Savoring experience

Craig Hansen, the 6-foot-5-inch flamethrower who was recalled Tuesday to join the Red Sox in New York, is headed back to Pawtucket. About a half-hour after last night's 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers, in which Hansen came on in relief of starter Tim Wakefield to begin the eighth inning, and allowed two hits and was charged with the tying run, manager Terry Francona told Hansen he was returning to Triple A.

But there seemed a bright side to the situation. Francona said he expected Hansen to get enough relief experience with the PawSox to be able to come back this season and help the big club. And despite his two-thirds of an inning last night not going the way he would like, Hansen said he felt strong in his first major league appearance since Oct. 1.

In the eighth, Gary Matthews reached on an infield single to shortstop off Hansen and Michael Young singled through the second base hole. Matthews later scored the tying run off Jonathan Papelbon.

``I was just happy that they put me in a situation like that knowing they had the confidence in me, especially in a tight game like that with us half a game behind the Yankees," said Hansen. ``I was excited about it. I was really psyched to get that second out. I wish I could have gotten the third one."

Hansen felt the pitches he made were, for the most part, good ones.

``I felt good out there," said the 22-year-old. ``I felt strong. I threw one changeup, one slider. I felt like everything was working good."

Prior to last night, the last time Hansen was in the Sox clubhouse he lugged around a pink backpack full of candy -- a rookie tradition. No one knew much about Hansen then, except that he was a fireballing New Yorker fresh out of St. John's University, from which he became a first-round draft pick, the first player in club history to make it to the majors in his draft year.

He made his debut Sept. 19 against Tampa Bay and made three additional appearances, posting a 6.00 ERA. This year in Triple A Pawtucket, he is 0-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 23 2/3 innings.

Francona said he did not pull Hansen last night because of the hits he allowed, or that they entered into the team's decision to send him back to Pawtucket.

``I really didn't wrestle with putting [Hansen] in," the manager said. ``He got a first-pitch ground out and a base hit through the hole. I thought he was OK. Under different circumstances we would have left him in and let him get out of it, but with Pap down there, I just thought that was the right thing to do.

``He's done his development stint. He's extended and thrown all his pitches. Now we're going to let him go back to the bullpen and get ready to come back and help us. I think we all feel, especially player development people because they've seen him so much, he's really close to being able to come up and give us a big help."

Asked about the revolving door of the big club, and the fact he'll be used out of the Pawtucket bullpen rather than starting, as he had been doing all season in an attempt to build up arm strength, Hansen said: ``I don't expect anything. I have no expectations. I just go about it day by day. I hope to be back. I hope to help the team as much as I can."

One year out of college has meant a world of growth, said the righthander, who started his career with a lively fastball, but without a pitch to complement it. A year of experience has helped him develop a changeup he believes in.

``It helped me out a lot to come up here as a call-up last September. Just to be with the veterans and talking with them," said Hansen. ``Down in the minors I developed a changeup and it's one of the pitches that should help me out. You need pitches you're able to throw on 3-0 and 3-1 situations. That's important and I definitely think I'm ready."

But aside from specific pitches, Hansen says the year between the major league club and the minors has helped him develop in other ways.

``Coming up last year and then taking that experience into this year has really helped my pitchability," he said. ``I'm working on seeing hitters, and going after different hitters with different approaches. I'm working on my overall game, trying to learn it all."

Hansen was pitching with the PawSox in Indianapolis Tuesday when he got the call to catch a plane for New York. That night he was in uniform in the Sox dugout as they took on the Yankees. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Sox optioned Jermaine Van Buren to Pawtucket.

Hansen's arrival had been largely overshadowed by the appearance on the roster of another promising pitcher, 22-year-old lefthander Jon Lester, who is scheduled to make his big league debut this afternoon against the Rangers.