Red Sox notebook

Caught stealing? It remains a running gag

By Amalie Benjamin

Globe Staff / April 13, 2010

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MINNEAPOLIS — Although no team has stolen eight bases in a game against the Red Sox — it happened twice in 2009 — opponents still feel free to run on them. This time it’s Victor Martinez bearing the brunt instead of Jason Varitek.

The Twins stole three bases yesterday, two by Denard Span and another by Nick Punto. Opponents are 11 of 12 in stolen base attempts against Martinez, and 1 for 1 on Varitek.

“I still have to do a little better job on that,’’ Martinez said. “It’s all on me. The only thing that I can control is just get the ball and get it out there and make a good throw. Whatever happens after that happens.’’

A couple of Martinez’s throws yesterday sailed on him. Martinez said the most important part is improving his footwork. But countering the running game also has something to do with the pitchers.

“Our pitchers have actually done a pretty good job,’’ manager Terry Francona said. ‘Victor was high and to the arm side today with a couple throws. We didn’t throw anybody out today, but our pitchers’ times were better.’’

Martinez said the high throws are because, “I see a guy get a good jump, and I see him running, sometimes I am trying to get too quick. It’s not going to work like that.’’

Catching coach Gary Tuck said some of the time the catcher doesn’t have a chance, whether it’s on a breaking pitch or the jump is just too good.

“I’m just doing the best I can,’’ Martinez said. “Obviously I’m not getting the results that I want.’’

Ellsbury feeling better

When Adrian Beltre’s knee slammed into Jacoby Ellsbury’s chest Sunday, it looked as if the left fielder might be headed for the disabled list with a broken rib. But Ellsbury was optimistic he would be out only a few days, saying he might return for tomorrow’s game.

“I think we caught a break in that he got hit with a little bit of meat, as opposed to [in his ribs],’’ Francona said. “Still pretty sore when he bends over. But I think the hope would be just a couple days. We’ve got a day off [today], we’ll have to see. But he’s OK. Structurally sound, and we’ve just got to let him heal a little bit.’’

Ellsbury rested and got treatment yesterday. He said he was trying to stay away from painkillers to let the the trainers know his level of pain. Ellsbury was having difficulty rotating his body and reaching his arm up, and the injury has also affected his back.

“I feel pretty fortunate nothing was broken,’’ Ellsbury said. “With me coming in hard, him coming in, taking a knee, that’s probably the worst thing you could take. But I think he got me more in the chest, right on the chest, so I think [that] helped. If it was directly on the rib, I think I would have been a lot worse.’’

He meant the World

Standing on the field before yesterday’s first game at Target Field, former Twin David Ortiz reflected on the late Kirby Puckett, who died in 2006. Ortiz, who came up through the Twins system, said, “All I can remember, when you talk about World Series, is Kirby, man. That’s one of the things that first popped in my head, Kirby. Everything that he did, how great he was, and how good he was to all of us coming up, to young players. He was so cool to me, teach me so many things. It was hard to see him go, something that we weren’t expecting at all. It’s hard.’’ Ortiz, who wears No. 34 because of Puckett, said he thought about the outfielder as he drove to the ballpark, and how much he meant to the Twins organization. “I thought about him a lot today,’’ Ortiz said. “He is [here]. He is somewhere. Gotta be here somewhere.’’

Selig pacing himself

Bud Selig, in attendance yesterday, was not interested in commenting on last week’s statement by Joe West, who criticized the length of the Red Sox-Yankees games. “If there’s anything I have to say on that subject I will say it to all the parties,’’ Selig said. ‘What I have said to all of you and to our committee . . . it isn’t the time of the game, it’s the pace of the game. That’s the point. I’m talking to [Hank Aaron] about pace of the game and I said ‘Henry, tell me something: A guy is in the batter’s box: Ball one. Now he’s out of the batter’s box and he’s adjusting things. What the [heck], he didn’t swing.’ And Hank said to me ‘I never got out of the batter’s box.’ Joe Torre said the same thing. Once you were in the batter’s box you didn’t move. It’s the pace of the game that we’re looking at.’’ When told umpire Angel Hernandez did not grant time to a couple of players during the final game of the series, Selig said it would be discussed . . . Brad Horn from the Hall of Fame obtained the ball Marco Scutaro hit for a single, the first hit in Target Field history. The ball will be brought to Cooperstown . . . Ortiz said he got lost on the way to the new stadium and was headed for Minnetonka before making it to the park . . . J.D. Drew started after beginning Sunday’s game on the bench becuse of a stiff neck . . . There is still no progress on Jed Lowrie, who has been out for nearly a month with mononucleosis. “He’s doing what he can tolerate,’’ Francona said. “It seems like the next day he’s not bouncing back real well. That’s kind of where we’re at.’’

Nick Cafardo of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @amaliebenjamin.