Not looking ahead

By Eric Wilbur

October 2, 2005

2 minutes to read

Terry Francona refused to speculate on whether or not his team would carry 10 or 11 pitchers on a possible postseason roster, with the Red Sox’s status for the playoffs still yet to be cemented.

“It’s silly to do something like that, and it’s inappropriate,” he said. “We need to go win a game.”

With a win over the Yankees at Fenway today, the Red Sox will be the American League wild card champs, regardless of what Cleveland does against Chicago.

If there were to be a one-game playoff tomorrow against the Indians, it is considered a regular season game, and both teams would have the benefit of their expanded rosters.

— Francona said he saw today’s starter, Curt Schilling just in passing this morning.

“What’s their lineup?” Schilling asked.

“And I couldn’t produce it, so I kept on going.”

Francona still didn’t know the Yankees lineup during his pregame briefing with the media at 11:30 this morning. New York finally posted a surprising lineup around noon, one that includes Gary Sheffield, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez.

“Guess they want home field,” cracked one reporter.

“I’m hoping someone wants a day off, but this game means something to them also,” Francona said.

The Angels will receive home-field advantage for this week’s ALDS unless the Yankees win today. In that instance, the division series will open in the Bronx. It is a similar situation to what the Red Sox faced last season when they were forced to wait until the final day of the season to find out if they were going to Minnesota or the west coast.

If the Red Sox win today, or if Cleveland loses, Boston will head to Chicago, regardless.

— Francona on Red Sox rookie Craig Hansen: “I don’t think we’ve seen his best baseball by any stretch.”

— Red Sox Nation may have some decent backing in placing their playoff hopes on the line in today in Schilling. He enjoyed his best month of the season in September, with a 2-1 record and a 4.46 ERA in five starts. In his return to rotation in August, Schilling had a 9.00 ERA in a pair of starts.