Red Sox - Inside Pitch

The Big Schill is almost ready for the big comeback.

Curt Schilling is hoping that—after more than two months of shoulder strengthening and rehab work—he will begin a throwing program with the Red Sox in the next 7-10 days. The 41-year-old righty hasn’t thrown a ball since feeling shoulder and arm discomfort while working this winter, but also hasn’t felt any pain since taking a mid-February cortisone shot in his pitching arm.

“I’m closer to throwing. I don’t know. We’re getting close,” said Schilling. “I would argue that we’re close to throwing in the next week to 10 days probably. It’s a big day. I feel great. I feel strong. I feel everything I’m supposed to feel.”

Schilling has enjoyed watching a Sox starting rotation that has performed well over the first month of the season, and seemed particularly interested in the continued development of young hurlers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz.

Schilling’s possible role to play this season could very well be linked to the young hurlers on the Sox staff, who will—at some point this season—bump up against innings limits set in place by Boston’s player development staff.

Whatever Schilling’s role is, however, the bloody-socked Sox hero knows he’ll have to be effective to crack a starting rotation that’s put up a 3.82 team ERA thus far.

“I’m not just going to get the ball because I’m a starting pitcher. I’m going to have to be good,” said Schilling. “Last I looked, this rotation didn’t have a hole in it. There are a lot of different scenarios that might come about with an innings limit for guys—but I’ve got to come back and be good.

“I can’t just can’t get healthy and expect to come back and get a spot,” added Schilling. “That’s a challenge. If I didn’t believe, absolutely, that I would have the ball in a World Series game, I wouldn’t be doing this.”

Red Sox 7, Rays 3: Led by a Brandon Moss solo homer and a key, two-out Dustin Pedroia RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, the Sox exploded offensively and finally captured their first win of the season Friday against the pesky Rays. Clay Buchholz pitched in and out of trouble through his 5 1/3 innings of work, and allowed only a single run while collecting his second win of the season.

Notes, Quotes

• OF Coco Crisp is battling knee and hamstring soreness in his right leg and wasn’t healthy enough to crack Friday night’s starting lineup for the Sox. The 28-year-old outfielder has battled through a series of leg problems for the balance of the 2008 season, but had played in six out of seven games heading into Friday night’s game.

• RHP Bartolo Colon will not be making his first rehab appearance in Class AAA Pawtucket, but will instead pitch two innings in extended spring training on Monday against an Orioles team in Sarasota. Colon has been on the minor-league disabled list since April 6 with a right oblique strain, and is facing a recently-negotiated June 1 opt-out clause for his contract. Sox officials asked Colon to make the rehab appearance in Florida to avoid disrupting the PawSox pitching staff.

• OF Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the Sox lineup Friday night after missing three games with groin soreness. Sox Manager Terry Francona indicated before the game that the Sox took the injury as an opportunity to illustrate to Ellsbury the difference between playing hurt and playing injured. “It gives us a chance to talk to him and explain to him every game we play here is a big deal and that’s probably what’s different in the minor leagues, (that) they’re very protective, which they’re supposed to be,” Francona said. “We try to be protective but at the same time, we want guys to understand the responsibility that every game here is really a big deal.”

• OF Brandon Moss belted a home run and earned an assist after throwing a runner out at the plate on Friday night, making Moss the first rookie Sox outfielder to collect a home run and assist in the same game since former OF Trot Nixon turned the same trick in 1999. Moss has reached base safely in five of the six games he’s played this season and has amassed three runs and three RBIs during that span. “I think you can tell that we have no qualms about playing him,” said Sox Manager Terry Francona. “He does a good job, can hit a left-hander, can hit a fastball. Sometimes there’s not a place for a guy to play.”

• RHP Clay Buchholz improved his record to a perfect 4-0 at Fenway Park with a win in Boston on Friday night. The rookie right-hander has gone at least five innings in all five of his career starts at the Fens, and has put up a microscopic 1.39 ERA in 32 1/3 career innings at his home ballpark. It’s plainly apparent that the Sox hurler is the proud owner of a pair of plus-plus pitches in the changeup and curveball, and his big league apprenticeship is progressing nicely.

By The Numbers: 1,701—Total number of consecutive errorless defensive chances by 1B Kevin Youkilis, which broke the record for all defensive positions in the major leagues.

Quote To Note: “I just try to go out there and play the best that I can whenever they put me out there. I wish it were softball, but it’s not so we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, we all continue to play well and give them a tough decision on who to put out there on any given day.”—OF Coco Crisp, on his mind-set while playing the part of a fourth outfielder on the Sox this season.

Roster Report

Medical Watch:

OF J.D. Drew (tightness in left quadriceps) left the April 29 game. He didn’t play April 30 or May 1-2 but might return May 3.

OF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore groin) did not play May 1. He played on May 2 against the Rays.

1B Sean Casey (strained right hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 26.

RHP Curt Schilling (right shoulder) began experiencing discomfort during the offseason, and he opened the season on the 60-day disabled list as he undergoes a muscle-strengthening program. Schilling is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break, but may start throwing in mid-May.

INF Alex Cora (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10.