Louis William Merloni is back in Boston. San Diego sent the infielder back east in exchange for AA pitcher Rene Miniel. Merloni hit .272 in 151 at-bats for the Padres, with an OBP of .362. The Red Sox transferred Robert Person to the 60-day DL to make room for the Governor. ... A few AL East graphs. ... Today: Yankees and Athletics win, Mariners lose; Boston trails New York by 4½ and is ½ game ahead of Seattle for the wild card. ... Michael "I'm Objective" Kay on Red Sox fans: "They overestimate their team because they are overcompensating for their feelings of inferiority of the Yankees. I honestly think that whenever they are ahead, the emotion they feel is more of a fear of being caught rather than the euphoria of having only the wind in front of you." ... Could someone please pass this around the Sox clubhouse tomorrow afternoon?