Tim

Wakefield

Tim Wakefield, who is scheduled to start Friday may be moved to Saturday or split Friday’s start with Curt Schilling. Pedro Astacio and Bronson Arroyo will likely make the starts in Saturday’s doubleheader with Derek Lowe pitching the season finale on Sunday. It seems to us that Lowe will be the odd man out once the playoffs start but nothing has been confirmed in that regard.

Interesting. Pedro’s appearance last night did indicate that the Red Sox weren’t planning on using him in Game 1, but it’s surprising that Wakefield and not Bronson Arroyo is the choice. With Derek Lowe putting himself in position to make another start, it looks like Arroyo could spend the Series in the bullpen.

Not a bad idea. This would obviously be with the intention of making it difficult for opposing teams to deal with the changes in speed. The reconfiguration wouldn’t take place in the opening week, when Wakefield will temporarily be the No. 5 starter so that he can start Boston’s home opener on April 9 against Toronto.

He had jammed his right thumb trying to make a defensive play in his last start, but seems healthy enough to start this week.

Wakefield fell on his thumb during Saturday’s awful start against the Dodgers. At this point, the Red Sox do not believe the injury is in any way serious.

Last night’s game was called after Wakefield, who was less than sharp, had pitched only two-plus innings. The knuckleballer allowed five hits and four runs against the Orioles’ last night and may still be feeling the effects of the line drive that hit him in the back of the right shoudler in Anaheim on July 17th.

He still has a bit of back discomfort, but it is minimal, and will not keep him from the mound tomorrow evening.

The Twins put together four straight singles in a three-run third, but Wakefield was in control the rest of the game. He gave up just two other hits, also singles, and walked one batter. He joined Roger Clemens and Cy Young as the only pitchers to throw at least 2,000 innings in a Red Sox uniform.

Wakefield was cruising until a 46-minute rain delay in the bottom of the sixth. He gave up back-to-back homers to Paul Konerko and arch-nemesis Aaron Rowand to start the seventh, and after getting two outs, he was removed following a Joe Crede double. It was the fourth straight win for Wakefield. With 12 victories, he’s matched his high total since 1998. He went 12-10 last year.

''I’m just going to get my treatment the next couple of days and try to make my next start,’' Wakefield said. ''I told (manager Terry Francona) that I’m going to do whatever I can to make my next start.’'