Wells making strides in rehab

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Any frustration was released on a bag of balls that felt the full force of a David Wells kick, its contents scattered over the McAfee Coliseum infield. Following an Alex Cora bouncer in the vicinity of the mound -- though the infielder already had sent one up the middle that came far closer to the big lefthander's body -- Wells's foot met the black bag just to his right.

``I was praying, `Don't hit him,' " Cora quipped after yesterday afternoon's simulated game. ``We have eight more days till the trading deadline. I don't want to get traded because I hit him."

Fortunately for Cora, he didn't. Fortunately, too, for Wells.

From all appearances, though, there shouldn't have been much frustration from Wells after an outing in which all of his pitches were sharp, though he lost a little bit of zip toward the end of the five-inning workout in the steamy heat.

``I thought he got a little tired, I thought he did well," manager Terry Francona said.

``The biggest thing will be to see how he bounces back [today]. I don't think there's any reason to think he won't bounce back, but that's obviously the next step, to see how he shows up [today]. Then we'll go from there."

If Wells reports to work today feeling good, the next course of action is expected to be a rehab start, followed by a return to the Red Sox rotation just in time to rescue his team from its shortage of starting pitching.

And, if he can pitch as he has in the past, and as Francona has indicated that he has thus far in his rehab, it will serve as a pretty good trading deadline deal for the Sox.

``He threw everything," said Cora, who with Gabe Kapler and 18th-round draft pick Lars Anderson (out of high school in Carmichael, Calif.), hit against Wells during the simulated game. ``He threw good. I think he's ready to go.

``We bunted, he looked good. He doesn't need to be a Gold Glover out there. He's just got to make sure he makes every play, ground ball to first, cover first. I think he'll be fine."

In addition to throwing out of the windup and fielding bunts, at one point early in the game, Kapler watched Wells throw out of the stretch. Except no one was on base.

Kapler called out to the pitcher, asking him what he was doing -- or, rather, what he was thinking. Wells explained that, in his mind, he was facing a situation with runners on base, forcing him to throw with the slide step.

That, Kapler said, indicated how Wells has been able to get through his lengthy rehab process.

``One of the things about David is he's ultracompetitive," Kapler said.

``Even in that. We talked a little bit during the whole interaction. Very focused and definitely wants to win, wants to compete."

And, as for that dead-on equipment kick? Just a 43-year-old getting ready to return to the rotation for, likely, his last major league go-round.

``He knows he's getting close," Cora said. ``Trying to make it as real as possible. That's part of that. I saw [the kick], I was the next one up. I was like, let me get off the plate. Just in case."