Kotsay subject of trade talks

Back lands Drew on disabled list

NEW YORK - With J.D. Drew (lower back strain) taking a spot on the disabled list just before the first pitch, the Red Sox spent last night in talks with the Braves about another outfielder, Mark Kotsay.

Though a few media outlets reported that the deal was near completion - a claim the Red Sox denied - the Sox were still speaking with Atlanta regarding the center fielder late last night, according to a source close to the situation.

Kotsay, who has spent time on the disabled list with a bulging disk in his back this season, was not in the starting lineup last night for the Braves, though he did enter late as a pinch hitter. Kotsay is signed through this season, and has a limited no-trade clause.

As for Drew, he saw a spine specialist in New York yesterday morning after having an MRI in Toronto over the weekend. He also had X-rays.

Before Drew was placed on the DL, he said the stiffness was getting better, and that he believed he was headed in the right direction, but the team had to make the move so it could activate Tim Wakefield.

Drew's assignment is retroactive to Aug. 18. He came out of a game on the 17th after injuring himself backing up Jacoby Ellsbury in the field.

"I had a really good day last Thursday in Toronto, then I woke up the next morning, felt terrible," Drew said. "It's better, not as stiff moving around. I'm still getting a little guarding when I sit down, try to stand up and get into extension, things like that. Signs that we're going in the right direction, but maybe don't want to go out there and swing right yet and blow something up again.

"It's been really weird. That was some of the questions, the reasons we got the MRI, see why it's kind of lingering and hanging around versus going away. I [also] did it in Japan, stuck around for two or three days, then it was gone. This one's been kind of relentless for a little over a week."

In addition to putting Drew on the disabled list and activating Wakefield, the Sox also optioned pitcher Chris Smith to Pawtucket. Taking his place was Joe Thurston, who was purchased from Pawtucket. Bartolo Colon was placed on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Thurston on the 40-man roster, but since Colon has been on the DL since June 17, that was merely a formality.

Colon continued his rehab from a lower back strain with Pawtucket last night. He went three innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and one walk. He allowed all of the runs in the second inning, then struck out the side in the third. He threw 60 pitches, 37 for strikes. Colon also managed to add a throwing error into the mix.

Beckett good to go

Josh Beckett threw a side session yesterday, his first since coming down with tingling and numbness in his right arm before his last start (Aug. 17) against the Blue Jays. Beckett, who declined to speak with the media, was deemed good to go Friday, his next scheduled start.

"Beckett threw a side and did really well," said manager Terry Francona. "He threw 50 pitches, and he was strong, and he's ready to go Friday. I'm excited, and because he's excited, so are we."

Francona said the pitcher was free of the symptoms that had twice pushed back his start.

"We always check with everybody, but we're pretty comfortable that he's ready to go," Francona said. "He probably could've pitched the other day, but we always try to do things the right way, even when it's not easy to do."

Lowell plays ball

Mike Lowell returned to the team after spending the first portion of the trip in Miami with a physical therapist, working on coming back from his strained right oblique. Lowell, who went on the DL Aug. 13, spent yesterday working with trainer Mike Reinold, doing some medicine ball throws. He came out of the session feeling very optimistic. "My mind-set's a lot different than it was last week," he said. Francona said that if everything goes according to plan, Lowell could start hitting off a tee today. "I'm kind of pushing to play, but we'll see," Lowell said. "I really don't want to come back, take one really violent swing, and backtrack." As for whether he might need a minor league rehab stint, Lowell said, "Not really. I think I was hitting .200 before for a while, so I figure it could get better." Lowell has continued to have trouble with his hip, which has been bothering him since the end of June, throughout the rehab process. "I think it's something that I'll be able to play through the season with, and then we'll reevaluate in the offseason," he said. "I thought the time off would really make it better, and I'm not sure we've done that."

Getting the edge

With last night's 7-3 win, the Red Sox are now 7-6 against the Yankees this season. The Sox' 5-through-9 hitters were 10 for 23 last night, with one walk, five RBIs, and one sacrifice fly. Each of the seven runs was scored by a different player . . . Kevin Youkilis has reached base in his last 35 games, and is hitting .331 over that span with 25 runs, 10 doubles, 10 home runs, and 33 RBIs . . . Jason Bay had his ninth multihit game (out of 22) with the Red Sox . . . Dustin Pedroia's eighth-inning error snapped a 61-game errorless streak.

Bailey gets the nod

Sean Casey said his neck was a lot better yesterday, and that he was ready to play. Even so, Francona elected to use the righthanded Jeff Bailey at first base instead of the lefty Casey, who was hitting .421 (8 for 19) against Andy Pettitte. Francona said his decision had to do with the fact that Casey hadn't picked up a bat since he suffered the injury Thursday. "It was definitely not a lot of fun," Casey said. "I felt like I was tilted to the left, like I didn't have my V8 or something." . . . Carl Yastrzemski was released from Massachusetts General Hospital yesterday, after having triple-bypass surgery last week . . . According to an Associated Press report, the Sarasota County commissioners voted unanimously to spend $4.8 million to purchase 1.2 acres of land south of downtown Sarasota, on which they would build a 10,000-seat stadium. Sarasota is trying to get the Red Sox to leave Fort Myers . . . Bailey was named the International League MVP, and Charlie Zink took Pitcher of the Year honors.