ''has displayed good body control and mechanics."

Hansen's mechanics are an important component of this discussion, given that his short-arm motion could make starting difficult over the long term. During the Globe's poll of general managers and player personnel executives this spring, with the topic being Sox prospects, one team said of Hansen, ''We feel he's a dead bullpen guy because of the stress he puts on his delivery. For that reason he can't start."

Privately, the Sox concede that Hansen does not have a typical starter's delivery. However, the club also contends he has a motion better than what would fall under the classification of ''dead bullpen guy."

Schilling, for one, doesn't view Hansen's delivery as something that would rule out starting.

''There are guys who have horrible deliveries who start in the big leagues," he said. ''It's different for everybody."

Schilling, to make his point, on Wednesday motioned at a television in the Sox clubhouse showing a Dodgers game started by Brad Penny.

''The guy pitching for the Dodgers is the most stressful thrower in the big leagues, in my opinion," Schilling said.

Another issue would be Hansen's repertoire, and whether it's varied enough for him to pitch several times through the same lineup. He's always had a wicked fastball, with oomph and movement. Now he's working to reestablish the slider he threw so well in college, while adding a changeup.

''He has continued to show a dominant fastball, both in terms of velocity and life," Epstein said. ''His slider has been less consistent but is still at times a dominant strikeout pitch. He continues to work hard at the changeup, which is promising, although still a relatively new pitch for him.

''We're pleased with his development and look forward to him making an impact on our major league team in the future."

Maybe someday Hansen will start a game in Boston, then hand the ball over to Papelbon to save it. Unlikely? Maybe. Is it out of the question? No.

Adam Stern, unbeatable at the plate in the World Baseball Classic, has found playing every day to be quite an adjustment. Stern, who until late last month had not played daily since 2004 with Atlanta's Double A club, is batting .216 (19 for 88) with 7 doubles, 1 home run, and 6 RBIs in 22 games with Pawtucket.

''It's been good, obviously, playing every day, but it's been a while, and I've got to get used to the swings, the ups and downs," said Stern, 26. ''Some days are good, some are bad. I haven't really found my swing. I'll find something and lose it quick. Every day is a grind trying to figure it out.

''2004 was really the last time I was facing righties, lefties. You lose things a lot quicker. It takes a little bit of time to figure it out. Sometimes you feel lost. It's gotten better. Earlier in the season, pitches I used to crush, I was missing them. That's part of the process. It's a long season, but I'm not young anymore and I don't press. I'm not pressing at all. I'll swing my way into finding it."

Stern said he's playing approximately five days a week in center field, one day in left, and one day in right.

Stern, by the way, had high praise for Sox third baseman Mike Lowell.

''He's as good as you're going to find, from a rookie's standpoint," Stern said, referring to how Lowell treated him and the example he sets. ''He's a doubles machine, but I watch him on defense. That's more impressive to me. He makes plays look easy that aren't easy.

''I asked [Alex] Cora, 'How is Lowell always in position to get good hops?' I started watching him before a pitch is thrown. His setup is unbelievable, his feet are always moving. Every ball, he automatically puts himself in the best position. I'm glad he's doing what he's doing."

Cla Meredith, had he not been dealt to San Diego, still would be in Pawtucket, wondering when and if he'd get his next chance in the big leagues. But recently, with the Padres in Chicago, Woody Williams injured, and the club short on pitching, San Diego summoned Meredith. Last Saturday at Wrigley Field, he entered with San Diego trailing, 3-1, and pitched a scoreless eighth inning (1 hit, 1 strikeout, 9 pitches, 8 strikes). The Padres scored three in the ninth for Meredith, giving him his first major league win. He was returned to Triple A Wednesday but is expected back in San Diego before season's end . . . With J.T. Snow's time with the Sox likely nearing an end, Hee Seop Choi could find his way to Boston. The Korean-born first baseman, claimed off waivers in late March, is batting .273 (27 for 99) for the PawSox with three home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .430 on-base percentage in 30 games . . . Dustin Pedroia, who began the season late because of a shoulder strain, has yet to find his swing. In 26 games for the PawSox, he's batting .255 (25 for 98) with five doubles, a home run, and six RBIs. True to form, though, he has more walks (15) than strikeouts (14).