Papelbon sets the ground rules for his return

Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon did not rule out pitching again this season, but made it clear he wouldn't do so unless the club was in contention for a postseason spot and he was completely healthy.

``I'm not rushing it," Papelbon said yesterday, the day after the Sox announced he had a ``transient subluxation" in his right shoulder, which means the ball of his shoulder slipped slightly out of the joint because of fatigue in the rotator cuff, the muscles around the joint.

`` If we get back in this race and the doctors and trainers and me, all together, feel I'm 100 percent, I'm going to come back," he said. ``But if one of us feels I'm 95 percent, I'm not coming back. I'm not coming back unless we all think I'm 100 percent."

Manager Terry Francona said any decision on whether Papelbon pitches again this season will be based on what is best for the rookie. ``If it's his best interest to pitch in a game, we would do it," Francona said. ``If it's not, we won't do it. Regardless of how desperate we would get to win games, the only way we would pitch him is if the medical people deem it's in his best interest."

Both Papelbon and Francona acknowledged that the injury could also affect the discussion of whether Papelbon will remain in the bullpen or join the starting rotation next season, a discussion the pitcher already planned to have after the season with Francona and general manager Theo Epstein.

``We talked about that as well," Papelbon said. ``That's going to be something we sit down and iron that out. I may be in the rotation next year, I may not be."

Part of that discussion will revolve around whether starting or relieving will be more stressful on his shoulder. ``That's what we're going to try to figure out, gain as much information as they can from the doctors who've seen me, people in the past, everybody else, try to figure out what would be best for me and my arm and kind of go from there," Papelbon said. ``I don't know, man. I kind of have mixed feelings. I love closing, but next year it could be [Curt ] Schilling, [Josh ] Beckett, me, and they say Les [Jon Lester] -- that might be optimistic -- and whoever else."

The Sox came into this season with Papelbon pencilled into the starting rotation -- an idea strongly endorsed by Schilling -- but that was predicated on having a healthy Keith Foulke to close, a proposition the Sox knew coming into training camp was shaky, given the condition of Foulke's knees and his poor performance last season.

The Sox hold a mutual option on Foulke's contract for next season, but so far this season, one in which Foulke has been plagued by knee and back problems and has pitched badly (2-1, 5.49 ERA in 34 appearances ), there has been little reason to believe that Foulke will regain the form that made him one of the game's elite closers in 2004. Foulke's sore back has kept him out of the last three games, Francona said.

``I think it depends on the individual," Francona said, when asked if starting or relieving would place greater stress on Papelbon's shoulder. ``Some guys can't relieve. Some guys can't start. Pap can do either, so it's going to be whichever one is best for him. "

Tim Wakefield threw a five-inning simulated game and predicted he could return next week in Baltimore, seven weeks after he went on the disabled list with what was called a stress fracture in his ribs.

``It's been a frustrating injury," said Wakefield, who is 7-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 19 starts . ``I've never really been hurt my whole career and to have an injury like this, that's kind of a weird injury, and thinking you'll be back in a month, and seven weeks later you're still trying to feel better. It's been a frustrating month and a half for me. I'm anxious to get back out there and help us stay in this thing and stay healthy going into the offseason.

``I'm trying to work on my mechanics, but I'm also trying to make sure everything feels OK. I threw five innings, threw 80 pitches. In warm-ups it took me a little bit longer than normal. I expected that, but once I got loose and got going, I felt pretty good."

With his 287th appearance on Tuesday, Mike Timlin moved ahead of Dick Radatz and into second place on the Sox' all-time list. Bob Stanley ranks first with 552 . . . Francona gave Kevin Youkilis the night off, which with today's offday will give Youkilis a two-day respite. ``I think he desperately needs two days off," said Francona, who started Eric Hinske at first in the 8-1 loss to the White Sox . ``His knee hurts, his shoulder hurts, everything hurts." Youkilis is 3 for 18 (.167) in his last five games.

Christopher L. Gasper of the Globe staff contributed to this report.