News
Ellsbury headed to Pawtucket
Red Sox outfielder will play for Triple-A on Saturday, Sunday
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
07/30/10 8:17 PM ET
- Lowell in limbo as Deadline approaches
- Progress for Pedroia, Varitek
- Set to return, Drew scratched again
Ellsbury, who has played just nine games this season because of multiple complications with his left ribs, will play for Pawtucket on Saturday and Sunday. After that, the Sox will make a determination of what the next step is.
Clearly, however, Ellsbury -- who last played for the Sox on May 24 -- is finally nearing a return to action.
"Hopefully I don't need too many [Triple-A games], but it's just nice to get out there and start playing in some games," said Ellsbury, who worked out at Fenway Park on Friday. "I feel a lot better. I feel comfortable. I played nine innings [Thursday]. I felt all right today. I took batting practice. I'm ahead of the team's schedule right now, so that's good."
Ellsbury played three games for the Red Sox in the Gulf Coast League, including nine innings on Thursday. He is confident that his return to action won't be quickly derailed like his previous comeback, which lasted just three games.
"Yeah, I don't have the pain in my back -- that's the biggest thing," Ellsbury said. "Last time I was playing with a broken rib in addition to what caused everything -- I've talked about that before. When I go back out there, it's going to be safe for me to play. I won't aggravate anything."
Though Ellsbury expects there will be some lingering pain or discomfort at times, he no longer fears risking reinjury.
"From Day 1, my whole thing was as long as I'm not going to hurt it worse [it's fine to play]," Ellsbury said. "If I can go out there and not make it worse, I'll play with any discomfort I have. So that was from Day 1, and that was when I came back [last time], I was under the impression that's how it was going to be. As long as I know I'm not going to hurt it worse, I'm ready to go."
While several of Ellsbury's injured teammates -- including Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek -- have been with the team every step of the way during their recoveries, Ellsbury said that he wasn't trying to disconnect himself from the team by working out at the Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona for roughly a month.
"I think we've been on the same page for a while," said Ellsbury. "The team, myself, everybody. That's why they sent me to Arizona. That's why they sent me to Fort Myers. Everything's been in their hands. We've been on the same page for a while. I'm happy to start playing baseball. That's the biggest thing.
"The team and I, we're in a great relationship. I come here, we're all on the same page. That's the biggest thing. There's nothing [bad]. Just move forward now. I think that's where everybody is at. [I] just can't wait until I get back playing."
Lowell in limbo as Deadline approaches
BOSTON -- Mike Lowell was literally all dressed up on Friday with no place to play. The right-handed hitter, fresh off a torrid rehab assignment for Triple-A Pawtucket, went through all of his regular pregame activities before the start of a three-game series against the Tigers at Fenway Park.
But with the non-waiver Trade Deadline coming at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday and Lowell still not much of a fit on Boston's 25-man roster, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein spoke with Lowell and his representatives and agreed it made the most sense for all parties not to activate him for Friday's game against Detroit.
"There's possible movement," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "The Deadline is [Saturday]. It just seems to make sense to get through another day or two days and then do what we need to do."
There's still a chance that Lowell could be traded by the Deadline, but two of the teams interested in him -- the Tigers and Rangers -- went out and got alternative corner bats in Jhonny Peralta and Jorge Cantu.
Lowell couldn't have done much more to prove his worth to suitors on his rehab assignment, hitting .500 (11-for-22) with four homers and 10 RBIs over five games.
"It's not a really big deal to me," Lowell said of the imminent Trade Deadline. "I think I did everything I could have done in Pawtucket. If there's something out there, whether it's our team or another team, that they wanted to see more of, there's not any more left. What do they want me to do? Hit four home runs? I think that's a little unfair. So I leave it at that. There's nothing left for me to do."
The Red Sox simply aren't a fit. Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Beltre man the corner positions and David Ortiz has responded emphatically after a horrific April. Lowell got just 13 at-bats between June 3-22 before going on the disabled list with a right hip strain.
In some ways, the hot streak Lowell got on for Pawtucket only added to his frustration of not yet finding a home this season with more playing time -- be it the Red Sox or elsewhere.
"It's been terrible," Lowell said of his season. "I get four days to play, I did my job. It just answered the questions of what I've been saying all along. If I get consistent at-bats, I feel like I can produce. I definitely got really hot there. I can't produce at that rate, but I know I can still swing the bat. I think if anything that might add to the frustration. If I had gone 1-for-20, there might have been someone whispering in my ear, telling me, 'Maybe you're not capable of doing it.' But I never thought of it being in that situation. It still makes you want to play."
The Sox still owe Lowell roughly $4 million for the remaining two months of the season. By Saturday at 4 p.m, they have three options -- activate him, trade him or designate him for assignment.
He has been in touch with his agents, but not excessively.
"They tell me all the rumors, but I tell them I would rather not hear from them until they feel like it's something for real," Lowell said. "I would rather not be told. What, They made one phone call? Big deal. I think that's been going on since last offseason."
Progress for Pedroia, Varitek
BOSTON -- Just three days ago, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was somewhat discouraged after a meeting with Dr. Lewis Yocum in Anaheim. On Friday, he regained his enthusiasm. This, following a CT scan of his left foot.
"It went real well," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "It showed significant healing. Not healed, but good healing. More importantly, I think his exam went really well. So he's got the go-ahead to start ramping up the running again. He did about 10-12 90 feet [running drills], and the idea is just to kind of keep building. I think he took some ground balls, too. He felt good. So that was good news."
The Red Sox had Pedroia rest for three days following his meeting with Dr. Yocum. Before that, Pedroia might have been trying to push himself a bit too much.
"It seems to have helped," Francona said. "Again, it will be important to see how he bounces back, because the idea is certainly to build, not to let him run out there for a couple of days and have it hurt. He's going to have to be really honest, because if it hurts, he needs to back off. If it doesn't, they have no problem with him continuing to progress."
Once Pedroia's left navicular bone -- which was fractured at San Francisco on June 25 -- is completely healed, he could be back in Boston's batting order within days.
As for the other man with the foot fracture, catcher Jason Varitek also got good news from his CT scan. Varitek no longer has to use crutches and he can shed the walking boot on Saturday. He is probably a couple of weeks behind Pedroia, but he is starting to make steady progress. Varitek fractured his right foot on June 30.
"Significant healing," Francona said. "I think the way they said it was there was some callous building up over that line. He's off the crutches -- he'll be out of the boot [Saturday] and start doing the activities that he can tolerate. He's still, he's a bit away from playing, for sure, but both reports came back really good."
Set to return, Drew scratched again
BOSTON -- J.D. Drew was back in Boston's lineup Friday after missing the past two games with a left hamstring strain. And then he wasn't.
Drew felt he was well enough to play earlier in the day, but was scratched roughly 90 minutes before game time.
Jeremy Hermida replaced him in right field. Jed Lowrie moved up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, where Drew was originally slotted.
Drew was examined by the Angels' medical staff on Wednesday, and diagnosed with a mild hamstring strain.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
