Red Sox vs. White Sox

A look at the best-of-5 American League Division Series between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox:

Schedule: Game 1, today, at Chicago (10:09 a.m., ESPN); Game 2, Wednesday, at Chicago (1:09 p.m., ESPN); Game 3, Friday, at Boston (10:19 a.m., ESPN2); x-Game 4, Saturday, at Boston (TBA); x-Game 5, Sunday, at Chicago (TBA). x-if necessary.

Season series: Boston won 4-3.

Projected lineups

Red Sox: CF Johnny Damon (.316, 10 HRs, 75 RBIs, 117 runs, 18 SBs), SS Edgar Renteria (.276, 8, 70), DH David Ortiz (.300, 47, 148), LF Manny Ramirez (.292, 45, 144), RF Trot Nixon (.275, 13, 67), C Jason Varitek (.281, 22, 70), 1B John Olerud (.289, 7, 37) or Kevin Millar (.272, 9, 50), 3B Bill Mueller (.295, 10, 62), 2B Tony Graffanino (.309, 7, 38 with Kansas City and Boston).

White Sox: LF Scott Podsednik (.290, 0, 25, 59 SBs), 2B Tadahito Iguchi (.278, 15, 71), RF Jermaine Dye (.274, 31, 86), 1B Paul Konerko (.283, 40, 100, 98 runs), DH Carl Everett (.251, 23, 87), CF Aaron Rowand (.270, 13, 69), C A.J. Pierzynski (.257, 18, 56), 3B Joe Crede (.252, 22, 62), SS Juan Uribe (.252, 16, 71).

Projected rotations

Red Sox: RH Matt Clement (13-6, 4.57 ERA), LH David Wells (15-7, 4.45, 107 Ks, 21 BBs in 30 starts), RH Tim Wakefield (16-12, 4.15), RH Curt Schilling (8-8, 5.69).

White Sox: RH Jose Contreras (15-7, 3.61 ERA, 11-2, 2.96 in second half), LH Mark Buehrle (16-8, 3.12, 10-2 at home), RH Freddy Garcia (14-8, 3.87, 10-3 on road, 4-5 at home), RH Jon Garland (18-10, 3.50 ERA, 5-6 since All-Star break).

Relievers

Red Sox: RH Mike Timlin (7-3, 2.24, club-record 81 games, 11/13 saves since becoming closer Aug. 26), LH Mike Myers (3-1, 3.13), RH Chad Bradford (2-1, 3.86), RH Jonathan Papelbon (3-1, 2.65, 34 Ks and 17 BBs in 34 innings).

White Sox: RH Dustin Hermanson (2-4, 2.04 ERA, 34/39 saves), RH Bobby Jenks (1-1, 2.75, 6/8 saves, 50 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings), RH Cliff Politte (7-1, 2.00 ERA), LH Neal Cotts (4-0, 1.94), LH Damaso Marte (3-4, 3.77, 4/8 saves), RH Luis Vizcaino (6-5, 3.73), RH Orlando Hernandez (9-9, 5.12).

Matchups

Red Sox led majors with .281 batting average. But in seven games between the teams, White Sox outhit Boston .291 to .282. Ortiz and Varitek each hit three homers against Chicago. … Contreras is 2-4 with 11.67 ERA in career against Red Sox. … Wells will pitch against team he played for in 2001, when he went 5-7 with 4.47 ERA in 16 starts. He didn’t pitch after going on disabled list July 2 that year with strained lower back. He underwent back surgery 15 days later and rejoined Yankees the following season. … Graffanino was on Chicago’s 2000 division winner. … Rowand hit .360 with three HRs and three doubles against Boston this season. … Wakefield was Boston’s most consistent starter this year but is 4-9 with 5.28 ERA in 23 career appearances against Chicago. This year he was 1-1, allowing seven runs in 5 2/3 innings of 8-4 loss at Chicago on July 22, then winning 7-4 in Boston on Aug. 13 when he gave up two runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Associated Press