Damon Prefers to Play the Fool

Boston outfielder Johnny Damon revealed the secret to the Red Sox’s success before Game 1 of the American League division series Tuesday.

“You know, the kids watching us out there, we got the long hair and corn rows, we got guys acting like idiots,” Damon said. “And I think the fans out there like it.”

It plays in Boston, where Damon, with shoulder-length hair that gives him the long-lost-Bee Gees look, and pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who sports a corn-row hairstyle, are two of many figures who reflect a loose Red Sox team.

“We were just a bunch of cowboys last year,” Damon said, referring to the Red Sox’s Game 7 loss to the New York Yankees in the American League championship series. “We now have something to prove. We don’t want to be remembered as a team that keeps making the playoffs but has tough losses. We want to be the team that rewrites the record books.”

It’s the “new” Red Sox way.

“You know, we’re not cowboys anymore, we are just the idiots,” Damon said. “So we are going to go out and try to swing the bats, find the holes and, hopefully, good things will happen.”

Said Angel Manager Mike Scioscia: “If they are idiots, they are idiots that can play.”

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The Red Sox did not include Scott Williamson, considered their second-best relief pitcher, on their playoff roster. Williamson sat out more than two months because of an elbow injury. He pitched in seven games after returning Sept. 9 but gave up a run in each of his last two appearances.

Red Sox Manager Terry Francona said he discussed the situation with Williamson, who agreed to sit this series out.

“Those roster spots are so important and, if he couldn’t have answered the bell, it could have maybe put us in a little bit of a bind,” Francona said.

Williams had a 1.26 earned-run average in 28 games.

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Red Sox starter Curt Schilling turned his right ankle midway through Tuesday’s game and again in the seventh inning, just before leaving the game, but he does not expect it to affect future starts.

He appeared to be in some pain with two out in the seventh, when he fielded a comebacker by Garret Anderson and tried to twist and throw to first on the run. When the play was done, Schilling grabbed his ankle and brought Red Sox coaches from their dugout. The next batter, Troy Glaus, doubled to left-center field and Schilling left the game, gingerly.

“It’s a little sore right now,” Schilling said, adding that team trainers “will take care of it.”

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When asked a few weeks ago about the future of pending free agents Glaus and Troy Percival, Angel owner Arte Moreno said, “Those are questions for the baseball people.”

But Moreno acknowledged Tuesday that his head and heart -- and not just his wallet -- would play a role in whether the team makes a strong push to retain Percival, the popular closer who has 316 saves, and Glaus, who had a home run and two doubles Tuesday and now has eight homers in 17 career postseason games.

“They’re both home grown, and you’ve got to be emotional about your own guys,” Moreno said.

“All that’s going to play into the decision. But at the end of the day, the baseball people will make the call.”

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On the eve of the series, Schilling described Angel right fielder Vladimir Guerrero as “Barry Bonds with less patience.”

Then, in four at-bats against Schilling, Guerrero took exactly one pitch, the first in his third at-bat, and that was for a strike.

Schilling threw nine pitches to Guerrero, who swung at eight, all from his heels. He fouled three, missed two and popped three into the outfield. Guerrero, who struck out to end the game against Mike Timlin, was 0 for 5 in his postseason debut.

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With Bartolo Colon starting Game 2 tonight for the Angels, backup catcher Jose Molina probably will replace his brother, Bengie, behind the plate. Colon has gone 12-4 since a two-month slump dropped his record to 5-8 with a 6.57 earned-run average on July 3, and Jose Molina started behind the plate during 10 of the 12 victories.... Veteran outfielder Tim Salmon, who underwent season-ending knee surgery in September and will have shoulder surgery later this month, threw out the ceremonial first pitch -- on crutches -- before Tuesday’s game.

Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report.