01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, April 16, 2006

BY STEVEN KRASNER and PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writers

BOSTON -- For years, hitters have complained about how frustrating it can be to deal with Tim Wakefield's knuckle ball. Right now, though, Josh Bard is having more problems with it than anyone.

That's bad since Bard is Wakefield's new personal catcher.

Bard caught Wakefield for the third time in yesterday's 3-0 loss to Seattle. He had two passed balls, both contributing to the Mariners' three-run third. Bard now has five passed balls. Doug Mirabelli, Wakefield's catcher last season, had six all year.

"I could do a gut check and say, 'Could I have done anything differently,' " Bard said. "That's the thing that's frustrating me right now. I feel like I'm prepared. I feel like I'm doing what I can do. I just missed the ball."

Bard, who was with Cleveland last season, insisted he will learn to deal with the floater.

"I can complain about it or I can continue to work on it. I'll win this war catching him. I know I will," he vowed. "Each time lately it seems like it's happening in bad situations. I've got to limit those. I think those are the times I've got to relax my body the most. Sometimes you try too hard in times like that when guys get on base and I think that's where I get in trouble."

Bard is working with first base coach and former catcher Bill Haselman.

"I watch a lot of videotape with my mechanics," he said. "I lean hard on Hass. Obviously, he caught him. He said the (third) inning was the only time he saw my head go up and down a little. That's something I'm fighting constantly with him. I feel like I made an adjustment, but obviously it's frustrating. I'm disappointed with the way today went but I'm going to keep working hard and I'll get this thing figured out."

Van Buren called up

Jermaine Van Buren was called up from Pawtucket to take David Wells' place on the roster and Lenny DiNardo's spot in the long-relief role. Wells was placed on the DL yesterday because of an injury to his right knee. Van Buren, 25, had thrown four scoreless innings for the PawSox this spring. The right-hander, who made his big-league debut last year with the Cubs, was promoted instead of Manny Delcarmen because Delcarmen is being groomed as a late-inning reliever.

Nixon healing quickly

Trot Nixon, who suffered a groin injury on Opening Day Tuesday, was so encouraged by his workouts the last couple of days that he thinks he could be ready to play in the next few days.

He did some soft-toss hitting yesterday for the first time, and didn't rule out the possibility that he could be ready to pinch hit today.

"I'm thankful it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be," said Nixon. "I'm happy I didn't have to go on the DL. Hopefully, it stays that way."

Pena's bat hot, fielding cold

Francona elected to start Wily Mo Pena in right field over Dustan Mohr yesterday, choosing between the right-handed hitters to face right-hander Joel Pineiro.

Offensively, at least, Pena justified the manager's faith in him. He crushed a ground-rule double to the triangle in the first and added a single in the seventh.

But once again Pena looked lost in right field, this time misjudging a liner hit right at him by Raul Ibanez in the third. The ball sailed over him and bounced into the Seattle bullpen for a run-scoring ground-rule double.

Sox salute Jackie Robinson

The Red Sox celebrated Jackie Robinson Day, in honor of the anniversary of the first game he played in the majors, breaking the color line on April 15, 1947. . . . Francona earned his 200th victory as Red Sox manager Friday night in his 334th game, the second-fastest to 200. Joe McCarthy did it in 323 games.

skrasner@projo.com / (401) 277-7340

pkenyon@projo.com / (401) 277-7340