some other quick notes....
BOSTON: Manager Terry Francona said 1B Doug Mientkiewicz is day-to-day after straining his left shoulder sliding into second base on Wednesday night. ... C Jason Varitek served the fourth and final game of a suspension stemming from a fight July 24 against the New York Yankees.
NEW YORK: Manager Joe Torre said he's not trying to anger Yankees owner George Steinbrenner by starting Kenny Lofton in RF on Thursday. Steinbrenner didn't like it when Torre started Lofton in RF on Aug. 9. Lofton, who the was making his first outfield start of his career in a position other than center, bobbled a ball for an error in that game. ``I'm certainly not trying to poke a finger in his eye,'' Torre said. ``That's not the reason I'm doing this. I'm doing it for the physical well being of everybody.'' Torre didn't want a banged up RF Gary Sheffield playing on SkyDome's artificial turf. Sheffield was the DH. Torre also plans to DH Bernie Williams and Hideki Matsui in the series. ... RHP Steve Karsay, on the DL all season while recovering from rotator cuff surgery, joined the team in Toronto. He plans on throwing on the side twice and expects to be activated Wednesday, when rosters expand to 40. Torre didn't rule out Karsay making the postseason roster. Karsay says he's throwing about five mph slower than he usually does. ``There's still a ways for me to go,'' Karsay said.
TORONTO: CF Vernon Wells missed his third straight game with tightness in his right calf. He missed 24 games earlier this season with an injured right calf. Interim manager John Gibbons says he's day to day. ... The Blue Jays are expected to promote SS Russ Adams, C Guillermo Quiroz and OF/1B Eric Crozier from Triple-A Syracuse when rosters expand Wednesday.
CHICAGO:LHP Mark Buehrle and RHPs Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland have combined for a 7.66 ERA over their past eight starts.
SEATTLE: The Mariners will start RHP Clint Nageotte in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Kansas City because they want to have LHP Matt Thornton available in the bullpen. Nageotte is 1-6 with a 6.95 ERA in 11 games, four of them starts. Manager Bob Melvin said Nageotte will be making a spot start and he then will return to the bullpen.
ST. LOUIS: The Cardinals canceled batting practice. ``We do that sometimes if we have a late flight, like we do tonight to Pittsburgh,'' manager Tony La Russa said. ``We've taken batting practice twice in this ballpark. Sometimes it's better to conserve energy for 7 o'clock.''
yup, and it showed Tony
