Red Sox manager Terry Francona, prior to the Boston Baseball Writers Dinner on Thursday, said that he has not considered putting Tim Wakefield in the bullpen. Even though the rotation would currently appear to run five deep with Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, John Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Clay Buchholz, the days when the knuckleballer would be hustled into a relief role seem like a thing of the past.

“I haven’t thought about that a lot. He’s a starter,” said Francona. “How that slots out, we don’t know yet.”

That said, Francona didn’t have a blueprint for Wakefield. He avoided committing to a timetable for the pitcher’s start to the season, though he did put the knuckleballer in a separate category from John Smoltz (in 2009) and Wade Miller (in ’05), pitchers who were held back by months at the start of the season.

“I would be surprised if he’s real far behind, if any,” said Francona.

–While Jeremy Hermida suggested that he is “excited to play some real baseball” now that he has moved from the home of the empty orange seats in Florida to the packed houses of Fenway, his role appears ill-defined. The Sox believe that the 26-year-old retains significant offensive potential, and that he will probably reach it with some club.

Whether or how he might do so in Boston this year remains unknown. Francona was admittedly uncertain about the outfielder’s job description for the coming year.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. Good question, bad answer. He’s a left-handed hitting outfielder,” said Francona. “We could always move Jacoby [Ellsbury] to center when [Mike] Cameron doesn’t play. J.D. [Drew] has missed games in right, we know that. So there is a fit there.

“But I can’t sit here today and say Jeremy Hermida does this. On one hand, I hope he gets an opportunity to play enough because I think he can do some things offensively. On the other hand, if he’s playing everyday, something went wrong somewhere else. But there’s a lot to like about what he can do. But I can’t sit here today and tell you where he’ll actually fit.”

–Francona seemed either amused or bemused that Daisuke Matsuzaka, just a few years removed from being evaluated as one of the best pitchers in the world, has become an afterthought in his rotation. The right-hander, he noted, is just two years removed from a season when, “by hook or by crook,” he won 18 games with a sub-3.00 ERA.

There is little doubt that Matsuzaka’s 2009 season, when he went 4-6 with a 5.76 ERA in just 59.1 innings, represented a profound disappointment, not just for his numbers and his lack of availability but also due to his ideological clashes with the team over proper forms of preparation. But ultimately, the team believes that both the pitcher and his club will benefit from the pitcher’s pride to prove that he is still an effective pitcher.

“He’s almost at times fallen off from people’s thinking. He won 18 games the year before. It’s kind of out of sight, out of mind,” said Francona. “He’s supposed to be pretty good. If he’s pitching in that four hole, or that fourth game of the season, he’s going to match up.”

Sox officials were indeed surprised by Matsuzaka’s claim in a Japanese magazine that he had tried to pitch through a leg injury that caused his mechanics to suffer. But with the pitcher showing the commitment to spend the offseason working out at Athletes’ Performance in Arizona, the Sox believe that they are in a good position with the right-hander, and they are more focused on how he fares going forward than on any head-scratching statements about the past.

–Francona has been in touch with Jed Lowrie, whom he described as “cautiously optimistic” about the recovery of the left wrist that required surgery and sabotaged his 2009 season. The manager believed that the infielder had begun swinging, though it will be difficult to gauge the switch-hitter’s health until he is subject to daily activity in spring training. In some respects, only game activity will offer insight into Lowrie’s health, since he appeared to be recovering well last summer until he aggravated the wrist on check swings in games.

–Francona said that Mike Lowell’s situation would remain unresolved until he proved that he is healthy in spring training.

18 Comments for “Red Sox Notes: What to do with Wakefield?”

1. Kevin S Says:
   January 15th, 2010 at 8:27 pm

   Trad JD Drew and play Hermedia in right. JD goes up there to walk not hit and he always seems to be hurting somehow. A giant disappointment last season.I think that in Boston Hermedia might live up to the talent he was thought to have had with a fan base that is there every game win or lose vs 10,000 or less in the stands in Miami. As for Wake I think they should wait and see what Dice K and Bucholtz look like in spring. Wake is a gamer and always will be. He deserves the fifth spot on a rotating basis. Then you could have Bucholtz pitch long relief if Dice K pans out this season.

2. Wayne Crabtree Says:
   January 15th, 2010 at 8:46 pm

   I’d still keep Wake in the starting rotation picture as I don’t believe Dice K can be counted on for much of anything at this point in time. He’ll have to show one hellva an improvement and earn his way to the rotation.Just my opinion…

3. Brad Penny Says:
   January 15th, 2010 at 11:23 pm

   Keep wake in the starting rotation until social security kicks in. This guy has been injured every year for the past 5 years. They keep this stiff and dump lowell like old laundry. If they are depending on this bum they are done for sure.

4. Larry R Says:
   January 16th, 2010 at 11:45 am

   We are always concerned about Josh Beckett wearing down by the end of the year and not being effective for the stretch run and the playoffs. Remember when he had the blister problems in 2007 and had to skip some starts during the season. He ended up being well rested for the stretch run and the playoffs that year and was lights out in the post season. I say use Wake as a spot starter allowing Beckett, Lackey, Dice K and Lester to skip some starts during the season and having them be fresher for the stretch run and the post-season. This would also preserve Wake and he may not break down by the second half of the season. I don’t know but this seems so logical to me.

5. Ellen Kellogg Says:
   January 16th, 2010 at 1:12 pm

   Personally, I love it when Wakey comes in and it’s lights out for the other team cuz they can’t hit what he throws. Granted it’s not always like that, but when it is it’s a beautiful thing. I say keep him in.

6. mikeym Says:
   January 16th, 2010 at 2:00 pm

   It worked!!!!

7. peter Says:
   January 16th, 2010 at 5:02 pm

   why not just have a six man rotation

8. teknmikey Says:
   January 16th, 2010 at 9:35 pm

   Wake is like a lasagne you throw in the freezer: some night you’re gonna need to pull it out and be very glad its there!

9. teechef Says:
   January 16th, 2010 at 11:15 pm

   peter got it the first try. someone is bound to bow out.or….. theo may deal clay.in which case….wake will be the lasagna

10. peter Says:
    January 16th, 2010 at 11:46 pm

    i like wake hes cheap and he can pitch a good game a very good player evan though his stats might not show it you know what they should do maybe they should pitch him on the days where the wind and humitity are on his side like you know he can give up five runs in one inning some days he will be poor dominants cause of the climate so maybe they should pitch him on those days

11. voice of reason Says:
    January 18th, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    All the sox need now is somebody that can predict the weather so wakefield can pitch. then they can tell the other pitchers when they can pitch. Sounds like a great plan. I think peter should be the sox G.M.

12. peter Says:
    January 18th, 2010 at 3:14 pm

    thanks if you were being serious

13. Pam Says:
    January 19th, 2010 at 9:46 am

    I completely agree with Larry. Let Beckett and Lester get in a few extra rest days during the season and use Wake at those times. I think part of Beckett’s problem last year was being overworked when the pitching staff was going downhill fast.

14. peter Says:
    January 19th, 2010 at 10:07 am

    he was injured last year for most of it dont forget that i know your all probly like when but becket always plays through his injuries its just him

15. peter Says:
    January 19th, 2010 at 11:21 am

    he wasnt over worked

16. Pam Says:
    January 19th, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    But I think he got injured from pushing himself too hard

17. peter Says:
    January 19th, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    if you look he hasnt pitched to many innings he averages six innings per game thats not really over working yourself

18. Jerry Says:
    January 27th, 2010 at 10:50 am

    Sorry to break it to all the J.D. Drew haters….he is by far one of our most productive hitters. Whether you like his attitude or not. He had about 25 homeruns and 70 rbi’s last year. I’m not the hugest Drew fan, but to just trade him and stick a guy who clearly does not have the same skill set is stupid.

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