BOSTON – Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona said he was encouraged by test results from injured right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka’s visit with a team doctor.

Matsuzaka was scratched just before the first pitch of his scheduled start Saturday against Philadelphia and was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained forearm. He was examined by Dr. Thomas Gill on Sunday.

“He tested out real well,” Francona said after the Red Sox lost 5-3 to the Phillies on Sunday.

Matsuzaka warmed up and walked to the dugout about 15 minutes before the start of Saturday’s game. Francona said after Boston’s 10-2 win over the Phillies that Matsuzaka felt he could pitch by altering his delivery, but the team was uncomfortable with him doing that.

Matsuzaka, who started the season on the DL with a neck strain, is 5-2 with a 4.59 ERA in eight starts.

 JIM JOYCE was voted the best umpire in Major League Baseball in a poll of 100 players conducted by ESPN the Magazine.

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Joyce made national headlines when he missed a call at first base that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game on June 2. After seeing a replay, the 22-year veteran acknowledged he blew the call and apologized to Galarraga.

ESPN said that 50 active players from each league were asked confidentially within the past week to select the three best umpires in baseball. Joyce was named on 53 percent of the surveys, topping Tim McClelland (34 percent).

CB Bucknor was voted the game’s worst ump.

Also, 86 percent of players agreed that Commissioner Bud Selig should not have overturned Joyce’s call and awarded Galarraga the 21st perfect game in big league history.

The issue of instant replay also was addressed, and 77 percent said there should be no replay on base calls.

 BRAVES: A finger injury kept Chipper Jones out of Atlanta’s starting lineup against the Minnesota Twins.

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Braves Manager Bobby Cox said Jones’ status is day to day.

TIGERS: Rookie outfielder Austin Jackson left Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh after a half-inning because of back spasms.

REDS: Right-hander Edinson Volquez is scheduled to make his second rehab start since undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Volquez will start for Class A Lynchburg on Thursday.

Volquez, who had ligament-replacement surgery last Aug. 3, pitched three shutout innings for Lynchburg on Saturday. He allowed hits to the first two batters he faced before retiring the next nine, three with strikeouts.

Volquez was handed a 50-game suspension April 20 for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance but is due to complete that suspension today.

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YANKEES: Outfielder Marcus Thames was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring, and outfielder Chad Huffman was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Thames said the injury was mild and that he should be ready to play as soon as he is eligible to come off the DL.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez was out for a third straight game because of a sore hip.

BRIAN MCNAMEE told federal investigators that Roger Clemens’ nonprofit organization paid him for his training services, including providing the seven-time Cy Young Award winner with performance-enhancing drugs, the New York Times reported on its website Sunday night.

McNamee told authorities investigating Clemens for perjury that the payments were made from the Roger Clemens Foundation from 1998-2001, according to several people briefed on the investigation, the Times reported. McNamee, who claims he routinely injected Clemens with steroids during that time, said he was also paid in cash and personal checks.

Clemens’ lawyer, Rusty Hardin disputed McNamee’s claims, telling the newspaper the former trainer had again lied to federal authorities.

Clemens is under investigation for possible perjury charges stemming from his statements under oath to Congress in February 2008 in which he denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs.

 


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