They're in a whole new league facing Mets

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff  |  May 22, 2009

Instead of Johan Santana venturing in with the Mets today, his first trip to Fenway Park as a member of the National League, he could have been there a lot more. Though the Red Sox backed off a trade for Santana in the winter of 2007, preferring to keep their young pitchers, there were moments when it seemed as if the trade would become reality.

Tonight's game is more than just a reunion between former Twins teammates Santana and David Ortiz, it's the start of interleague play, something not always anticipated with happiness around the Sox manager's office.

"We're certainly more comfortable at home because we can use a DH," manager Terry Francona said. "We have our pitchers out there today hitting. It's not the prettiest sight in the world. We're not prepared for that, so we're at a disadvantage. So home's better. Again, it doesn't guarantee you'll win, but we're not at a disadvantage."

The Sox are 116-95 all time in interleague play, with a 65-42 record at home against the NL and a 51-53 record on the road.

Even though the Mets have lost their last four games, Santana can turn that around instantly. He is 5-2 with a 1.36 ERA this season.

"You don't want to deal with nasty [stuff] like that too much," Ortiz said.

"Life in the American League is not any easier because Tampa, Toronto, the Yankees" are still in the AL, Francona said. "If Santana were here, it would be worse. They can take all of the Santanas and let them go to the National League. I know we're going to get our shot at him, or his shot at us, and he's one of the very best there is. But once is better than five. He's good. He's always been good, and he'll probably continue to be good."

Ortiz ended his homerless streak with a blast Wednesday night, but he wasn't interested in describing his method for snapping the slump yesterday. "Secret Service kind of stuff," he said with a wink.

"See the ball and hit it. Gotta keep it simple. I've been hearing so many different things. Nothing worked, so I tried to keep it simple."

"It's been a work in progress, obviously," Francona said. "I think the biggest thing with any hitter is if you can get the feet not to run away, start being quick. I've seen [Jason Varitek] do it. Then all of a sudden your head starts moving. Then there's a time when you're leaning over. If you can slow everything down and let the ball come to you and not go get it, that's maybe a simplified version. You want to have bat speed without trying to have to generate it.

"He was getting bent over. You could see him trying so hard to swing hard and not get bat speed. It happened in his second at-bat [Wednesday]. He was looking fastball, they throw him a breaking ball, and there was nothing there. All of a sudden next time up, next couple times, he hits the ball a long way. It's hard. If you could push a button, we'd do it."

Interleague play might bring another benefit for Ortiz. Though the Sox don't play in an NL park until mid-June, when the team heads to Philadelphia, Ortiz said being in the field might help his hitting a bit.

"I just let things happen," he said. "When I am DHing, I've got no choice. I just think about hitting. Sometimes when you're playing defense and you make a good play, it doesn't matter if you're 0-for-whatever. You might save the game at one point."

Dustin Pedroia demonstrated his baseball IQ again last night, deking Aaron Hill at second base as he slid into the bag for a double in the third inning. Pedroia pulled his right hand and arm away from Hill as he tried to tag the Sox second baseman, and reached around to touch the bag with his left hand. The move was fruitful, as Pedroia scored when Kevin Youkilis singled to center. "I think he has a good feel for playing the game. The fact that he's 5-2 probably helps. He can disappear a little bit," Francona joked. "No, he has a very instinctual feel. It's happened before." . . . Francoina told reliever Hunter Jones he would be sent to Triple A Pawtucket today to make room for Daisuke Matsuzaka. The lefthander had an 8.00 ERA in eight appearances covering nine innings. Jones was used mostly in mop-up duty. "I think I've still got more in the tank," he said. "My delivery's been progressively declining. I've got to get back over the rubber and hopefully I'll be throwing harder than I was toward the end of my stint up here." . . . Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a double to lead off the game . . . In his second outing with Pawtucket, reliever Javier Lopez allowed four earned runs on four hits and five walks in two-thirds of an inning in the PawSox' 14-1 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre . . . Mark Kotsay will begin his rehab today with Pawtucket, playing in the outfield. He'll either play first base or the outfield tomorrow, then will take Sunday off. The plan is for Kotsay to travel to Louisville Sunday afternoon, then play Monday and Tuesday there. He will get Wednesday off, then will play Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the Red Sox reevaluate his progress . . . Hitting coach Dave Magadan was not at the park because his son graduated from Tuscaloosa Academy in Alabama. Alex Ochoa assumed his responsibilities . . . John Smoltz, making his first rehab start since extended spring training, allowed one hit in three scoreless innings for Single A Greenville in Augusta, Ga. Smoltz threw 29 pitches, struck out two, and walked none. "I accomplished everything I really wanted to accomplish," he said. Smoltz said his next start is scheduled for Tuesday at Double A Portland, "but that could change tomorrow," he said. "It has literally been day to day."

Globe correspondent Matt Middleton contributed to this report.