Red Sox See Ray of Hope in Rain

Game 3 of the American League championship series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees was postponed because of rain Friday, but there was still some meaningful baseball played in Fenway Park.

Red Sox ace Curt Schilling, who lasted only three innings in Game 1 because of a serious ankle injury and seemed highly doubtful for the rest of the series, played long toss and threw vigorously off a bullpen mound for about 15 minutes, fueling at least a few ounces of optimism for a team that trails the best-of-seven series, 2-0.

“He actually did pretty well,” Boston Manager Terry Francona said, “well enough to where we are just leaving the door open for his season not to be over.”

For Schilling to cross that threshold, though, the Red Sox will have to win at least two of the next three games and force the series back to New York.

Boston right-hander Bronson Arroyo will oppose Yankee right-hander Kevin Brown in Game 3 tonight, Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will face Yankee right-hander Orlando Hernandez in Game 4 on Sunday night, and if Game 5 is necessary, it would be played Monday in Fenway Park, eliminating the off day.

The Yankees have the option of skipping Hernandez and coming back with Game 1 winner Mike Mussina on regular rest in Game 4 on Sunday night, but pitching Coach Mel Stottlemyre said Friday the team was leaning toward Hernandez in Game 4 and Mussina in Game 5.

That would mean Game 2 winner Jon Lieber would start Game 6 in Yankee Stadium, if necessary, Tuesday night, and if the series went to a seventh game, the Yankees would probably have to start right-hander Javier Vazquez, who was demoted from the rotation to the bullpen before this series.

The Red Sox would use Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe in Games 5 and 6, not necessarily in that order, and their Game 7 options would be Arroyo on three days’ rest, Wakefield, who can pitch just about every day, or Schilling, doing his best to re-create a Willis Reed-like moment.

“The next two days are etched in stone,” Francona said. “After that, most likely it will be Derek and Pedro coming back on the extra day. We kind of reserve the right to change that.”

Francona would love for Schilling to alter the rotation plans. The 21-game winner, who has a dislocated tendon in his right ankle, could not push off the rubber properly in Game 1, his shortened stride causing a loss of command and velocity. The Yankees rocked him for six runs and six hits.

But with a custom-designed high-top shoe, a little anesthetic and no ankle brace, Schilling “threw with a lot more of a normal stride than we had seen in New York, which just by itself was encouraging,” Francona said. “The ball came out of his hand even in long toss different than if he was nursing it a little bit.”

Schilling, who will undergo ankle surgery after the season, experienced some discomfort with the high-top shoe and in the middle of his workout switched to a regular cleat. He felt some of the “clicking” sensation caused by the tendon snapping against the bone and went back to the high top.

“I think he still experienced some clicking, but not to the point where he couldn’t manage it,” Francona said. “We all know what’s wrong with him, but if he can manage it, that might be more than half the battle.... This gave us reason to be optimistic.”

For all the effort Reebok has put into designing a shoe that increases ankle support and leaves room for a brace, there was one little problem with it.

“It was just the wrong size,” Francona said. “It wasn’t ... upwards, it worked good. It just hurt his toes.... We’ll see if we can get a bigger size. All of that stuff, and we’ve got the wrong size.”

Francona cautioned that the Red Sox wouldn’t be able to get a good read on Schilling until today, when they see how he responds to Friday’s workout. Francona was not concerned about a wet mound affecting Schilling’s stride, “because they have drying agents and all that,” and he scoffed at the notion that wet grass could affect Schilling’s fielding ability.

“We will ask [the Yankees] not to bunt if it’s wet,” Francona said, the interview room erupting in laughter. “I’m fairly confident that they would adhere to that.”

There was some thought that Friday’s rainout would benefit the Red Sox, because it perhaps slowed the Yankees’ momentum.

“Well, they didn’t win [Friday night],” Francona said. “But you know what? I kind of view it like we didn’t play. We still need to win when we play next.”