01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, May 20, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

TAMPA -- Pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim is far from untouchable, but as the submarining righthander attempts to get back on track at Pawtucket, the Red Sox aren't as anxious to deal him as some reports have indicated.

A story yesterday suggested that Kim was on the trading block, but moving the enigmatic Korean now would be counterproductive, several baseball executives confirmed.

After missing almost all of April with a shoulder strain, Kim returned to the Sox rotation and made three starts; in the last two, he failed to last through the fourth inning.

Kim's velocity, once regularly in the low 90s, is now in the mid 80s. Dealing him now would mean trading him when his value has bottomed out and would almost certainly require the Sox to eat a significant amount of his salary. Kim is scheduled to make $4 million this year and $6 million next.

One American League team with a passing interest in Kim sent a scout to watch his last start. The scout reported that Kim "looked like he had the arm of a 40 year old."

Should Kim regain his effectiveness, the Sox might be more aggressive in looking to deal him later this season, but only after some of his value has been reestablished.

Lowe in search mode

Derek Lowe will be out to reverse a trend when he starts the series finale tonight. Lowe has issued 11 walks in his last three starts, covering 16 1/3 innings, and is at a loss to explain why.

Overall this season, Lowe has walked 20 in 38 innings, a walk ratio far higher than in the past.

"I don't really know [what's causing the poor command]," Lowe said. "I have to be able to throw my sinker for strikes. You just keep pitching because you know, at some point, it's going to be there."

Exhibition exploration

The Red Sox are in discussions with the Arizona Diamondbacks to play two exhibition games in Phoenix after the club leaves Florida to start the season.

Before the teams can commit to a deal, however, the Sox have to find out where they're scheduled to start the regular season. If the MLB schedule has them opening on the East Coast, it might not make sense for the Sox to fly to Arizona from Florida, then fly back for a season opener in the Eastern time zone.

"The normal protocol is to wait until the first draft of the schedule is out (around the All-Star break)," said Red Sox COO Mike Dee.

There's also the possibility that the Sox could open their regular season outside the continental United States, as the Yankees did this spring, opening with a series in Tokyo against Tampa.

"If the phone call came with that opportunity, it's something we'd consider," Dee said.

So-so rehab news

Trot Nixon went 2-for-4 in an extended spring training game in Fort Myers, Fla. In Boston, meanwhile, Nomar Garciaparra went through another day of workouts and will be reevaluated tomorrow when the Sox return to Fenway.

The Sox continue to avoid setting timetables for either player's return.

Addressing Garciaparra, manager Terry Francona conceded: "It's not going to be as quick as we had hoped. But I don't want to make the kid feel we're disappointed in him. We're not. He's busting his (tail)."

Manny moves up

The homer hit by Manny Ramirez in the third inning last night was No. 356 of his career, moving him past Greg Vaughn into 63rd place on baseball's all-time list. Next up, at 358, is Hall of Famer Yogi Berra.

Ramirez now has 120 homers since joining the Sox, placing him 20th on the franchise's all-time list after just over three seasons with the club.

Ramirez (slight groin strain) remained at DH and will likely be there again tonight until the Sox can get home and off the artificial surface here.

Around the horn

A six-minute delay took place in the bottom of the third inning as Curt Schilling wanted some work done on the mound by the ground's crew. . . . When David Ortiz doubled in the third, it ran the Sox' streak of games with at least one two-base hit to 16, the longest such streak in the majors. The Sox have at least one double in 32 of the last 33 games. . . . By recording his second strikeout of the night, Schilling became the 20th pitcher in baseball history to reach 2,600 for his career . . . The Sox are now 5-0 against Tampa Bya this season, outscoring them 28-6.