Clearing the Bases Blog Index
April 06, 2009
Penny now starting April 11

The only real change caused by today's postponed game was the rotation.

Ace Josh Beckett will still start the opener (now Tuesday), but his next start has been moved from April 11 to the 12th.

No. 5 starter Brad Penny will now make his Red Sox debut on April 11, against the Angels.

Penny was scheduled to go to Florida to pitch a minor league game. Now he will pitch a few simulated innings in the Fenway bullpen on Tuesday, manager Terry Francona said.

Francona, like everyone, was disappointed in the postponement, but was glad the decision was made early.

"We all kind of knew in the back our of heads that this was a probability today." he said. "The communication was pretty good.

"We found out five minutes before (Beckett) walked in. It's much better this way. There's no sitting around, putting your uniform on. Getting up and sitting down, getting updates ..."

Francona also announced that shortstop Julio Lugo will go down to Florida on Thursday to begin working out. Lugo, coming back from minor knee surgery, took batting practice outside for the first time on Sunday.

Lugo hopes to be back in two weeks.

Posted at 11:50 AM

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Kevin covers baseball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He first reported on spring training games for the St. Petersburg Times in 1978. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 and now writes about the Portland Sea Dogs and Boston Red Sox—when he's not coaching Little League baseball.

He is married to Nancy, and the couple recently completed their lineup card with the birth of their ninth child.



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