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The lineup explained

Print | Comments () Posted by Adam Kilgore, Globe Staff October 13, 2008 01:49 PM

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Terry Francona switched from Jed Lowrie to Alex Cora at shortstop today and stuck by the slumping Jacoby Ellsbury. There's no way that David Ortiz would be moved from the third slot, but he has not been the Ortiz of Octobers past, either. Francona addressed these topics during a session with local writers this afternoon.

Cora is in for Lowrie because, much like Game 2 in the ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels and Ervin Santana, Francona prefers Cora against power righthanded pitchers, which Tampa Bay starter Matt Garza certainly is.

"It seems like it's been more of a fit for Alex," Francona said. "I anticipate Jed being right back in there tomorrow [against Andy Sonnanstine]. Sometimes you have different ways of being a good team. Sometimes you don't. We always make sure Jed, when he goes out to take his grounders today, knows that he's not being punished."

Ellsbury is hitless in his last 17 at-bats, and he is 0 for 11 against the Rays in the ALCS. This might be a good game for Ellsbury to shed his slump -- he's 6 for 13 with a walk in his career against Garza. Even if Ellsbury did not have that history, Francona did not want to remove him from the leadoff spot in favor of Coco Crisp, who had three hits, two doubles, in Game 2.

"As long as I think we're a better team with [Ellsbury] hitting first, I'll do it," Francona said. "He had a tough game the other night. So did a couple other guys. But I don't know that because somebody had a tough game or two, you necessarily change the batting order. If there's a place in time where I think we're a better team doing something else, we would do. Last year, we played Coco, and then we didn't play Coco when I thought it was time to make a change. I don't know if moving a guy just because he hasn't got hits makes us better. When somebody has to hit there, then somebody has to take that guy's spot."

Ellsbury started the playoffs 6 for 14, blistering the Angels' pitching. Has Tampa Bay, Francona was asked, pitched Ellsbury differently than Los Angeles?

"No," Francona said. "They've executed better."

Ortiz is the other Red Sox player struggling at the top of the lineup. He is batting .217 in the playoffs without a homer. Ortiz, in fact, has not hit a home run in his last 13 games. He may try a shift in approach today. During the Red Sox optional workout yesterday, Ortiz focused on hitting the ball to the opposite field and using the Green Monster as an ally.

"I was proud of him yesterday," Francona said. "He came out yesterday and just peppered that Wall. I thought that was really an intelligent thing to do. When he has the ability to hit that Wall, he has the ability to hit the ball anywhere with power. And he came out and just beat the [manure] out of that wall."

(For Red Sox starters' numbers against Garza, scroll down to the lineup post.)

To watch video of Francona's pregame press conference, follow the "full entry" link below.