01:00 AM EDT on Monday, June 28, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON --

Theo Epstein, the Red Sox' general manager, is trying to remain patient during his team's prolonged stretch of mediocre play.

He said he isn't about to do anything drastic just yet to shake the team from its doldrums. But if things don't change . . .

"We've set very high standards and we haven't met those standards so far, and that's disappointing," said Epstein prior to yesterday's game.

"I think it's going to turn around, but it's going to be with these players right here. I will be open-minded to making changes. Down the line maybe we'll reach the point of making changes for change sake, but I don't think we're there yet. So right now we have to believe in this team and the players' ability to turn things around and find some ways to get better.

"Our last four wins (five, after yesterday's romp) have been blowouts," said Epstein. "We're 5-8 in one-run games. Right now we're not finding ways to win close ballgames. That's got to change. The Yankees are finding ways to win games and we're not.

"Do I think we're as talented as any team in baseball when we're healthy and playing well? Yes, but we're not playing well right now. Do I think we have as much potential as any team in baseball? Yes, but that's not a word you want to use at the big-league level," said Epstein.

Thumbs-up for Reese's return

Pokey Reese tested his injured left thumb again yesterday and said he was hopeful that he'll be back in starting lineup tomorrow for the opener of a three-game series in Yankee Stadium.

Reese took grounders for a while, using two different gloves. One glove had a splint taped inside, and the other had a removeable pad around the base of his thumb. Reese said he felt more comfortable with the glove with the splint in it.

In addition to fielding grounders, particularly on the backhand, which puts more strain on the thumb, Reese also took some throws from third baseman Kevin Youkilis as a pivotman on double plays. He was a little tentative receiving the throws.

"If I catch the ball directly on the thumb, it hurts," said Reese. "Other than that, I feel fine."

The middle infielder also took batting practice without any apparent ill effects.

Mueller remains in Pawtucket

The Pawtucket Red Sox will have a couple of major -league reinforcements for their four-game series in Norfolk, which begins tonight.

Bill Mueller (right knee), who played five innings Saturday night for the PawSox, will rejoin the team tonight. He worked out in Boston yesterday. Mueller said yesterday that he came through his first rehabilitation game without any trouble.

Mueller said Friday in Atlanta "is a nice goal to shoot for" as a return date, but that he wasn't certain if that will be the case.

"There's a difference in being in good physical good and good baseball shape," said Mueller. "I don't want to get ahead of myself. I haven't even played back-to-back games yet, or nine innings."

Epstein said Ellis Burks (left knee) also will join the PawSox tonight. Burks said he thought he would serve as the designated hitter for a few games with an eye toward joining Boston in Atlanta.

"It's exciting," said Burks, who hasn't appeared in a game since April 24, when he was hit by a pitch as a pinch-hitter. "I'll see if I can get some Triple-A knocks."

Youkilis bruised but not broken

Youkilis banged his left elbow on the wall near the Phillies' dugout while trying to track down Johnny Rollins' foul popup on the first pitch of the game. He said it was just a bone bruise, and didn't need to be x-rayed.

The Sox' third baseman committed an error on a routine grounder in the seventh, his third miscue of the season. But this time, the Red Sox didn't give up any unearned runs because of it. Boston had given up 29 unearned runs in its previous 27 games.

At the plate, Youkilis went 2-for-3 with an RBI, raising his average to .298 (34-for-114). He also scored a pair of runs.

Varitek prevails again

Catcher Jason Varitek gunned down Placido Polanco trying to steal second base in the fifth inning. He has thrown out 12-of-44 runners.

Around the bases

Curt Schilling, who voiced early concerns about being a fly-ball pitcher in Fenway Park, is 7-0 with a 2.48 earned-run average in eight starts at home this season. He will undergo another MRI today of his right ankle to see if his bone bruise has gotten worse. . . . Keith Foulke, who pitched the ninth, hasn't had a save opportunity since June 13, a span of 12 games. Foulke has 13 saves in 15 chances. Three of his last four appearances have been in blowouts -- Red Sox wins by scores of 14-9, 9-2 and 12-3. . . . The Sox have had at least 10 hits in 9 of their last 11 games, but are only 5-6 in those games.