Kevin

Millar

The Red Sox likely will trade one of the two, with Mientkiewicz the better bet to go. Talk of a run at Carlos Delgado has died down since the Edgar Renteria signing, so it’s likely that either Millar or Mientkiewicz will be back with the team.

Millar fouled a ball off the foot on Wednesday. He’s expected back today.

Millar didn’t play Thursday because of a sore left foot.

X-rays were negative, and Millar will likely be in action tonight.

Millar was able to keep his injury a secret by playing first base, until the Sox put him in left field over the weekend. Millar only has six RBI since the All-Star break, all of which have scored on home runs. At least now there appears to be a reason for his slowed production.

He will likely reach the 800 PA (over two seasons) he needs to qualify for the $3.5 million contract extension this week. Millar, who backed out of a deal to play in Japan to join the Red Sox last season, has given Boston full value on his current contract, and remains a solid “real” and “fantasy” ball player.

A $3.5 million option kicked in with Millar’s 800th plate appearance (over the past two seasons). He should be knocking around balls at Fenway until after the 2005 campaign.

David McCarty started in his place. Millar, who has always been a bit shaky defensively, is batting .091 (2-for-22) since the All-Star break. Although he had shown signs of coming around at the plate during the latter part of June, Millar still has just 25 RBI, only two better than light-hitting second baseman Pokey Reese, who has 75 fewer at-bats. If the Sox upgrade their hitting, it will likely be at Millar’s expense.

Millar, who hit .583, slugged six home runs and knocked in 11 runs, shared the award with the Orioles’ Miguel Tejada. This recent hot streak on the part of Millar, may have forced Red Sox management to reconsider their belief that they need to acquire another first baseman.

Millar still has a decent OBP, but practically every ball he hits with authority goes into the stands down the third base line. He hasn’t homered since June 4 and he hasn’t had a multi-RBI game since July 6. The Red Sox should probably keep him around to play against left-handers, but we’d be in favor of his release just to get him out of the lineup versus righties once and for all. That neither Manny Ramirez nor Roberto Petagine got a single at-bat in a 6-5 loss today is another illustration that the the way to prevent Terry Francona from using his worst options is to take them away entirely.