« Sox call up Ellsbury | Main | Sox out to a Texas-size lead »

Lineups at Fenway

You'll note that Jacoby Ellsbury is making his major league debut tonight. Coco Crisp's sore left thumb is sprained and will need 3-5 days to recuperate so the Sox felt the need for Ellsbury to get his feet wet in the major leagues.

The Sox also placed Joel Pineiro on the disabled list. The Sox reliever was less than enthusiastic about the move.

There's no timetable on how long Ellsbury will stay with the team, but members of the Sox organization anticipate that Ellsbury will go back to Pawtucket at some point and then return in September.

With the Red Sox lineup not exactly clicking pitching and run prevention have become major issues again and Ellsbury will give the Sox good defense in center.

I asked one Sox executive who's faster, Ellsbury or Crisp? evidently it's pretty close. I was told that Double-A pitching prospect Clay Buchholz is faster than both of them.

You'll also note that Julio Lugo is spending another day working on his hitting behind the scenes and not on the stage at Fenway.

Matt Clement, who underwent major shoulder surgery last summer, threw in the bullpen at about 70 percent according to manager Terry Francona, which was pretty impressive.

Here are the lineups:

Boston:

2B-Dustin Pedroia
1B Kevin Youklis
DH-David Ortiz
LF Manny Ramirez
RF J.D. Drew
3B Mike Lowell
C Jason Varitek
SS Alex Cora
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
SP Josh Beckett

Texas:
CF Kenny Lofton
2B Jerry Hairston
SS Michael Young
DH Sammy Sosa
LF Frank Catalanotto
RF Marlon Byrd
C Gerald Laird
3B Ramon Vazquez
SP Robinson Tejeda