Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein took in batting practice yesterday from beside the cage, but his focus wasn't on the field. Instead, Epstein spoke with trainers Paul Lessard and Mike Reinold. They had no shortage of subject matter.
The clubhouse quickly is resembling a M*A*S*H unit, and the Sox featured a makeshift lineup in their series-opener against the Cleveland Indians. Things weren't going well through seven innings, as the Tribe held a 7-2 lead. With injured Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis out, J.D. Drew was in the leadoff spot, Jeff Bailey was at first, and Jonathan Van Every was in center. Justin Masterson took the hill against former Sox farmhand Carl Pavano in the hopes of gutting out a win.
``Injuries are going to happen throughout the year,'' Drew said. ``You can't foresee them happening or protect against them. The big key is to pick those guys up, let them get some rest, and see how it goes.''
Drew momentarily thought he had been given the day off when he first checked the lineup card. Then he noticed his fill-in job for Ellsbury, who has a sore hamstring.
``I actually didn't think I was in the lineup until I looked at the top,'' he said.
Drew has struggled in the leadoff spot throughout his career, worse than any other position in the order. He entered last night at .243 with a .742 OPS in 63 games as a leadoff hitter, and he was 1-for-4 after seven innings.
``It's not my favorite spot in the lineup, but it's only the first time around,'' Drew said. ``I still keep my same approach. I don't really change a whole lot regardless of where I am in the lineup.
``I've found if you try to worry about where in the lineup you are and start thinking you have to do something beyond what you'd normally do, you're going to find yourself in trouble.''
The Sox had their chances in the early going, loading the bases twice, but they emerged with only two runs. The killer was in the fourth, when Pavano struck out Nick Green on three pitches and induced a Drew grounder to second after the Sox had loaded the bases on a double, hit by pitch, and single.
The Indians took a 4-2 lead in the fifth, the same inning that proved Masterson's undoing in his last start against the Rays. With one out and Kelly Shoppach on first via a hit by pitch, Masterson blew away dangerous leadoff man Grady Sizemore with a 95 mph fastball.
The inning appeared over when Asdrubal Cabrera hit one up the middle that shortstop Nick Green fielded while ranging behind the bag. Green's spinning relay bounded behind second baseman Dustin Pedroia, however, and Cabrera reached first on what was ruled a single.
Victor Martinez followed with a howitzer to center that just barely eluded the outstretched glove of Van Every, who slammed his shoulder and neck into the wall while trying to make the catch.
The two-run double gave the Indians a 3-2 lead that they increased to 4-2 on a Shin-Soo Choo single.
Martinez ended Masterson's night in the seventh with an RBI single, and reliever Hunter Jones gave up a two-run blast to Mark DeRosa that made it 7-2.
- jtomase@bostonherald.com
