Bay's knees no longer are a going concern

NEW YORK - There's the batting average, the ability to get to balls in the outfield, and the first-to-third jump on the base paths. But another way to know that Jason Bay's knees - which helped contribute to his downturn offensively in 2007 - are healthy is to check out his stolen base total. The number might be just three, at least since he joined the Red Sox, but that's in just three weeks. And he had only four in all of 2007.

"It was a tough time pushing off before, and just the fact that I am confident enough myself to go do that speaks volumes for the fact that I feel like I'm healthy," Bay said. "If I didn't have that strength or that push-off, I wouldn't be doing that.

"I go up there now and I feel like I have that, it's like that quickness, that first move, that first step. Which in stealing bases is everything."

Bay might not be Jacoby Ellsbury on the bases, but he already has 10 steals in 2008, and he's working on it. He was 21 of 22 in steals in 2005, had 11 more in 2006, then dropped to just four last season. But he's found that, once the stealing stops, it's hard to get it started again.

"It's definitely something that once you get away from it, then you get back out, then you kind of forget about it," Bay said. "I'm still not locked into it as much as I was a couple years ago.

"The other thing is I know my limitations. I'm not fast by any means, so I kind of pick and choose my spots."

When the steals are coming, as in 2005, it becomes second nature for Bay. He reaches first base and the first thing he thinks about is getting to second. When they're not, it's more about the situation.

So now that he's healthy enough to do it, he says, it's time to look at the pitcher and see what he can take. If the pitcher is slow to the plate or the first baseman isn't holding him on, it's time to go.

"I think he's a good base runner anyway, but if he's healthy, he's shown right off the bat he knows how to run the bases," manager Terry Francona said. "He knows when to run, he knows why not to run. He's been good. He's been impressive. It's been welcome."

Right angles

The Red Sox are hoping J.D. Drew's back improves by today; otherwise he could be headed for the disabled list. Francona did not rule out that possibility over the weekend. Drew has been on the shelf since injuring his back Aug. 17 while backing up Ellsbury on a play in the outfield. Drew was removed from that game and has not played since. He had an MRI in Toronto and could barely walk all weekend. The Sox wanted to wait until today to make a decision, hoping Drew would be ready for the Yankees. If Drew can't go, Jason Lane would be a possibility to be promoted from Pawtucket. Since being signed by the Sox, Lane has hit .192 with two home runs and five RBIs in six games with the PawSox. Jonathan Van Every, who already has been up in Boston, could be another in-house option. Van Every came off the DL (oblique) last week, then had a neck problem, but he's played in Pawtucket's last three games.

The doctor's office

Though David Aardsma and Julio Lugo were scheduled to get MRIs yesterday in Boston, neither did. Instead, Dr. Peter Asnis examined both players. Aardsma had X-rays on his strained right groin; they were negative. Aardsma and Lugo (left quadriceps) were cleared to resume their rehab with coordinator Scott Waugh in Boston . . . Mike Lowell will rejoin the team in New York today. He worked out in Miami with a trainer while the Sox were in Baltimore and Toronto, partially because Fenway Park was hosting the Neil Diamond concert . . . The Sox did not make a roster move to allow Tim Wakefield, today's starter, to come off the disabled list. There will be a move today . . . With Sunday's 6-5 win in Toronto, the Sox ended their 16-game losing streak in one-run games on the road . . . The Sox are 282-482-4 all-time at Yankee Stadium in the regular season. They were the opponent in the first game there - a New York win, 4-1, April 18, 1923.