Mike Lowell is is still nursing a bad hip and JD Drew saw his first action since August 17th and looked pretty rusty. The Sox would love to get both Lowell and Drew back into the heart of the lineup for the postseason, but both players could do more harm than good if they aren't healthy.
Lowell has been playing with a torn labrum in his hip and playing the field seems to aggravate the injury. Therefore, Francona told reporters the Lowell could remain on the bench through the weekend:
"It's not necessary," Francona said. "If we feel like we have the ability to get at-bats, it can only help. Last time [coming back from his oblique injury], he proved it didn't matter. Maybe, so he knows he can go out there and do it, that would be one thing. Also, just to see live pitching." Francona added, "He is improving. I think he thinks he's going to be OK. For the sake of getting him four or five at-bats, I would hate to hurt him on Saturday or Sunday and lose him for the playoffs."
As for Drew, despite having trouble in the outfield and playing with "Jell-O legs," he told reporters he feels good and plans to play as much as possible over the next 4 days:
"Not bad, a little stiff," Drew said. "But no worse for the wear, I don't think. I'm still fighting off that injury a little bit. I felt it before the game started, felt it yesterday, but felt like I could play, start trying to play through it a little bit. Hopefully, it won't get any worse, and just kind of continue to bounce back.
"I didn't expect to get as Jell-O-legged out there as I did. But you think of not really doing anything for five or six weeks but sit down and lay down because of the back injury. We've got some catching up to do."
Bottom Line: With Jed Lowrie is a rut and Jason Varitek batting .222 on the season, getting a healthy Drew and Lowell back in time for the Angels would be huge. But Tito will have to decide if either player is healthy enough to stay on the postseason roster.
Below are 20 players I expect to be on the roster for the ALDS:
IF: Youkilis, Pedroia, Ortiz, Varitek, Lowell, Lowrie, Casey
OF: Bay, Ellsbury, Crisp, Drew
SP: Beckett, Lester, Matsuzaka, Byrd
RP: Papelbon, Okajima, Delcarmen, Masterson, Lopez
That leaves 5 spots. Some think the Sox will carry both Wake and Byrd, so there's one ... Timlin and Aardsma could also earn a spot in the bullpen - two, three ... And Kevin Cash will likely be the other catcher - four.
So that leaves one spot for guys like Cora and Kotasy... and if Lowell or Drew can't get healthy, Tito will have to decide which back-up player is more valuable to the team.
Quotes from the Boston Globe.
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