"We're in first place! What the F is going on in this clubhouse? Damn!"

That's a very good question, Mr. Ortiz.

According to the Herald's Jeff Horrigan:

Payton got into a shouting match with Sox manager Terry Francona and bench coach Brad Mills in the late innings of Wednesday night's 7-4 win ... [Payton] was upset about losing a potential at-bat when Francona did a double-switch with John Olerud after inserting both players as defensive replacements in the seventh inning ... Payton laid into Francona and Mills in front of the entire team in the visitors' dugout and he was summoned into the manager's office after the game and told to return home rather than accompany the team to Baltimore.

In that game, Olerud went into the leadoff spot replacing Damon, while Payton replaced Millar in the #6 spot. It meant that Olerud batted third in the eighth inning and if the Sox had gone down in order in the 9th, Payton would have ended the game in the on-deck circle. However, he did get a plate appearance and flew out to center field.

Theo Epstein said (see here and here) that Francona told Payton to grab his luggage and get off the team plane. Then Tito called Theo and told him he wanted Payton shipped out. There is apparently a deal in place (for Oakland's Chad Bradford) which will be announced after the All-Star Game.

Francona also spoke to Johnny Damon about his comments regarding Curt Schilling. Damon: "He just pretty much called me a dumbass and told me to keep my mouth zipped." The implication is that Damon didn't realize how far away from being an effective starter Schilling is. (Or was it the scarves?)

Dave Heuschkel of the Courant quoted David Ortiz and Bronson Arroyo as confirming

that there are players upset with Schilling volunteering to pitch out of the bullpen. "It's true," Ortiz said.

Pitcher Bronson Arroyo took it a step further. "I know Johnny, Wake [Tim Wakefield] and [Mike] Timlin don't think he should be down there," Arroyo said. ... Arroyo said he doesn't have a problem with Schilling closing ["I think the guy would be a lights-out closer."]

Down in Pawtucket, Schilling spoke to the Herald's Steve Buckley: "I haven't talked with Johnny, so maybe what he said and how he said it was different than how it came out, which is probably the case. Johnny and I are good friends. ... Again, I'm going to go under the assumption it didn't come across the way it read, which happens a lot."

Schilling allowed two runs and two hits in his one inning of relief for the PawSox (the AP called it "sloppy"). After getting the first out, he gave up a single, a stolen base and a triple. An error allowed an unearned run to score before Schilling ended the inning. He threw 13 of his 14 pitches for strikes and is expected to pitch this weekend.

Kevin Millar basically said Peter Gammons's report was all wrong. "I haven't said anything. I don't know where it came from. ... I love it here. ... It's actually better with [Olerud] and I here."

David Wells expressed his support for Kenny Rogers: "I'm glad he did that. He needed to vent. ... The cameraman wasn't hurt. He went to the hospital, pretending to be hurt. He's winking at another guy, saying, 'I'm going to get paid.' That guy's a [expletive] idiot."

The best news of the night came from Pawtucket and Portland. Jon Papelbon went six innings, allowing three hits and one run in his AAA debut. He struck out seven while walking none. ... Anibal Sanchez (promoted from A to AA) made his Sea Dogs debut yesterday (on three days rest). He shut out Trenton for four innings, striking out six and allowing two hits and two walks on 53 pitches. ... Manny Delcarmen (in his PawSox debut) struck out five while pitching two relief innings on Wednesday.

If the rain lets up in Baltimore, it'll be Arroyo / Ponson at 7:30.