TORONTOShortstop Mike Aviles gave his manager a scare in the third inning of Saturdays game against the Blue Jays.
With the Red Sox already short on middle infielders with Dustin Pedroia nursing an ailing thumb, Aviles was caught on his right handin a nearly identical spot to Pedroias injurywhen Edwin Encarnacion's sharply hit bouncer took a funny skip off the Rogers Centre turf.
Valentine, along with trainer Rick Jameyson, trotted from the dugout. Valentines thoughts as he was covered the distance?
Oh, shoot! His fingers not broken, is it? It didnt hit him in the wrist, did it?
Thats why I didnt run out there, Valentine said. I tried to go through the whole gamut of things in my head.
But Aviles was not hurt seriously. Just momentarily stung.
I just needed a second because it was throbbing and it hurt, Aviles said. But it went away.
Boston Red Sox
Avileswho initially was charged with an error before the official scorer reversed the decision -- reassured Valentine and Jameyson, then shooed them back to the dugout.
By the time they came out I was good, Aviles said. I actually didnt want them to come out but they came out.
I got nervous for a split second too because I didnt know what was going on, like Oh, man, dont tell me and then it went away. But its fine. Ill be good. Ill be playing tomorrow. Stayed in there, grabbed the ball, throw, fine, all the same.
But, the next ball he got wasnt any easiera sharply hit ball by Brett Lawrie leading off the fourth which Aviles turned for a groundout. Although, not without leaving his glove hand with a stinger.
And, what would Valentine have done if Aviles had needed to come out of the game?
I would have put Dustin in the game, Valentine said. For a while anyway.