There is still no word on when Boston Red Sox right hander Daisuke Matsuzaka is going to return from an elbow sprain that has kept him out since a start on May 16, but manager Terry Francona eliminated at least one possibility. From the Providence Journal:
Contrary to a report from SI.com's Jon Heyman, Daisuke Matsuzaka does not need Tommy John surgery. Manager Terry Francona said on Monday that Matsuzaka, currently on the disabled list with a right elbow strain in his ulnar collateral ligament, will receive a second opinion later this month from Dr. Lewis Yocum in California.
The good news: no surgery. The bad news: you usually don't get second opinions for something minor, like tennis elbow.
The Red Sox are also down John Lackey, and they've been using Alfredo Aceves and Tim Wakefield at the back end of their rotation. Dice-K was struggling this year, posting a 5.30 ERA and walking 23 batters in 37-1/3 innings, though he was able to mix in the obligatory flashes of tantalizing brilliance that drives Red Sox fans nuts.