With Daisuke Matsuzaka scheduled to make a minor league start tomorrow for the Salem Red Sox, the plan is to have him throw as many as 100 pitches to get reacquainted with pitching deep into games.

On Day 4 of his off-day schedule, the Sox righthander tossed a side session earlier this afternoon in right field at Fenway. Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Matsuzaka would fly down to join Salem’s Class High-A team in North Carolina for a game against the Winston-Salem Dash.

“Then, we’ll figure out where to fit him in the rest of the way out,” Francona said. “Try to get him pretty deep into the game tomorrow, maybe throw 90, 100 [pitches] just to get him back into that setting.”

Matsuzaka made his last start for the Sox on June 19 and went to the disabled list shortly after with shoulder fatigue.
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The word Francona used to describe the way the Sox will use Jed Lowrie now that the 25-year-old shortstop is back up with the big-league club was “selectively.”

After having surgery on his wrist in April, and then having it continually nag him throughout the year, Lowrie was ultimately limited to just 19 major league games. He played 26 games in the minors trying to recover. Francona said Lowrie would likely be on more of a strengthening program while he was in Boston.

“We think he’s a good player,” Francona said. “It’s been kind of a crazy year for him."
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The Sox still don’t have a firm plan for knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Francona said he intended to talk to team doctor Tom Gill later today, likely just before the game, about Wakefield, who was dealing with a nerve issues in his lower back that have also affected his calf.

Francona had tentatively scheduled Wakefield to start Sept. 19 when the Sox travel to Baltimore, saying that the pitcher would be re-assessed today.

“I don’t know if we can come up with an answer today,” Francona said. “I don’t think it’s there.”
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Casey Kotchman is in the starting lineup for the first time since Aug. 26, when he went 0-for-3 against the White Sox.

“Trying to get Kotch four at-bats, because he’s the guy we use with the game on the line for [Alex Gonzalez] or whatever," said Francona. "He needs some at-bats so he’s not so jumpy. Kotch is going to help us win games in his capacity. But it’s harder for him if he doesn’t play some games sometimes.”