--OF Mark Kotsay is expected to be ready to come off the 15-day disabled when the Red Sox return to Boston on May 19 following their current West Coast swing through Anaheim and Seattle. Kotsay was on the DL following offseason back surgery, but he suffered a setback when he tweaked a quadriceps during a minor league rehab game. The left-handed hitter will be able to provide a capable defensive backup at all three outfield spots as well as first base when he returns, and he will give the Sox some insurance should 1B Kevin Youkilis and OF J.D. Drew continue battling injuries.
--RHP Daniel Bard made his major league debut out of the Boston bullpen in Wednesday night's loss and he made it a fairly memorable one, throwing two scoreless innings. The big 23-year-old continually hit 95-98 mph on his fastball in an outing that included a hit batsman, a walk and a strikeout during his 38-pitch debut. It's uncertain just how long Bard will be up with the major league team following some impressive minor league credentials, but more outings like his first will guarantee that Pawtucket may be a thing of the past. --DH David Ortiz spoke with reporters extensively for the first time about the 50-game suspension slapped on former teammate Manny Ramirez at the end of last week and said he was "confused" by what he had heard. Ortiz and Ramirez were widely considered good friends during their highly successful six years together in Boston, and Big Papi said he never suspected Ramirez of using performance-enhancing drugs. "This situation shocked me. The guy worked hard every day, and it's going to be something crazy and hard to deal with," Ortiz said. "Hopefully he knows what's up, learns from his mistake and does the right thing."
--Former Sox 2B Lou Merloni made a stir in Boston over the weekend when he revealed on Comcast SportsNet New England that former Sox GM Dan Duquette invited a doctor to "acknowledge that there were likely players using steroids and basically (say), 'If you're gonna use them this is how you use them so you don't abuse them." Duquette vehemently denied the assertion and appeared on 850 WEEI on Monday afternoon to address Merloni's story. "It's ridiculous. It's totally unfounded," Duquette told the Boston Globe. "Who was the doctor? Tell me who the doctor is. If there was such a doctor he wasn't in the employ of the Red Sox. We brought in doctors to educate the players on the major league drug policy at the time at the recommendation of Major League Baseball. This is so ridiculous I hate to even respond to it."
BY THE NUMBERS: 34 -- Runs that the Red Sox scored in the sixth inning this season in 32 games, through May 10. It was their top inning.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's strong. You know what? He really is strong. When he stays through the ball, he's the guy that on a cold day here (at Fenway) can hit the ball out of the ballpark." -- Sox manager Terry Francona, on Sox OF Jason Bay's booming power.
