Rain keeps pouring it on

NEW YORK -- Along with the injuries, the Manny Moments, and the save total next to Jonathan Papelbon's name, the doubleheaders continue to pile up for the Red Sox. Rained out yesterday in Gotham, shaving this four-game series to a three-game set ending tonight, the Sox, according to spokesman John Blake, are likely to make up the game as a doubleheader during the Sox' Sept. 15-17 visit to Yankee Stadium.

That would bring the Sox' doubleheader total to three: Saturday vs. Texas, Aug. 18 vs. the Yankees, and in mid-September, probably Sept. 16. The rainout also gave the starting rotation a day off and probably postpones the major league debut of top prospect Jon Lester.

All indications pointed toward Lester pitching the matinee of Saturday's doubleheader vs. the Rangers. Lester, who is pitching with Pawtucket, had his last start postponed, presumably to put him in line to pitch Saturday.

``When they moved me back I had it in the back of my mind that I might [pitch for the Sox Saturday]," Lester said last night. ``But they haven't told me one way or the other."

He agreed that with the rainout, it appears less likely the team will need him to pitch in Boston this weekend. Before last night's rainout, Curt Schilling was scheduled to pitch last night, Tim Wakefield tonight, Matt Clement tomorrow night, and Josh Beckett Saturday night, with Lester likely to pitch Saturday afternoon.

Now, Schilling will pitch tonight opposite Jaret Wright. Wakefield will face the Rangers at Fenway tomorrow night. Beckett, as scheduled, will pitch Saturday's nightcap. That is all manager Terry Francona was willing to announce.

That leaves Clement in limbo. Clement said he didn't know when he would pitch, though Saturday afternoon seems like a logical time. David Pauley, who pitched well Tuesday night (6 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER), has earned himself another start. His scheduled day is Sunday.

``I think we'd like to see him make another start," Francona said. ``I'm not sure this is the best place for development, but I think it's somewhat good for him, just because of the way he handles things."

Craig Hansen, who has started his last four appearances with Pawtucket, probably won't pitch in the Red Sox rotation anytime soon.

``I don't think so," Francona said, when asked about the possibility. ``Some of it's going to depend on how we use our pitching. [It] is going to depend on weather, injuries, doubleheaders, and how we end up getting through the next couple days."

Hansen, though he has been starting, pitched only 15 2/3 innings in those four starts, averaging fewer than four innings.

``We'll communicate with him every day, how we think he's going to be used," Francona said.

That conversation could change day by day because the weather isn't expected to improve.

``I try like hell," Francona said, ``[but] I cannot figure out a way to stop the weather. I can't stop it."

And so he'll have to deal with doubleheaders, a brutal thing for contending teams. The only benefit is that as the Sox suffer through these doubleheaders, so, too, will the Yankees. And, it will make for condensed excitement. The Sox and Yankees will play five times in four days (Aug. 18-21) and probably will play four times in three days (Sept. 15-17).

The Sox and Yankees share three mutual offdays (July 27, Aug. 7, and Sept. 7), but Blake said it would be difficult to reschedule a game on one of those days, mainly because two of the offdays fall in the middle of Yankees road trips.

The likeliest makeup date is Saturday, Sept. 16. That weekend the Sox play at Fenway Sept. 15 at 7:05, Sept. 16 at 1:20, and Sept. 17 at 1:05. The Sept. 17 game, a Sunday, is a designated ESPN game, meaning the station can decide up until 16 days before the game to move it to 8:05 p.m., Blake said.

THE SOX I KNOW Bob Ryan profiles tonight's Red Sox starting pitcher, Curt Schilling, at www.boston.com/redsox/ryan.