Tavarez + Sox/Rays = Trouble

One day after Josh Beckett nearly brawled with Ryan Howard, Julian Tavarez punched Tampa's Joey Gathright in the face on a tag play at the plate.

Gathright challenged Tavarez to a fight in the parking lot after the game (the Sox pitcher did not accept) and said he "hits like a woman".

Tavarez says he's not a fighting guy: "Look how calm I am. I'm a very calm person. But when we're on the field, little things go south. All my troubles I've had in the major leagues have been on the field, but in the clubhouse I'm cool with everybody." ... Two lists of the highly-strung pitcher's outbursts. ... The teams play each other in about a month (April 28).

Re Beckett/Howard, Phillies starter Cory Lidle: "Everyone I've ever talked to who has played with Josh Beckett says no one likes him. And that's why."

Making his third appearance in four days, Keith Foulke pitched a perfect sixth against Tampa -- he's retired all nine batters he has faced this spring. His fastball was been clocked at 85-86 mph and his changeup was at 74 mph. ... Hee-Seop Choi walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and Boston won the game 12-11.

David Wells will start the season on the disabled list. Sean McAdam explains:

Wells, who was initially going to pitch Saturday in Philadelphia, will instead throw in a minor-league game here this weekend. A player can't be back-dated on the disabled list if he appears in a game in which admission is charged. By having him pitch in a minor-league game, the Red Sox will be able to place him on the DL retroactive to today, and have him eligible to come off in time to make his first start of the season on April 12. Wells will ... make an April 7 start at [Pawtucket].

Tony Graffanino was claimed off waivers by the Royals (the team that traded him to the Red Sox eight months ago). ... Hanley Ramirez won the Marlins' shortstop job.