 |
It's not the usual pattern when there's no official workout, but Josh Beckett does some throwing. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff) |
Red Sox notebook
Colon to miss start
He has pain in right oblique
After starting the season with more promise than even many in the Red Sox organization had hoped, Bartolo Colon was placed on the seven-day minor league disabled list yesterday, retroactive to Friday. He will miss at least his next start for Pawtucket with right oblique pain.
Colon will be brought to Boston today to be examined by the team medical staff, which will determine the next step. While Colon has struggled with injuries to his shoulder and elbow over the past two seasons, the oblique injury is expected to be a minor one.
"I think it's more with those types of things, we don't want it to turn into something," manager Terry Francona said. "There was not a lot of complaining on his side of this. I think it was more the trainers and the medical people in Pawtucket saying, 'Look, he has this, let's stop it.'
"I don't think this is something you want to deal with for 28, 30 starts if you can put an end to it now."
Colon threw 74 pitches in his debut for the PawSox Thursday, pitching five scoreless innings. He struck out five and allowed one hit and one walk. Colon got up to 96 miles per hour on the radar gun, and drew praise from those who watched him.
Because he started the season late, after signing midway through spring training and beginning his throwing program later than most starters, Colon has been brought along slowly. He was supposed to get up to 85 pitches, then 100, in his next two outings for Pawtucket, but that has been put on hold.
Surprise party
Sox chairman Tom Werner would only hint at some of the surprises planned for this afternoon's opening ceremonies, which start an hour before the game. He wouldn't reveal some of the special guests, but he said "everyone will get goose bumps" when they see the person selected to throw out the first pitch. There will also be a surprise "God Bless America" singer, in addition to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which will play throughout the ceremony.The design of the rings hasn't been displayed, but Werner said they would have a different look than they did in 2004. And for those players who were a part of both championships, their rings will have a design that acknowledges both wins.
"I'm excited," Dustin Pedroia said. "I don't know what it's going to be like. I was talking to a couple guys about it yesterday on the plane. They said it's going to be an unbelievable experience. Not a lot of people get an opportunity to do that. It's going to be real fun."
Dr. Charles Steinberg, who left the Sox in the offseason for a job with the Dodgers, has been consulting on the introduction to the ceremony.
Timlin pitches in
On rehab assignment with Pawtucket, Mike Timlin started last night's game against Lehigh Valley at McCoy Stadium. He gave up two hits in his one inning, with one strikeout. He threw 18 pitches, 12 for strikes . . . Josh Beckett didn't have any pain in his lower back after pitching Sunday against the Blue Jays. Francona reported Beckett had some of the normal day-after stiffness, but nothing unusual . . . With lefty Kenny Rogers pitching for the Tigers today, Jacoby Ellsbury will take a seat. Coco Crisp will start in center . . . When Daisuke Matsuzaka gets to the mound today, it will be the third opener he has pitched this season, following the MLB opener in Tokyo and the Oakland home opener. After this game, the Red Sox will be done with openers until, perhaps, the playoffs.New-look Fenway
Werner pointed out some of the new features of Fenway Park, including 875 new seats in left field beneath the newMaterial from the Associated Press was used in this report.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
