Okajima remains in adjustment period

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff  |  June 5, 2007

OAKLAND, Calif. -- For Hideki Okajima, it's as if every hitter is Alex Rodriguez. Or Vladimir Guerrero. Or Justin Morneau.

"When I'm facing all the batters, if it's a lefthanded batter, I see him just as a generic lefthanded batter," Okajima said, through translator Sachiyo Sekiguchi. "If it's a righthanded batter, then that's how I see it. Not specifically based on the statistics or the information I'm given.

"When I'm facing them, I consider every batter as the power hitter, as the best hitter of their lineup. Of course it makes me tired, too. So I'm really always, always tense in terms of mentality and psychologically. But I want to be careful."

It's not just the mental fatigue, though. With the consecutive game days stretching much longer than they did in Japan and the lengthier road trips -- in Japan, the longest trips might not be more than two or three hours -- Okajima's body (and left arm) hasn't been feeling quite as rested. Even though he doesn't throw nearly as much as he did in Japan.

"I believe that everybody is tired around this time," Okajima said. "I'm not overly tired. It's new to me to play 10 games in a row. In Japan, we usually get one day off a week, so it's a drastic difference that I'm trying to still adjust. New year, new team, new routine for me."

It won't always be that way. He'll get used to the travel, as much as any player can. He'll get used to the batters, enabling him to carve a more specific repertoire, enabling him to find a method that's not quite so tiresome mentally.

Until then, they're all sluggers. And if he happens to make a mistake to one of those sluggers, he's more than ready to take responsibility.

One day after getting his first win in the major leagues Saturday, Okajima had his first blown save, giving up a run Sunday on a single by Hideki Matsui and triple by Robinson Cano in the eighth inning. Still, his performance -- 1-0, 1.27 ERA, 28 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings -- has been instrumental in the team's fast start.

"I gave them really bad pitches," Okajima said. "That was on me. Not on them."

Even with his 1.26 ERA in six rehab starts with Pawtucket, there were strong indications that Jon Lester would not be called up this weekend to pitch in Arizona, replacing last night's starter, Julian Tavarez. He will likely get at least one more start with the PawSox.

Yesterday, he threw a seven-inning complete game (as part of a doubleheader) for Pawtucket, giving up one run on four hits and one walk, striking out one. The run came on a sixth-inning solo home run. Lester threw 87 pitches, the most he has thrown in a rehab start as he attempts to come back from anaplastic large cell lymphoma and an episode of forearm cramping.

"Good one," manager Terry Francona said. "He texted me back, said he felt real good, did real well."

Mike Timlin also pitched for Pawtucket yesterday, starting the second game and throwing 21 pitches over two innings. He did not allow a run.

Because of some communication difficulties with general manager Theo Epstein, Francona said, the next steps for both Lester and Timlin hadn't officially been determined. Timlin was scheduled to throw another inning tomorrow, but that might be changed with the PawSox having been rained out Sunday.

Francona once again acknowledged that Timlin has been frustrated with the process of returning to the Red Sox.

Don't be surprised if the lineups look about as odd as last night's for the remainder of the trip. With the travel schedule, including a cross-country trip after an ESPN night game, Francona inserted backups Alex Cora, Doug Mirabelli, and Eric Hinske into the lineup last night. More players figure to be rested as the trip moves along, and as the Red Sox face their first road series in a National League park in Arizona this weekend, their first series without a designated hitter. "The schedule the way it is, and interleague play, we're not going to be able to field our nine guys much of this trip," Francona said. "And that's just a fact. We can't get around it. It's sort of disappointing. We're probably going to have to sit Manny [Ramírez] on a day when he's a really good matchup against some pitcher."

Two of the majors' top four hitters since May 1 are Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. Pedroia went into last night at .443 (35 for 79) and Youkilis at .392 (47 for 120) . . . Tonight's pitcher for Oakland is Lenny DiNardo, who was scooped up in spring training. The Sox tried to get him through waivers to open a spot for J.D. Drew when the right fielder signed . . . Coco Crisp was a last-minute scratch with an upset stomach and Wily Mo Peña took his spot in center, though Crisp was able to pinch run in the ninth and scored the tying run from first on Peña's hit-and-run single to right-center.