01:00 AM EDT on Friday, April 28, 2006

BY JOE MCDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- Red Sox pitcher Matt Clement will take the mound in St. Petersburg tonight for the first time since his horrific incident there on July 26, 2005.

Boston's right-hander, who is 2-1 with a 6.17 E.R.A this season, was struck flush on the right side of his skull by a sizzling line drive hit by Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford last summer.

"For me to sit here and say I don't think about it I would be lying," he said. "The best way I can describe it to you guys, it's like a car wreck. You don't think about your car wreck every day, but every once and a while it's going to pop into your mind and you remember."

It was a turning point for him. He began the 2005 season 6-0, posting a 3.06 E.R.A over his first 11 starts. Even though he finished the season with a 13-6 record, getting hit did have some effect on his pitching.

"It's part of pitching," he said. "The ball could have gone off my knee. It's in the past and I think I've done a pretty good job putting it behind me."

When the Rays visited Fenway after the incident, Clement spoke with Crawford about it.

"He was very polite and he's a nice young guy," said Clement. "He's an exciting player for baseball and he just said he was glad I bounced back. He's going to be a great player. He already is."

During his last start in Toronto on Sunday, a ball was lined directly over his head, but it didn't seem to affect him.

"I do think about what happened, but not when I'm out there pitching," he said. "It really doesn't cross my mind. Before I was hit, if one came by me like that I would be startled, it would shake me up a little bit but that's human nature. I prayed about it a lot and the lord has answered my prayers where I don't feel it out there, and thank goodness for that."

Bard works with Haselman

Red Sox catcher Josh Bard, who was charged with four passed balls Wednesday night, was working with former catcher and current first base coach Bill Haselman yesterday. Bard catches Tim Wakefield and has allowed 10 passed balls this season, so he was watching video to figure out what changes he can make to handle the knuckle ball.

Wallace hip surgery June 1

Red Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace is scheduled to have hip-replacement surgery on June 1. In the meantime he's been watching some of the club's pitching prospects in Pawtucket. "He misses [being around here]," said manager Terry Francona. "And we miss having him around." . . . The bat-throwing incident Wednesday in Pawtucket, involving Tampa prospect Delmon Young, who hit the plate umpire after being called out on strikes, was the topic of many discussions here yesterday. Francona said he has seen a similar incident in winter ball . . . Despite his numbers in his 2006 Red Sox debut, reliever Manny Delcarmen was happy with his performance on Wednesday night. He allowed two runs on four hits in the eighth inning, but three of the hits were bleeders. The right-hander has his curveball spinning and was hitting 97 mph on the gun. Francona said he liked what he saw despite the numbers.

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