Weekend Update: J.D. Drew is a bad man

I'm not one to say I told you so... but...

J.D. Drew went 2-7 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in the last two games. It's just two game, but...

Game recaps are below, but here are a few noteworth tod bits from the weekend:

Josh Beckett, Sean Casey and Mike Timlin will be listed as inactive heading onto the Opener against the A's. Beckett will come off the 15-day DL in time to start in one of the three games in Toronto, starting April 4.

Beckett hit 93 on the gun in a 32-pitch outing against Double-A batters on Sunday and says he plans to be ready to start in Toronto:

"Absolutely, I think that's possible," Beckett said. "I think that's been a possibility the whole time. [But] I don't know. I think that's kind of what everybody was preparing for. ... There's just no sense in going out there and trying to kill yourself to get back to that April 1 start when really you've only thrown seven innings. I probably need 14 more innings down here, and then I'll be prepared."

And Manny plans to hit 600 home runs before he hangs up the cleats. Joy of Sox also found out that Manny think he can play second base...

Friday

Red Sox 6
Tigers 5

Facing Japanese batters did not help Clay Buchholz improve on a sub par spring training. Clay gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and two walsk, lasting just 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four but only 59% of his pitched were strikes, after hovering around 80% in his short time in the pros last season.

Luckily for Buchholz, David Ortiz and J.D. Drew both hit home runs in the first inning, and the Sox held a 5-4 lead into the 6th inning. Kyle Snyder gave up the tying run during his 2 1/3 innings of relief and gave us one of the craziest wild pitches in recent memory, but the Sox would get the run back in the bottom of the inning and seal the 6-5 victory of theie Japanese counter parts, the Hanshin Tigers.

Kevin Youkilis quietly went 2-5 with 2 RBI. Mike Lowell and Ortiz also had 2-hit games.

Coco/ Ellsbury Watch: Jacoby started in center and moved to left while going 1-4 with a strike out. Coco pinch ran and was caught stealing. He did not bat.

Saturday

Red Sox 9
Giants 2

Tim Wakefield earned the victory over the Yomiuri Giants on Saturday with 5 2/3 solid innings of work. He struck out 3 and gave up two runs on 5 hits and a walk, but 52 of his 74 pitches were for strikes (70%).

J.D. drew was the hero again, blasting a Grand Slam in the 6th to give the Sox a 4-2 lead. Jed Lowrie went 1-2 with a home run after replacing Mike Lowell at third. Cash, Lugo, Kielty and Moss all hit doubles. Moss continued to impress going 2-2 with 2 RBI and a run scored replacing Youkilis (2-3) at first base.

Coco/Ellsbury Watch: Coco went 1-5 with a triple while starting in center. Ellsbury replaced Manny in left and went 0-2 with a run scored.

In an effort to not hinder his onging development, Terry Francona says Ellsbury will not be the leadoff man to start the season:

"You put a young player a little bit at risk when you put him right at the top of the lineup early on," Francona said. "I know what he hit last year. It was impressive, but you're still trying to develop guys."

Photo: Yahoo! Sports