Red Sox: Schilling to DL; Mirabelli released

[MaineDem]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The Boston Red Sox placed Curt Schilling on the 60-day disabled list Thursday as he continues to rehabilitate his right shoulder.

They also released Doug Mirabelli, who had been the personal catcher for knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, and sent five players to the minors. Moving Schilling to the disabled list cleared space for Boston to sign right-hander Lincoln Holdzkom to its 40-man roster.

The moves left the Red Sox with 40 players, including Schilling, in their major league camp six days before they leave for Tokyo, where they’re scheduled to play two exhibition games against Japanese teams and two regular season games against the Oakland Athletics.

Schilling has said he would have preferred surgery, but the team insisted he try rehab. The right-hander said he wasn’t hurt when he signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Red Sox in November.

http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/023737.html

I really wonder if Schilling will pitch at all this season? The rotation looks decent without him so that's a good thing.

[El Supremo]

1. And Beckett hasn't pitched all spring.

[joeybee12]

2. All I gotta say is...

...thank God it's early in the year!

[madinmaryland]

3. What does that mean for Tim Wakefield?

[hughee99]

4. Not much

Kevin Cash did an adequate job catching Wakefield last year. With Varitek aging, the Sox don't have the luxury of keeping a backup catcher who's only value is catching a knuckleball. Cash should be okay with Wakefield and a better backup if Varitek has to take more time off this year.

[rinsd]

5. He should have had the surgery.

Instead he "listened" to the team mgmt. though to be honest it sounded like the team said do as we say or we will release you.

I know its a new owner but the same philosophy seems still in place.

Think of how Nomar's wrist was handled.

[hughee99]

6. It's a contract related situation...

The team signed him to a 1 year deal for $8 million guaranteed (which looks rather unwise now). If he gets the surgery, he's out for the year. The team pays him $8 million knowing that he will never throw a pitch for it. If it was a multi-year deal, or had a team option for another year, the team might have been more open to the prospect of surgery. If Shilling were to allow for renegotiations of another year (not that he's obligated to), I think the team might be willing to change their recommendations.

[rinsd]

7. Thanks, I always did find the reasoning strange.