Notes: Colon sent to minors, Sox enroute to Japan

The Red Sox assigned Bartolo Colon to the minor league camp yesterday.

After an impressive 2-inning, 26-pitch stint against the Rays, Colon took a step back against the Yankees on the 17th. El Gordo never made it out of the first inning, walking 3 batters and giving up 4 runs on 30 pitches.

If the former Cy Young winner can get back on track, he would likely be the first name called if and when the Sox need another starter in the bigs.

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After working as a team to get their coaches the travel bonus they were originally promised, the Red Sox brought that sense of teamwork to the field using 8 relievers to replace the original starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was sent to the minor league camp where he struck out 8 over 6 innings of work.

David Aardsma started with two scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Bryan Corey followed with two scoreless innings of his own. And Lopez, Timlin and Delcarmen allowed just 1 hit over the next three innings.

Kevin Youkilis' three-run homer in the third gave the Sox the lead, but Hideki Okajima gave up 4 runs after getting 2 men out in the 8th. The Sox would not recover and the loss would give them a 7-11 Grapefruit League record for 2008.

Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury both played in this one: Crisp went 1-2 with a run scored, while Ellsbury went 0-3 while shifting from left to center during the game.

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The Yankees officially put Joba Cahmberlain in the pullben yesterday.

"We think that's where he fits best right now," manager Joe Girardi said yesterday.

Asked if Joba could eventually find his way in the starting rotation, Girardi said he'll cross that bridge when he comes to it:

"We have not got that far," Girardi said. "I'm going to put it this way: We consider him a starter in the future. I don't want to be locked into a timetable. You know that's my personality."

Chamberlain has a 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 innings this spring. He's given up 2 home runs and struck out 4. Closer Mariano Rivera has struck out 3 and allowed one run in 4 innings of work - earning a 2.25 ERA so far.

Japan trip details

From the Herald: “I’m going to play the whole trip,” closer Jonathan Papelbon [stats] said. “My plan is to slow play the (expletive) out of them and take all their money.”

Papelbon carefully handled a custom-made, portable poker table he’d ordered for the trip. The oval-shaped board has a hinge in the middle that allows its approximately three-foot length to be halved for portability, plus its own carrying case. Done up in Red Sox colors, Papelbon held it up for Jason Varitek [stats], who gave it a thumbs-up for approval.

Texas Hold ’Em - and nothing else, said Papelbon - will be played. . . and “for entertainment purposes only.”

Get more details here and read about how the Sox will be spending that $40,000 stipend here.