In Boston Clubhouse, No Comfort in a Fast Start

BOSTON, May 20 - Because his current perspective is from high atop the American League East, Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona was asked whether he felt any sympathy for or empathy with Joe Torre, his rival as manager of the Yankees.

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Kevin Youkilis had three hits Sunday, including a home run, but was tagged out at home plate by the Braves' Brian McCann in the first.

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Catcher Jason Varitek hitting a bases-loaded triple in the first against the Braves’ Tim Hudson. Kason Gabbard (1-0) was called up from Class AAA Pawtucket and gave up two runs and six hits.

As the surging Red Sox headed toward Yankee Stadium for three games beginning Monday night, the Yankees were reeling, because of slumps and injuries, through their worst stretch of Torre's 12-year stewardship.

"It's not a fair question," Francona said. "It might be a shocker to you, but I'm really hoping they don't end up ahead of us."

Boston defeated Atlanta, 6-3, on Sunday, and the Red Sox (30-13) hold a 10 ½-game lead over Baltimore (20-24) and the Yankees (19-23), who ended their slide with a victory against the Mets later on Sunday.

Boston has won 18 of its past 24 games. Jason Varitek had a bases-loaded triple in the first inning to help the left-hander Kason Gabbard (1-0), who was called up from Class AAA Pawtucket for his first appearance this season and sent down right afterward after giving up two runs and six hits in five innings.

Varitek, when asked whether this was a good time to play the Yankees, said: "It's a good time to face everybody."

Kevin Youkilis, who had three hits, including a home run, to raise his average to .340, had more expansive comments about the expanding lead.

"It does not matter until we're clinched," said Youkilis, whose fielding at first base sparkled over the weekend as the Red Sox took two of three. "It's still May. It's a long season. It would be great if the season ended today. That's not the case."

The loser was Tim Hudson (5-2). Center fielder Andruw Jones struck out five times as his average fell to .212. The Braves play the Mets next in a three-game series.

In his first three seasons at Fenway Park, Francona has won one World Series championship. Torre has four championships. But they exhibit dramatically different approaches when representing their franchises to reporters before games.

Torre sits in the dugout and answers most questions at length, but Francona speaks briskly from behind a table in a classroom-like setting. He sometimes challenges the wisdom of interrogators and the premise of their questions.

On Sunday, Francona objected to the use of the word "rival" in describing the men who manage in one of the most storied competitions in American sports. "I'm not Joe Torre's rival," Francona said. "That would be incorrect."

Later, in a conversation, Francona softened his tone and explained his trepidations regarding Torre's Yankees. "Remember two years ago when they were 11-19 and people counted them out?" Francona said. "They ended up tying us."

In that season, both teams finished 95-67, but the Yankees were awarded the division title and the Red Sox the wild card. Boston had been in first place by five and a half games on Aug. 10 and led the Yankees by six and a half games on June 26.

So Francona has reason for his caution. His teams tend to start fast and fade. New England fans also have memories of the 1978 Red Sox, who led the A.L. East by 14 games in mid-July but lost the title in a one-game postseason playoff to the Yankees, who had risen from fourth place.

Last season, the Red Sox led the division by three and a half games on July 21 but finished in third place, 11 games behind the Yankees, who won the division title for the ninth consecutive season. In 2004, the Red Sox finished second behind the Yankees, but they won the World Series as a wild card.

"They have been so good for so long," Francona said of Torre's Yankees. "I have so much respect for how Joe Torre does his job and for how his veteran players react to him."

In the first six meetings between the teams this season, the Red Sox have won five times.

Although the rivalry began in the early 20th century, the sense of desperation in Boston has diminished since 2004, when the Red Sox won four consecutive games in the A.L. championship series to eliminate the Yankees in seven and then swept St. Louis to win their first title since 1918.

Perhaps that also was the tipping point for the Yankees' decline. They have not been that close to the World Series since. Their slump through the first quarter of this season has been a greater baseball topic than the Red Sox' having the best record in the majors or the Mets' having the best team in New York.

In the Red Sox clubhouse early Sunday, the big television in the center of the room showed a long camera shot of Torre. On the bottom of the screen were the words "Yankees 10 ½ games back of Red Sox in A.L. East," followed by "Joe Torre on the hot seat."

After the game, as the Boston players packed for their trip, the same television glowed again, this time with the field at Shea Stadium, as the Yankees prepared to play the Mets.

Many of Torre's problems have been because of injuries to pitchers. The Red Sox have not had such issues, although their best starter, Josh Beckett (7-0), is on the disabled list with an injury to his right middle finger. Boston's starters in New York will be Tim Wakefield, Julián Tavárez and Curt Schilling. The Yankees will start Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte.

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