BOSTON –– Felix Doubront tossed five simulated innings on
Tuesday, drawing closer to rejoining the rotation.
It counts as progress for the lefty who landed on the
disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 10. But Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine
offered a cryptic response, when asked about the 24-year-old's next scheduled start.
"Not until his 15 days are up," Valentine
joked. "Yeah, good side session, up and down. Four times."
The decision to place Doubront on the DL was attributed
more to giving him rest as opposed to a knee contusion. Since June 8, he
started hitting the proverbial rookie wall, allowing 10 home runs and posting a 5.67 ERA in his last 11 starts.
His eligibility to be activated, along with Daisuke
Matsuzaka's clean bill of health, will offer Valentine his choice of starting
pitchers this weekend. That's a decision, however, the skipper doesn't intend
to reveal yet.
"I probably do but I'm not going to tell you,"
Valentine said, when asked about his future plans for the rotation.
He'll have a handful of choices.
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