01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, August 25, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

TORONTO -- Curtis Leskanic would like to work a lot over the last six weeks of the Red Sox season.

But it's OK with the right-handed reliever if he doesn't get noticed. In fact, that would be a good thing.

"It's a role where when you do good, no one knows about it, and when you do bad, everyone knows it," Leskanic said.

That's because the Red Sox are hoping that Leskanic can fill the bullpen void that was created when Scott Williamson went on the disabled list for the second time this season, on July 3.

Williamson had given order to manager Terry Francona's bullpen. Williamson would be called upon in the sixth or seventh, leaving Alan Embree and Mike Timlin for the eighth and Keith Foulke for the ninth.

But without Williamson, Francona began calling on Embree and Timlin an inning earlier, with less than stellar results. Embree recently wound up needing a week off because of a "dead arm," and Timlin has been giving up runs at an every-other-outing rate.

Enter Leskanic. Or, more accurately, re-enter Leskanic, who was taken off the disabled list on Aug. 17. He still feels pain in his labrum, but he had been used in three games prior to last night's contest against the Blue Jays, and was able to pitch through the discomfort.

His velocity, which was around 95-96 mph earlier this season when he was pitching for Kansas City, is down to 92-93. But that's better than the 88 mph his fastball reached on July 24 against the Yankees, when his shoulder popped out during his final outing and caused him to land on the DL.

"Tek (catcher Jason Varitek) told me not to worry about (the velocity), to hit the spots at 92 and 93," Leskanic said. "That's what I'm trying to do now. I'm hoping for tolerable pain. When I throw a fastball or a slider down and away, I can feel it, but if I can keep the pain tolerable I'll be all right.

"The way I see myself being used here in this bullpen is to come in and help a guy get out of an inning, maybe in the sixth or seventh. It can be an important role, but the toughest three outs to get are the last three. That guy (Foulke) has the toughest job."

Leskanic, 36, who has been in the big leagues for 10 years in a professional career that dates back to 1990, is considering retiring after this season.

"The last couple of days I was joking around with (starter) Bronson (Arroyo), asking him if he'll leave me tickets next year if I come to a game. He said, 'Come on, you'll play for five more years.' I'm not 100 percent sure (whether to retire). Hopefully I can get through this season with minimal pain," Leskanic said.

The injury update

Williamson is working out with Cincinnati Reds team physician Timothy Kremcheck, with the right-hander hoping he won't have to have a second Tommy John ligament transplant surgery on his right elbow.

Francona said Williamson was expected to be back in Boston over the weekend to be examined by the Red Sox' medical staff.

In other medical news, Pokey Reese continues to progress from his oblique strain, but while his return is not imminent, he's likely to return sooner than Trot Nixon (quadriceps) or Ellis Burks (left knee). Burks is with the team, but is being careful about working out on the SkyDome turf. Nixon is home, but Francona didn't think Nixon had progressed past the jogging stage of his rehab.

Lincoln team to be feted

The Lincoln Little League team, which bowed out of the World Series in Williamsport, Pa., yesterday, will be invited to participate in pregame ceremonies at Fenway Park at some point during the Red Sox' next homestand, which begins tomorrow night and runs through Sept. 5.

Catcher, ump have it out

Toronto catcher Gregg Zaun had words for plate umpire Tony Randazzo when he was called out on strikes with runners at second and third and none out in the second inning. Zaun thought Tim Wakefield's knuckler was outside, and it appeared that way on the replay.

Before Jays starter Miguel Batista threw a pitch in the top of the third, Zaun continued his dicussion from his squat position, back to the umpire, leading to a nose-to-nose chat with Randazzo. That prompted members of the Jays to rush in to keep Zaun from getting tossed. Order was restored without an ejection.

Getting a rare start

Dave Roberts made only his fourth start since joining the Sox.

Francona said before the game he was hoping Roberts could make an impact maybe on a bunt or with his speed. It didn't work out as planned.

Roberts fouled out to the catcher on a bunt try on the first pitch of his initial at-bat. And, after drawing a one-out walk in the third, Roberts, running on the pitch, was doubled up at first base on Manny Ramirez's flyout to shallow left.

And in the ninth, Roberts was thrown out by the pitcher trying to bunt his way on.

Numbers of note

Ramirez made it seven straight seasons of 30 homers and 100 RBI when he drilled a two-run single to right-center in the fifth inning. He had 33 homers and 98 RBI entering the game. . . . Wakefield plunked Frank Menechino and Chris Gomez, his 10th and 11th hit-batsman of the year, pushing the Red Sox' total to 74. Tampa Bay had entered last night's action leading the league with 73. . . . Johnny Damon swiped his 13th base in 20 attempts. . . . Doug Mirabelli has hit three of his eight homers this year at SkyDome. He had a two-homer game here on April 21. He has four career homers in Toronto. Last night's traveled an estimated 421 feet. . . . Ramiro Mendoza retired the only two batters he faced. He has pitched well enough lately, Francona said, to have earned himself opportunities to pitch in more important situations. . . . Of Keith Foulke's 23 saves this year, six have been of more than one inning.