Ramirez, lineup are left hamstrung
Kerrigan will tweak order in his absence
one swing of his bat, which produced a single to left field in the seventh inning, would have been overshadowed any other day by the grand slam Manny Ramirez swatted in the second inning of the Red Sox' 13-7 loss yesterday to the visiting Orioles.
But when Ramirez burst out of the batter's box on the single, he strained his right hamstring. The injury forced him out of the game and is likely to sideline him for several more games, which is the last thing the injury-ravaged Sox need with postseason hopes on the line.
As a consequence, Ramirez's single may prove far more memorable in the short term than the slam. ''He'll probably be [out] a few days,'' manager Joe Kerrigan said before the Sox departed on 10-game road trip to Anaheim, Texas, and Cleveland.
The good news is, Ramirez did not aggravate his left hamstring. He missed 44 games with the Indians last year because of various problems with his left hamstring. And he missed the final 16 games of spring training with the Sox this year after he strained the left hamstring chasing a double at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.
The bad news, of course, is that the Sox need Ramirez to power their offense, especially with Carl Everett out and Nomar Garciaparra far from 100 percent as he comes back from wrist surgery.
Ramirez has played all but two of the team's 122 games this season, sitting out June 10 and 12 because of a viral infection.
The grand slam, off Baltimore starter Calvin Maduro, was Ramirez's first for the Sox and 14th of his career, tying him with Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey for the second most among active players. Robin Ventura of the Mets leads with 15.
Ramirez is tied for 10th on the all-time list behind Lou Gehrig(23), Eddie Murray(19), Willie McCovey(18), Jimmie Foxx(17), Ted Williams(17), Hank Aaron(16), Dave Kingman(16), Babe Ruth(16), and Ventura.
The home run was his 38th of the season and increased his RBI total to 109.
Lowdown on closer
After several days of hedging, Kerrigan acknowledged Ugueth Urbina has replaced Derek Lowe as the club's primary closer. The move did not come easily, though, as Lowe privately reacted to the news in incendiary fashion. ''The fire's still burning,'' said Kerrigan, who met with Lowe before Saturday's game in the Sox bullpen.
''It was a good give and take,'' the manager said. ''I let him speak his piece and I spoke my piece.''
But, Kerrigan added, ''I don't want to get to a point where I have to go talk to him every day. That's going to get a little wearing on him. It would get a little wearing on anybody.''
Lowe has converted 24 of 28 save opportunities. But he is tied with Oakland's Jim Mecir for the league lead in relief losses with eight. He has declined to comment on Urbina shifting into his regular closer's job.
''The one thing he needs to go is get a little expanded work so he can get some confidence back in his curveball,'' Kerrigan said.
The manager said Lowe made progress Saturday when he gave up one run on a walk, a single, and a fielder's choice in first inning of relief and struck out the side in his second and final inning. Of his 43 pitches, 13 were curveballs. ''I think that's what he needed,'' Kerrigan said.
Urbina, who finished Saturday's game, has appeared in eight games with a 1.23 ERA since the Sox traded pitchers Tomo Ohka and Rich Rundles to Montreal for him. He had 15 saves for the Expos and has posted one for the Sox.
Still, Lowe remains in the closer mix. ''There are times when we're going to need him to close,'' Kerrigan said. ''He has not been totally removed from the closer's role.''
Kerrigan will tweak order in his absence
one swing of his bat, which produced a single to left field in the seventh inning, would have been overshadowed any other day by the grand slam Manny Ramirez swatted in the second inning of the Red Sox' 13-7 loss yesterday to the visiting Orioles.
But when Ramirez burst out of the batter's box on the single, he strained his right hamstring. The injury forced him out of the game and is likely to sideline him for several more games, which is the last thing the injury-ravaged Sox need with postseason hopes on the line.
As a consequence, Ramirez's single may prove far more memorable in the short term than the slam. ''He'll probably be [out] a few days,'' manager Joe Kerrigan said before the Sox departed on 10-game road trip to Anaheim, Texas, and Cleveland.
The good news is, Ramirez did not aggravate his left hamstring. He missed 44 games with the Indians last year because of various problems with his left hamstring. And he missed the final 16 games of spring training with the Sox this year after he strained the left hamstring chasing a double at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.
The bad news, of course, is that the Sox need Ramirez to power their offense, especially with Carl Everett out and Nomar Garciaparra far from 100 percent as he comes back from wrist surgery.
Ramirez has played all but two of the team's 122 games this season, sitting out June 10 and 12 because of a viral infection.
The grand slam, off Baltimore starter Calvin Maduro, was Ramirez's first for the Sox and 14th of his career, tying him with Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey for the second most among active players. Robin Ventura of the Mets leads with 15.
Ramirez is tied for 10th on the all-time list behind Lou Gehrig(23), Eddie Murray(19), Willie McCovey(18), Jimmie Foxx(17), Ted Williams(17), Hank Aaron(16), Dave Kingman(16), Babe Ruth(16), and Ventura.
The home run was his 38th of the season and increased his RBI total to 109.
Lowdown on closer
After several days of hedging, Kerrigan acknowledged Ugueth Urbina has replaced Derek Lowe as the club's primary closer. The move did not come easily, though, as Lowe privately reacted to the news in incendiary fashion. ''The fire's still burning,'' said Kerrigan, who met with Lowe before Saturday's game in the Sox bullpen.
''It was a good give and take,'' the manager said. ''I let him speak his piece and I spoke my piece.''
But, Kerrigan added, ''I don't want to get to a point where I have to go talk to him every day. That's going to get a little wearing on him. It would get a little wearing on anybody.''
Lowe has converted 24 of 28 save opportunities. But he is tied with Oakland's Jim Mecir for the league lead in relief losses with eight. He has declined to comment on Urbina shifting into his regular closer's job.
''The one thing he needs to go is get a little expanded work so he can get some confidence back in his curveball,'' Kerrigan said.
The manager said Lowe made progress Saturday when he gave up one run on a walk, a single, and a fielder's choice in first inning of relief and struck out the side in his second and final inning. Of his 43 pitches, 13 were curveballs. ''I think that's what he needed,'' Kerrigan said.
Urbina, who finished Saturday's game, has appeared in eight games with a 1.23 ERA since the Sox traded pitchers Tomo Ohka and Rich Rundles to Montreal for him. He had 15 saves for the Expos and has posted one for the Sox.
Still, Lowe remains in the closer mix. ''There are times when we're going to need him to close,'' Kerrigan said. ''He has not been totally removed from the closer's role.''
