Bay having a field day

Deadline deal working thus far

Since joining the Red Sox - and a pennant race - Jason Bay has batted .423 and scored a major league-leading 10 runs. (Ed Zurga/Associated Press)

CHICAGO - Six games in, it's more relaxed. More convivial. And there's no question there's been more winning, for the Red Sox and for Jason Bay.

With the Sox having won five of the last six games, due in no small part to Bay, acquired in the Manny Ramírez deal at the trade deadline, it's hard to find anyone who isn't ecstatic about the addition. Though it will take time for Bay to become fully integrated to this team, he's doing his best to accelerate the process.

"I think he's got a really good understanding of trying to be himself, not be somebody else," manager Terry Francona said. "He's reacted real well. If a guy gets off to a good start, everybody's going to say he handled it. If they get off to a slow start, that's just the way the game is. You can't predict hot and cold streaks. I'm glad he got some hits when he first got here because I'm sure it helped him relax. You just want your guys to play the best they can.

"I told him I was going to give you the prerequisite speech. 'Don't try too hard, knowing that you're going to probably try too hard.' He laughed. 'I have an obligation as a manager to tell you that. I know you want to do good. That's human nature.' "

But, trying too hard or not, Bay is hitting. He said the unfamiliarity was a bigger obstacle to him than the pressure, but it seems he's worked through that. Especially jumping into a pennant race.

"It's a long season, and you go out and play baseball because that's what you do," said Bay. "When it's been that way for the last few years - and through no fault of trying - it just didn't work out all that well. It does make it a little longer than normal. But that's part of baseball. Not everyone can be a part of this atmosphere all the time."

Bay has hit safely in each of his six games with the Red Sox, going 11 for 26 (.423), and he leads the majors with 10 runs in August. The last time a midseason pickup began his Sox career with a hitting streak as long was in 1952, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, when the Sox obtained future Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell. Kell hit in 10 straight games to begin his Sox career.

"You never know what [Bay] can be on a stage [like this]," Sean Casey said. "It rejuvenates you. You're in Pittsburgh in May, you're out of it, playing for your stats. You're not playing to win, playing to finish off the year. I've been there. It's a nightmare. I know for him, when I got traded from Pittsburgh to Detroit, every game mattered. August and September. It brings you to another level."

Inside knowledge
While the prognosticators were predicting greatness for the Tigers and Indians this season, Alex Cora touted the White Sox. He may have been biased - his brother, Joey, serves as Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen's bench coach - but he wasn't wrong.

"I had a feeling, talking to my brother," Cora said. "I had a feeling they had a good team. Their defense got better, they knew that the second baseman [Alexei Ramirez], he was a special kid, and their pitching was all right and they added a few arms in the bullpen. It seems like they went back to what they did a few years ago with pitching and defense."

Plus, there was the recent addition of Ken Griffey Jr.

"They know what they're getting," Cora said. "Obviously, it's not the Junior of Seattle, but he's still a dangerous hitter. Putting him in a situation like the one they're in, you never know. They know what they're doing over there, mixing and matching, giving everybody a shot to produce."

Two picks signed
With the Aug. 15 deadline to sign draft picks approaching, the Sox inked two more, including sixth-round choice Ryan Lavarnway. The Yale catcher got a $325,000 signing bonus and was assigned to Single A Lowell. He hit .398 with 13 home runs, 42 RBIs, 29 walks, an .824 slugging percentage, and .541 on-base percentage during his junior year, being named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench and Golden Spikes awards. He was also a National Player of the Year candidate. The Sox also signed their 36th-round pick, lefthanded pitcher Richard Wasielewski, out of Brunswick High School in Georgia. He was assigned to the Gulf Coast League. Three of the Sox' picks from the first 14 rounds are still unsigned: outfielder Peter Hissey (fourth round), outfielder Ryan Westmoreland (fifth), and righthander Tyler Wilson (13th) . . . Reliever Chris Smith was optioned to Pawtucket after Wednesday night's win over the Royals to make room for David Aardsma's return from the disabled list . . . Jon Lester, who is scheduled to start tonight, has won his last seven decisions. That's the longest winning streak for a Sox lefthander since Bruce Hurst won seven straight from July 24-Aug. 28, 1988.