On To Minnesota

Terry Francona on Manny Ramirez and his blurred vision: "His eye is real red. I don't think it's a scratch. It's just got a little blood. ... I think as far as the future, he's all right." ... I hope he's back in the lineup tonight.

Here's one of Jose Melendez's three potential marketing opportunities for Ramirez and "Manny being Manny":

This is Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox. Like a lot of you, I'm a big fan of the fine arts. But when I want some culture, I'm not looking for pointillism, cubism, Dadaism or any of this modernist crap. That's why I like to visit the impressionist galleries at the Museum of Fine Arts. Because at the MFA it's just Manet Being Manet.

Curt Schilling on his current role:

I'm enjoying the fact that I'm getting out there every night. I want to get back into the rotation. That's my goal. [Relieving is] as fun as it can be. It's like anything else; it's fun when you win and it's not when you lose. Given the way things are going right now, this is what has to happen. ... I think it's helping from a sharpness standpoint, refining and feeling my pitches. At some point I'm going to have to go out and throw three or four innings to get back and be able to work; I can't do some of the things I do between starts to build my stamina.

The Red Sox have won a season-high eight in a row and 12 of their last 15. ... Jason Varitek's first career grand slam came in his 120th AB with the bases loaded. It was the Sox's 11th slam of the season, three shy of the major league mark set by Oakland in 2000. ... Mark Bellhorn is 0-12 in three games with Pawtucket. ... A report on El Guapo.

Sox are Kings of the Road:

On its tour through 12 cities, the self-styled posse of scruffy idiots is leading Major League Baseball in road attendance, a category the Yankees have won the last three seasons. ... Through Wednesday's games, Boston's 56 road dates averaged 38,673 in attendance, more than the Yankees' 38,140 average in 51 games. The Yankees have the record for road attendance, 3.3 million, set last year.

In New York, it's just Gary being Gary:

Gary Sheffield has news for Yankee fans: Derek Jeter ain't the leader of this pack. "I know who the leader is on the team," Sheffield said in an explosive New York magazine interview set to hit newsstands Monday.

"I ain't going to say who it is, but I know who it is. I know who the team feeds off. I know who the opposing team comes in knowing they have to defend to stop the Yankees. ... Why shouldn't I tell the truth? I ain't trying to get no Pepsi commercial."

The Yankees are in Toronto and the Red Sox play in Minnesota:

Tonight: Bronson Arroyo / Brad Radke, 8:00
Saturday: David Wells / Johan Santana, 7:00
Sunday: Tim Wakefield / Joe Mays, 2:00