Sox take it slow with Hermanson Daubach gets nod over Nixon; Sanchez return delayed

Sox take it slow with Hermanson

Daubach gets nod over Nixon; Sanchez return delayed

Dustin Hermanson's strained groin isn't healing as quickly as he and the Red Sox had hoped. (Charles Krupa/AP)

NEW YORK -- Red Sox right-hander Dustin Hermanson has hit a wall in his frustrating and tedious recovery from a strained right groin suffered on April 3. During a side session at Yankee Stadium Friday, Hermanson again experienced tightness, and he will be re-examined by Red Sox team physician Bill Morgan to make sure no further damage has occurred.

"Some may characterize it as a setback," said Sox interim GM Mike Port, "but I would say he's just having a problem getting beyond the point where he is now. He's sort of hit a wall and can't get beyond the current point. We're just going to take a change of direction.

"We'll get an MRI the beginning of the week just to see if that shows anything that we're not otherwise aware of. He'll see Dr. Morgan probably on Wednesday and then we will probably just try and get him into a different environment [for rehab], probably Fort Myers."

Port conceded that, even if everything goes smoothly from here and Hermanson starts making progress, it's doubtful he'll return sooner than right around the All-Star break.

"Not being a doctor, the time frame is hard to estimate," said Port. "We're already [almost] into June. If everything goes OK with the MRI, and we get him to Fort Myers, depending on how things go from there, we're at June 7th by the time he gets down there, so the [All-Star break] might not be inaccurate."

	Dustin Hermanson   /   P
			Height: 6'2" Weight: 200 Bats/Throws: R/R More info: Player page Stats Splits sfgiants.com

Port stressed that Hermanson has done everything he can -- and more -- to make a return to the mound.

"If anything, we probably need to reinforce to him that he needs to back off a little bit. He wants to pitch so badly that we just want to get a couple of days to do further study, and then try and take it forward again. The tightness is still there. We know it's a tough injury to get beyond. As I know it, I can't say it's worse; it's just still there. As hard as he is trying, we just want to take a bit of a different direction on the thing."

One more day for Sanchez

Manager Grady Little had said earlier in the week that it was likely second baseman Rey Sanchez would return Friday night from the hamstring injury that prevented him from playing in Boston's three-game sweep in Toronto. But with a day game Saturday following the night game, Little opted to give him one more day.

Lou Merloni got the start at second in Friday's series opener in the Bronx.

"He wasn't going to be able to play [Friday] and [Saturday]," said Little. "So we decided to give him one more day, and he'll play Saturday and Sunday probably."

Sanchez sustained the injury last Sunday against the Yankees, legging out an infield hit.

Little stands ground on Pedro

Pedro Martinez could have pitched the finale of this three-game series on four day's rest. But all season, Little has used days off -- and Boston had one Thursday -- to get a fifth day of rest for his ace, who made just 18 starts last year because of a small tear in his rotator cuff.

Pedro Martinez   /   P
	Height: 5'11" Weight: 170 Bats/Throws: R/R More info: Player page Stats Splits Red Sox site

The decision to stay on this course against the Yankees was a topic of controversy on WFAN, the all-sports radio station in New York. But Little was unfazed by what anyone else might think.

"Our thought process is to keep him on the same program he's been on throughout the season," the Boston manager said. "When we get an opportunity to use an off day for an extra day's rest for him, we take it. The other day in Toronto, he had a little bit of trouble [feeling loose] until [the second or third] inning. That confirmed in my mind that this is the right thing to do."

Daubach gets start over Nixon

With lefty David Wells pitching for the Yankees, Little had to choose between left-handed hitters Brian Daubach and Trot Nixon. He decided to sit Nixon and give Daubach the rare start in right field. Daubach played some right field while Nixon -- one of his best friends on the team -- served a four-game suspension a couple of weeks ago.

Nixon, who's hitting just .244, hasn't gotten on track yet this season after having a career year in 2001. Meanwhile, Daubach, hitting .311 with eight homers nad 25 RBIs, has done a solid job giving Boston production as Manny Ramirez recovers from a fractured left index finger.

"He's been through this type of stuff before; he'll get through it," Little said of Nixon. "He's a battler. "

Ian Browne covers the Red Sox for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or any of its teams. 

By Ian Browne / MLB.com

Dustin Hermanson's strained groin isn't healing as quickly as he and the Red Sox had hoped. (Charles Krupa/AP)

NEW YORK -- Red Sox right-hander Dustin Hermanson has hit a wall in his frustrating and tedious recovery from a strained right groin suffered on April 3. During a side session at Yankee Stadium Friday, Hermanson again experienced tightness, and he will be re-examined by Red Sox team physician Bill Morgan to make sure no further damage has occurred.

"Some may characterize it as a setback," said Sox interim GM Mike Port, "but I would say he's just having a problem getting beyond the point where he is now. He's sort of hit a wall and can't get beyond the current point. We're just going to take a change of direction.

"We'll get an MRI the beginning of the week just to see if that shows anything that we're not otherwise aware of. He'll see Dr. Morgan probably on Wednesday and then we will probably just try and get him into a different environment [for rehab], probably Fort Myers."

Port conceded that, even if everything goes smoothly from here and Hermanson starts making progress, it's doubtful he'll return sooner than right around the All-Star break.

"Not being a doctor, the time frame is hard to estimate," said Port. "We're already [almost] into June. If everything goes OK with the MRI, and we get him to Fort Myers, depending on how things go from there, we're at June 7th by the time he gets down there, so the [All-Star break] might not be inaccurate."

	Dustin Hermanson   /   P
			Height: 6'2" Weight: 200 Bats/Throws: R/R More info: Player page Stats Splits sfgiants.com

Port stressed that Hermanson has done everything he can -- and more -- to make a return to the mound.

"If anything, we probably need to reinforce to him that he needs to back off a little bit. He wants to pitch so badly that we just want to get a couple of days to do further study, and then try and take it forward again. The tightness is still there. We know it's a tough injury to get beyond. As I know it, I can't say it's worse; it's just still there. As hard as he is trying, we just want to take a bit of a different direction on the thing."

One more day for Sanchez

Manager Grady Little had said earlier in the week that it was likely second baseman Rey Sanchez would return Friday night from the hamstring injury that prevented him from playing in Boston's three-game sweep in Toronto. But with a day game Saturday following the night game, Little opted to give him one more day.

Lou Merloni got the start at second in Friday's series opener in the Bronx.

"He wasn't going to be able to play [Friday] and [Saturday]," said Little. "So we decided to give him one more day, and he'll play Saturday and Sunday probably."

Sanchez sustained the injury last Sunday against the Yankees, legging out an infield hit.

Little stands ground on Pedro

Pedro Martinez could have pitched the finale of this three-game series on four day's rest. But all season, Little has used days off -- and Boston had one Thursday -- to get a fifth day of rest for his ace, who made just 18 starts last year because of a small tear in his rotator cuff.

Pedro Martinez   /   P
	Height: 5'11" Weight: 170 Bats/Throws: R/R More info: Player page Stats Splits Red Sox site

The decision to stay on this course against the Yankees was a topic of controversy on WFAN, the all-sports radio station in New York. But Little was unfazed by what anyone else might think.

"Our thought process is to keep him on the same program he's been on throughout the season," the Boston manager said. "When we get an opportunity to use an off day for an extra day's rest for him, we take it. The other day in Toronto, he had a little bit of trouble [feeling loose] until [the second or third] inning. That confirmed in my mind that this is the right thing to do."

Daubach gets start over Nixon

With lefty David Wells pitching for the Yankees, Little had to choose between left-handed hitters Brian Daubach and Trot Nixon. He decided to sit Nixon and give Daubach the rare start in right field. Daubach played some right field while Nixon -- one of his best friends on the team -- served a four-game suspension a couple of weeks ago.

Nixon, who's hitting just .244, hasn't gotten on track yet this season after having a career year in 2001. Meanwhile, Daubach, hitting .311 with eight homers nad 25 RBIs, has done a solid job giving Boston production as Manny Ramirez recovers from a fractured left index finger.

"He's been through this type of stuff before; he'll get through it," Little said of Nixon. "He's a battler. "

Ian Browne covers the Red Sox for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or any of its teams.