Sox-Jays underway

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March 13, 2007

By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff

Greetings from Dunedin, home of the Blue Jays.

Kind of a funky day in that both manager Terry Francona and bench coach Brad Mills are not with the team, attending the funeral of former Phillies coach John Vukovich in New Jersey. The Sox are using Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson, pitching coach John Farrell and third base coach Demarlo Hale as a three-headed decision monster for the game.

Francona, Mills and Curt Schilling, who also attended the funeral, will return to City of Palms Park in Fort Myers where Schilling will pitch a simulated game (not open to the public) at 7:30 p.m. this evening.

The only big star on the trip is Manny Ramirez, who is DHing against Jays starter A.J. Burnett.

Former Blue Jay Eric Hinske doubled to right-center in his first at-bat in the first inning.

In other news:

Mike Timlin has two more days of no throwing before he's re-evaluated and possibly could start throwing again by late in the week. Pitching coach John Farrell said Timlin is improving from a left oblique strain.

John Farrell was quite pleased with Craig Hansen's outing against the Yankees Monday night feeling he threw his slider very well. Farrell said that Hansen has made a minor mechanical change, toeing the rubber from the first-base side rather than the third base side which has given him more control.

Entering today's game, the Sox were hitting.326 in their last four games including 28 runs.

The Sox' starting rotation of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jonathan Papelbon, Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield and Josh Beckett have combined for a 2.92 ERA in regular games this spring.

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