BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Lachemann Sends Boskie to Bullpen

As his teammates took the field for Thursday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Shawn Boskie reported to work for his first day of a new job: relief pitcher.

“It’s definitely a letdown,” said Boskie, pulled from the starting rotation after pitching poorly in Monday night’s 11-10 loss in Seattle. “It’s disappointing because we as a team haven’t played as well as we will, and I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.”

Boskie made only three starts--one of them a 7 2/3-inning, five-hit gem at Toronto on April 10--but Manager Marcel Lachemann was disgusted with the way Boskie let much of an eight-run lead slip away in Seattle, “and he needed to shake things up,” Boskie said.

Jason Grimsley (2-0, 1.20 ERA at triple-A Vancouver) will be activated to start Saturday night against Detroit, and Boskie (0-0, 6.50 ERA) will return to the bullpen, where he has a 2.70 career ERA in 85 innings.

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Closer Lee Smith, who hasn’t pitched in a minor league game since 1980, isn’t exactly thrilled to be making a rehabilitation appearance for Class-A Lake Elsinore tonight.

“I don’t have to wait around until the ninth inning, do I?” Smith asked pitching coach Chuck Hernandez on Thursday. Informed he would be pitching the first inning for Lake Elsinore tonight and Sunday, Smith said: “Good. I can keep the limo running.”

Lachemann said if Smith, on the disabled list because of swelling in his right knee, shows he is sound and has regained the velocity on his fastball, he could be activated next week.

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Designated hitter Chili Davis, still feeling the lingering effects of back spasms, was held out of the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive night.