As expected, relief pitcher Craig Hansen was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket. Reliever Bryan Corey was also sent down.

That leaves Boston with eight relievers for seven spots. The competition for the final spot appears to be between lefty Javier Lopez and right-hander Manny Delcarmen. My guess is that Lopez stays. He's been sensational this spring (0.93 ERA).

Hansen's struggles reached a peak yesterday when he gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning. A comment to this blog suggested that Hansen may be hiding an inury. I think it is more of a fact that he was rushed to the majors (more on that subject tomorrow).

Corey pitched well in the spring (1.50 ERA), but he was not on the 40-man roster. He gives Boston nice insurance.

E-mail this entry to a friend