Like any manager, Terry Francona tries desperately to avoid any clubhouse controversy. This spring, a particularly tricky situation is developing with his starting pitching: He has six solid starters for five spots. Logic would dictate that respected veteran Tim Wakefield would be a candidate for the bullpen, but Wakefield has made it clear that he does not want that, and one could argue that unlike, say, Dice-K Matsuzaka, Wakefield has earned a spot. Francona recently told COTGM that he is hoping for an injury to rectify this problem.
"Hell, I don't want to have to tell Wake he's going to the bullpen," said Francona, sticking his foot out into the aisle as Matsuzaka walked by. Dice-K deftly hopped over the foot, and Francona winced at the lost opportunity. "Wake has earned this, and he's trying to become the all-time winningest pitcher in Red Sox history. If Dice or even Buchy could just come down with something, it would be an answer to a prayer."
Later in the day, after being caught by a COTGM reporter pouring tobacco juice into Dice-K's tea while he wasn't looking, Francona was asked if this was really the best method to solve the pitching quandary. "Ahhh, these guys have such fragile egos," an annoyed Francona replied. "I'm sure Dice-K would much rather miss a few starts due to tobacco poisoning than to be told he's going to the bullpen."
bill@callofthegreenmonster.com