Cash has been counted on

Specialty catcher also provides pop

Tim Wakefield might have gotten a new catcher Wednesday - Jason Varitek subbed in the eighth inning because Kevin Cash was removed for a pinch hitter - but Cash usually catches the knuckleballer.

In spring training, the Red Sox cut Doug Mirabelli, who caught Wakefield for seven seasons. Cash was awarded the perhaps dubious opportunity of trying to wrangle the knuckler.

"Dougie catching Wake, it's hard to match that," manager Terry Francona said. "But there are so many other things that go past that that we thought that [Cash] did pretty well and is doing it well. He caught the string of games when [Varitek] went down [with illness]. He's swung the bat. So there were some things we thought he could do and he is doing it."

Cash has caught 16 games with Wakefield on the mound, including all 11 this season. And Wakefield's numbers are comparable with what the knuckleballer put up with Mirabelli last season: opponents' batting average (.247 in 2008 vs. .257 with Mirabelli last season), on-base percentage (.340 to .321), and slugging percentage (.414 to .417). Wakefield, though, is on pace to walk more batters and give up more home runs this season. And though he is 3-4, his ERA is virtually the same (4.70 this season vs. 4.76 in 2007). He won 17 games in 2007.

Though Wakefield said he tried to correct some mechanical difficulties before Wednesday's start - he went eight innings, allowing just a home run to Yuniesky Betancourt, but lost a 1-0 decision - Cash said those alterations are mostly completed without his input.

Mirabelli, on the other hand, was more involved.

"[Pitching coach] John [Farrell] and [Wakefield] have a pretty good relationship where, when there's some mechanical adjustments that need to be made, it's mainly between them," Cash said. "If I see something in the middle of a game, I'll mention it. But the biggest thing is him staying back. If he does that, he's generally pretty good."

Perhaps one of the bigger upgrades has been Cash's offense. He is hitting .302, with 16 hits in 53 at-bats. It's a sample size, of course, but that's what you get when you back up Varitek. Cash also has four doubles and five RBIs, with four runs.

This doesn't mean he's morphing into Manny Ramírez, but it is a significant upgrade over his .184 career average. Cash had just 14 doubles in parts of five seasons before this season.

"He worked a little bit in the winter with [hitting coach Dave Magadan]," Francona said. "He really wanted to and he did. Early success certainly helps, especially [for] bench players. You feel good about yourself and it can carry over a little bit.

"[Magadan] kept saying if he can carry this into a game, he's going to be fine. He realized the approach was pretty solid and he stayed with it. I'll tell you what, he doesn't swing at a lot of balls, will take a walk. He's done a good job offensively."

No word on Matsuzaka

Although the Red Sox have not made a decision on whether Daisuke Matsuzaka - who will undergo a shoulder MRI today - will pitch Monday, Wakefield yesterday was listed as the probable starter. He would be pitching on normal rest. The Sox could bring in Justin Masterson Tuesday, when he would also be on normal rest.

Delcarmen improving

Though the Red Sox were hoping they could rely on Manny Delcarmen to help out with the eighth-inning role, he did not start the season with the same lights-out offerings with which he finished the 2007 regular season. But the team thinks Delcarmen is getting back to that point. He has allowed two runs in his last 8 2/3 innings, lowering his ERA from 7.30 to 5.14. "Manny had struggles early, but he's given us some quality innings," Varitek said. "He's taken some steps, gotten his breaking ball more involved. He's got more confidence in it. Now that mistake he's made on his fastball, he's gotten away with it where he didn't before. And then he's been able to come back and make a quality pitch." . . . The Red Sox are 4-15 in games in which they have scored three runs or fewer this season . . . Ramírez's 500th home run is the biggest, but it isn't the only milestone approaching. J.D. Drew is three doubles shy of 200 for his career, and Mike Lowell needs two RBIs for 800. Sean Casey needs seven hits to reach 1,500.