Nothing is official regarding Clay Buchholz (the Red Sox love holding off these announcements), but all signs point to Buchholz starting Saturday's game at Fenway Park.

Meanwhile, the Sea Dogs lost Friday night and now lead the New Hampshire Fisher Cats by a half-game for the last playoff spot.

With Tim Wakefield being scratched from tonight's start, and Julian Tavarez moving up a day to take his place, the Red Sox need a starter for Saturday.

The Sox could push up Jon Lester a day, but the more likely scenario is that Clay Buchholz will be called up. Buchholz was scheduled to start Saturday for Pawtrucket, so he is right on schedule.

Buchholz was going to be called up later anyway. Might as well use him on Saturday.

Major League teams can expand their rosters Saturday and call up anyone on their 40-man roster. Who will the Sox bring up?

Let's start with the obvious: Pitchers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Lester is scheduled to pitch Sunday.

Here are other candidates: Pitchers Devern Hansack, Craig Hansen and Travis Hughes; catchers George Kottaras and Dusty Brown, infielders Royce Clayton, Chris Carter and Bobby Scales, and outfielder Brandon Moss.

Daisuke Matsuzaka could not do it. Neither could Josh Beckett. Will Curt Schilling take the stopper role for the Boston Red Sox this afternoon and beat the New York Yankees?

While the Yankees beat the Red Sox two best pitchers, they still remain six games behind Boston. Closing to five would be a boost, especially if it means a sweep of the Red Sox and their Big Three on the staff.

For Schilling, this is not only a chance to come through for the sake of the team, but a chance to prove that he is still a big-game pitcher and not just an old guy hanging on.

Just think if the Yankees had moved to 2 or 3 games behind the Red Sox, instead of 7, after Johnny Damon's homer beat Boston last night.

Some fans would have been screaming that Boston should have re-signed Damon (the same ones who screamed about Pedroa Martinez).

But over-paying veteran players seems to be a tend of the past (okay, J.D. Drew is an exception).

But it is definitely the case with pitching. And it is why the Red Sox are not going to throw big money (if anything) at Curt Schilling to keep him next year.

When the Yankees closed to four games behind the Red Sox, you could sense the return of the New England angst over their team. People talked about history and curses and all that.

I usually answered with one word: Pitching.

While I do not pretend to guarantee anything in baseball, I have learned from those in the know that one ingredient is especially needed for winning baseball: pitching.

Justin Masterson pitches for the Sea Dogs today in Manchester. Big day for the Dogs (who are tied with New Hampshire) and Masterson, who was speculated (by Sports Illustraed) to be headed for a September call-up to Boston.

Who else could be called up? Shortstop Jed Lowrie was a possibility, until they signed Royce Clayton.

But if you really want to see a shortstop, there is a 17-year-old in Lowell.

If you are a Red Sox fan, you had to like the long ball on Friday. The bashes lasted into Saturday morning, when Carlos Guillen launched a 3-run homer in the 11th to push the Tigers past the Yankees 9-6.

That puts New York 6 1/2 games back. Boston's magic number is 28.

Other home runs of note included two by David Ortiz and one apiece from Jason Varitek and Kevin Youkilis (who looks like he is coming out of his slump) in the Red Sox sweep of Chicago.

And there were two more homers to mention:

The Boston Red Sox sent Jon Lester down to the Portland Sea Dogs, and recalled lefty reliever Javier Lopez from Pawtucket. (See the Red Sox press release below).

Lester is expected to start for the Sea Dogs Monday at Hadlock Field against the Trenton Thunder. The reasong for Lester going to Portland instead of Pawtucket, reportedly is because Clay Buchholz is already set to pitch Monday for Pawtucket.

It sure does help the Sea Dogs in a key game.

Josh Beckett is pitching for the Red Sox tonight, in Chicago against White Sox left-hander John Danks (6-11, 5.30 ERA). Sounds like trouble for the Boston 9.

The glaring concern for the Boston Red Sox continues to be a lineup that fails to score runs. Ask Daisuke Matsuzaka about it. He threw a two-hitter over six innings and lost Wednesday night to the Devil Rays, 2-1 (so the Yankees are back to five games behind after beating the Angels).

In the past three months, he has given up three runs or less in 12 starts.

The addition of minor league first-baseman Chris Carter is interesting. Are the Red Sox simply stockpiling or preparing for Mike Lowell's exit?

That persistent Angels lineup, which was a problem for the Red Sox over the weekend, came through against the Yankees late Monday night (into Tuesday morning). Rookie catcher Ryan Budde upped his average to .167 with the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning.

With Dustin Pedroia and Mike Lowell coming thorugh for Boston (not to mention Tim Wakefield), the Red Sox bumped their lead back to five games

The Boston Red Sox lead may be slipping in the American League East, but it does not compare to the Portland Sea Dogs, who lost again Monday night, 6-2 to the Binghamton Mets.

The Sea Dogs have lost 11 of their last 14 games and now lead New Hampshire by only one game, for second place in the Eastern League Northern Division (the top two teams in the division reach the playoffs.

The name brings out more emotion from Red Sox fans than any other (even more than J.D. Drew):

Yankees!

Now that the Yankees have closed to four games in back of Boston, it is time for the Red Sox to retreat to the friendly, air-conditioned confines of Tropicana Park (a.k.a. home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays).

Theo Epstein mused that the Red Sox broke the record for most roster moves in a day. Meanwhile, another move - a change in the pitching rotation - could be made with the Yankees in mind.

As Clay Buchholz continued with his interviews in the Red Sox clubhouse (Sports Illustrated was on deck), Jacoby Ellsbury sat across the room, hurrying to put on his red socks.

Busy day for recent Sea Dogs.

Buchholz finished his Major League debut after six innings, with the Red Sox leading 7-4. Boston won 8-4 (birthday boy Dustin Pedroia added a homer). Buchholz's line: 8 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 5 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Wily Mo Pena has just been traded to the Washington Nationals, along with cash for a player to be named later.

The Red Sox just made the announcement as Dustin Pedroia led off the bottom of the first inning with a double, in Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Angels.

Pena batted only .218 with five home runs and 17 RBI. The Red Sox hoped to give him more playing time, but he got only 156 at-bats this year.

Clay Buchholz is starting and has allow one unearned run in the first (J.D. Drew error).. Check previous blogs for details, including Terry Francona's take on Buchholz.

Before we get to Terry Francona's comments on Clay Buchholz, it's interesting to point out that Buchholz is not on the roster yet. The Red Sox have not completed the move that opens up the vacancy for Buchholz. "I promise we will," Francona said.

The move presumably is to trade Wily Mo Pena (who was not found in the clubhouse) or designate him for assignment.

The hype over Clay Buchholz has been building all season, from his gaudy Double-A stats at Portland, to his showdown against Roger Clemens (during Clemens' rehab with Trenton), to his promotion to Pawtucket.

Today, Boston fans gets a look.

The Boston Red Sox just lost to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6-5, and everything is okay. Really.

Just because Tampa Bay is so bad, people tend to think in terms of football - that the bad team beating the good team is such an upset. This is baseball. It happens.

And, like Wednesday, sometimes a team can ride a zoned-in pitcher. That is what Tampa Bay did with Andy Sonnanstine (the former Sanford Mainer).

As for who is pitching on Friday. The surprise will be if it is not Clay Buchholz. starting one of the two games (along with Josh Beckett).

You wonder if a night like Tuesday's will be one of those turn-around games for the Red Sox. They win with a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Get great starting pitching from Jon Lester and solid relief, including a socreless inning from Eric Gagne.

Welcome to the boos-to-cheers way of Fenway Park, Mr. Gagne.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said that Curt Schilling will not be pitching in the Friday doubleheader with the Angels but will, instead, pitch on an extra day's rest, on Saturday.

It figures that Clay Buchholz will get the call. Buchholz started for Pawtucket on Sunday and was limited to 80 pitches. Hmmm.

Buchholz gave up two earned runs (both solo homers) and struck out nine.

David Murphy made it back to the major leagues Friday night, as a Texas Ranger.

Aaron Bates will be the latest prospect donning a Sea Dogs uniform.

And, um, about that trade for Mr. Gagne ...

On the last blog, a comment mentioned David Pauley (thanks for the note, Taylor) and asked why he would not be considered over Clay Buchholz.

It's a question of apples and oranges. Pauley, 24, is the crafty right-hander who finds ways to win (6-5, 3.94 in Pawtucket this year). Who knows if he will work out with the Red Sox or be trade bait. He is good insurance right now (although Devern Hansack would likely get a call ahead of Pauley).

Interesting Red Sox boxscore from Wednesday night (well into Thursday morning). There was second baseman Dustin Pedroia (3-for-5), first baseman Kevin Youkilis (1-3), right fielder Brandon Moss (getting his first Major League hit), starting pitcher Jon Lester and closer Jonathan Papelbon (26th save).

All former Sea Dogs.

Now, we ask, what to do about Lester?

Before we catch up with issues like the trade (where did Kason Gabard go?) or the rear view mirror (who is that, only five games back?), I have a question about this Saturday's games at Fenway Park.

Are you going? The Futures at Fenway minor league doubleheader (with the Sea Dogs playing the second game) is billed as a chance to see baseball at Fenway Park without breaking the bank or finding a scalper.

So, are you going? Send me a note (either a comment here, or email me).

And now back to the issues: