With Jon Papelbon pitching to well to come out of the closer roll, the Red Sox call on Lenny DiNardo to fill the role as fifth starter.

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

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Remember all that starting pitching depth the Boston Red Sox were crowing about all winter, how they were seven deep?

Well, yesterday, after putting 42-year-old left-hander David Wells on the disabled list, the Red Sox are down to four proven starters, with inexperienced Lenny DiNardo stepping in to take Wells's spot in the rotation for now.

Wells was given a shot of Synvisc, a lubricating agent, in his right knee joint Friday in an attempt to alleviate the pain he feels. Wells will be given two more shots over a two-week period, following the medical path that has permitted Keith Foulke, who underwent the injections in both knees this spring, to return to action.

DiNardo's second career start, meanwhile, will come tomorrow morning, in the annual Patriots' Day game, against the Seattle Mariners. Jonathan Papelbon, another potential starting candidate this spring, has been too valuable as a closer (5 for 5 in save chances) to be moved out of the bullpen, indicated manager Terry Francona.

The Sox are calling Wells's problem a "sprained right knee," which drew a chuckle of surprise from Wells after yesterday's 3-0 loss to Seattle.

"Is that what they're calling it?" said Wells, who had arthroscopic surgery on the knee last November.

"Well, then, no, I've never had a sprained knee like this before. It's bone on bone there. It doesn't feel too good right now. But I'm going into this with very positive good thoughts. The injections hopefully will help. I'm not down on it yet. I have to give this a legitimate shot and not go through the motions. I intend to pitch a full season. I owe it to the team. I owe it to myself."

The Wells Saga dates back to the offseason, when he asked for a trade to a team closer to his San Diego home.

Wells, who later rescinded his trade request, began throwing off the mound late in camp, began the year on the disabled list and was roughed up in a rehab outing in Pawtucket (7 runs in 5 innings on April 7), an appearance he insisted he didn't need. And Wells wasn't any better in his season debut for Boston, when he was tagged for 7 runs on 10 hits, including three homers, in only four-plus innings in an 8-4 loss to Toronto last Wednesday.

Wells said he felt the knee flare up when he left the mound to cover first on a ball to the right side during the third inning. He tried to pitch through it, but says he has come to the realization that he won't do anybody any good by continuing, given the way he feels.

"If I can't cover first there's no reason for me to be out there," said Wells. "And if you can't get over your front leg (in the pitching delivery) you won't be effective. My pitches were flat (against Toronto). Yeah, I want to be out there, but not if I can't do my job."

Wells' knee troubles seemed to surprise the Sox to some extent.

"He was feeling pretty good. Now he can't even take the ball," said general manager Theo Epstein. "I saw him throw his last time in spring when the (big-league) team was in Philadelphia and he actually looked pretty good. In Pawtucket he struggled, but there were no complaints about his knee. He didn't say anything about his knee until now.

"Hopefully it's a short-term problem. There's always the chance it could be a long-term problem. We have to deal with it," he said.

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