The Boston Globe du lieu suivant : Boston, Massachusetts • 61

erland remains my stifled by the move: Climb ByNickCafardo GLOBE STAFF tmMmmmlt there early, and Jose Canseco, who usually doesn't "do much early pregame work. "That was one time, and I decided to take the bus that day because it was raining and we couldn't do any work outside," said Cumberland. In Minneapolis, Cumberland reportedly got, to; the park later than usual because he had spent the day? with family. ire? "There was never a set time given for coaches to be at the ballpark," said Cumberland. "I always come to the ballpark early anyway because you go stir crazy' sitting in this apartment or sitting in a hotel room.

I never ignored my duties as the pitching coach of this team. I worked constantly with pitchers on their mechanics in the bullpen, and I would doubt anyone would say they felt slighted about the attention I gave them a as pitching coach." On July 9 against the Twins, Cumberland failed to follow Kennedy's directions concerning starting pitcher Tim Wakefield. Kennedy allegedly turned to Cumberland in the eighth inning when Wakefield had put a couple of runners on with one out and told him to go to the mound to buy some time. "That was an honest mistake," said Cumberland. "I thought he told me to go to the bullpen and get' Stan Belinda up, so I started walking toward the bullpen instead of the mound." The result was good: Wakefield threw a double-play ball and got out of the inning and pitched a complete-game, 7-0 victory.

Asked if Kennedy chewed him out afterward) Cumberland said, "No, we were actually laughing about it. It was miscommunication, an honest mistake." Cumberland said he hasn't ruled out taking a minor league assignment with the Sox, though he thought it unlikely. For now, he's going on a fishing retreat in Maine while he and the rest of Red Sox followers fish for Duquette shipped new bodies in and out of Boston. "Believe me, I appreciate the opportunity that Kevin gave me," said Cumberland. "He's a sophisticated manager a good manager.

He thought at the time I filled the position better than Herm, and I thought I did a hell of a job. I won't back off that. I have to defend myself over things that have come out, because there were plenty of things that emerged from a pitehing staff that was put together so quickly. I was new to them and they were new to me." Because Nipper has ascended the throne, and because Nipper and Roger Clemens are old friends, speculation has arisen that Clemens' slow start (3-2 after Tuesday's brilliant eight-inning, one-run victory) might be in part related to a lack of chemistry between Cumberland and Clemens. "I felt Roger and I got along great, and I hope he would say that about me," Cumberland said.

"You look at Tuesday's start, and he did exactly what we had worked on during the week. He was more aggressive. He came inside with his fastball. Those are things we had adjusted after his last start. I'm not taking credit for anything because Roger went out and did it, but that's what we had worked on before that start.

I knew he'd pitch an excellent game." Even if Clemens, Ken Ryan and Zane Smith could be considered Cumberland weak spots, his successes with Tim Wakefield, Stan Belinda, Erik Hanson, Rheal Cormier, Vaughn Eshelman and Mike Maddux can't be ignored. But Kennedy can be a demanding manager in other regards. He is a stickler for communication and promptness, traits that Cumberland on occasion displayed in less-than-perfect fashion. Kennedy expects coaches to be at the park early, about 5 hours before game time. In Kansas City on the Sox' last road trip, Cumberland showed up just 2 Vi hours before the game.

He had taken the team bus usually reserved for starting pitchers, who have no need to get CHICAGO After stating his case yesterday to Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette, pitching coach John I Cumberland said he was still dumbfounded as to why the team "requested" on Tuesday he take a leave of absence from his job. "I'm totally devastated," said Cumberland. "This is my whole life. I poured my heart and soul into this." Cumberland said he was "shocked" when apprised of his situation following Monday night's game against the i Kansas City Royals. The team announced Tuesday night that minor league pitching instructor Al Nipper, who was in town to help young phenom pitcher Jeff Suppan, had assumed Cumberland's duties.

According to Cumberland, Duquette didn't fire him yesterday, so he's assuming he still has a job and said he'll learn more about his fate when he returns. However, sources said last night that Cumberland will be fired in the next few days. Duquette was not available to the media yesterday. In a phone interview yesterday, Cumberland said ownerphysician Dr. Arthur Pappas' comment Tuesday that Cumberland had a medical problem was "pure bull I have no medical problems.

I'm fine. I don't know where that came from or how that started. I'm in fine physical health. If that's an excuse, then it's not a valid one." Cumberland said he is still trying to discern what went wrong and why he's no longer working. He also defended himself on some of the rumors that have surfaced surrounding his current status, particularly those that related his hiatus to alcohol.

"I've heard that the past couple of days, and I can say, without any doubt, that I do not have a drinking problem. In fact, I don't even drink anymore. I'm not saying I never drank because I did. But I don't drink now. That issue had no effect on my job as Red Sox During exhibition games, manager Kevin Kennedy (left), bench coach Tim Johnson and pitching coach John Cumberland focused on the same things.

pitching coach," he said. The history between Cumberland and first-year Sox manager Kevin Kennedy is short, but bizarre. During spring training, Kennedy decided to dump Duquette's choice as pitching coach, Herm Starrette, and go with Cumberland because Cumberland was better able to pick up the manager's sophisticated system of signs. So Cumberland, who had just been hired Feb. 3 to work at Pawtucket, found himself with Kennedy and the big club March 24.

Cumberland said he saw a distancing by Kennedy only over "the last four or five days." He admitted he thought something might be up when Nipper joined Sup-pan from Trenton Sunday. Cumberland had to coach 23 different pitchers, as answers. A touchy situation with Sele RED SOX 5, WHITE SOX 3 By Nick Cafardo GLOBE STAFF BOSTON BB SO McGesK 5 0 4 1 0 1 ,405 Valentin 4 12 2 10' .279 Vaughn lb 5 0 2 0 0 lr .294 Canseco dh 3 0 0 0 1 0 .271 Whiten rf 4 1 1 0 0 0' .192 Naehring 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .325 MactarUrcc 3 2 1111 .213 Tinsley cf 4 0 0 0 0 0' .279 Alicea 2b 4 1 3 1 0 0 .257 rebb 30 13 5 i i CMCaCO I Bl BB SO Jtvf. Johnson cf 4 0 1 1 0 0 .285 Raines If 5 0 3 0 0 0 .292 Thomas lb 3 0 0 0 1 0 .326 Martinez pr-lb 0 0 0 0 0 :273 Ventura 3b 3 0 0 1 1 1 .290 Krukdh 4 0 0 0 0 4 .324 Devereauxrf 4 1110 0.303 Durham 2b 4 1 0 0 1. .281 Karkovicec 3 1 0 0 0 0 15 Guillen ss 4 0 1 0 0 1- .281 let 34 3 I 3 2 CHICAGO -The Red Sox' patience with Aaron Sele is wearing thin.

While Sele is back in Fort Myers, rehabilitating his right (H I ifei'l the right answer as such medical details are usually kept confidential. "I don't think I should comment on that," said Kennedy. "We've tried to do whatever we can for Aaron and hopefully he'll come around. I know he's a tremendous talent, and it's a shame he isn't contributing for us right now." Nipper gets to work Al Nipper, who will be the Red Sox' pitching coach the rest of the season, has been asked to settle in and begin duties as pitching coach. "Al is basically getting to know everyone, and I don't think it'll take him too long.

He's very big on video and even carries a portable machine 1M 002 5 13 1 CWcad 000 WW 012 3 BO (-Valentin (11). UOB-Boston 7. Chicago 8. m-Devereaux (5) off Aguilera, Valentin (15). off Hernandez, Macfarlane (11) off Sirotka.

SB-Alicea (6). CS-McGee (1). SF-Johnson. BP-Boston Chicago 1. shoulder again, it's been learned that the righthanded pitcher has declined a request by the Red Sox medical staff to give him a cortisone shot, 1 which could help clear up the situation.

Manager Kevin Kennedy, asked to confirm the news, searched for BeatM Wakefield (W 9-1) 7Vi 5 Cormier 0 Belinda 0 0 Aguilera (S 16) lVs 3 v. I I -'HO' I EI BO SO HP CM 1 1 0 6106 166 0 0 0 0 5 3.41 0 0 1 0 5 3:19 2 2 1 1 24 2.76 ER 38 SO MP ERA 3 3 3 0117 4.05 0 0 0 1 20 5.24 2 2 0 2 21 4.75 6 11 lVj 0 Sirotka IL 0-1) DeLeon Hernandez 1 2 Belinda pitched to 1 batter in 8th. BATTING I Mil iiwaJ Cormier 2-0, Belinda 2-0, Aguflera 3-1, DeLeon 2-0. HBP-by Wakefield (KarkovKtJ. OwefcM Home.

Evans; First, McCoy; Second, Reedj Third, Hirschbeck. with him so he can study everyone's delivery. I think he really helped Zane Smith and I know he helped Roger Clemens," said Kennedy. Kennedy addressed the team last night about the John Cumberland-Al Nipper scenerio. Some players said the move was a total surprise, while others saw it coming.

Said one Sox starter, "I knew it was going to happen, but I just didn't know how it was going to be done. I guess we got our answer." Kennedy said there would be no more coaching changes. Kennedy was asked if he was aware of how the Cumberland situation played out in public after all, a first-place team doesn't often fire its pitching coach. "Sure, I understand how it looks," said Kennedy. "But there are things that happen in people's lives that change things.

There are adversity things that are private matters." A visit from security Alvin Williams of major league security paid a visit to the Red Sox clubhouse and spoke to both Kennedy and Mo Vaughn. According to Red Sox publicist Dick Bresciani, the meeting was not prearranged. There has been no indication of beefed-up security around Vaughn following his nightclub brawl last Thursday night at the Roxy. Williams said that Vaughn had already been talked to by Kevin Hallinan, head of security in the commissioner's office, about the incident Willie McGee probably needs a day off after playing in his second straight game, but is now worried that the bone on the top of his left foot is rubbing bone against bone. "Maybe it's because I've been going pretty hard on it," said McGee.

"I don't know. It's a little worrisome right now." Rick Aguilera wasn't happy with his performance two runs and three hits in 1 VS innings. "The team couldn't have been too confident playing behind me tonight," he said. McGee O'Leary Naehring Stairs Greenwell Bell Haselman Vaughn Jefferson Valentin Tinsley Canseco Alicea Macfarlane Whiten Donnels Others Totals HOW THE RUNS SCORED SECOND MNINfi RED SOX Whiten singled to center. Naehring Hied to center.

Macfarlane walked. Tinsley flied to right, Whiten taking third. Alicea singled to center, scoring Whiten and sending Macfarlane to second. McGee singled to 'right, scoring Macfarlane and sending Alicea to third; McGee out, right to short to first. TWO RUNS, THREE HITS, ONE LEFT.

wv FOURTH tNNUte RED SOX Naehring grounded to third. Macfarlane homered (11) to left. Tinsley grounded to short. Alicea singled to center. McGee singled to center, sending Alicea to ond.

Valentin Aied to center. ONE RUN, THREE HITS, TWO LEFT. EIGHTH MNNW WHITE SOX Karkovice was hit by a pitch. Guillen lined to center. Johnson singled to center, sending Karkovice to second.

Cormier relieved Wakefield. Raines flied to right. Be--linda relieved Cormier. Thomas walked. Agui-j-lera relieved Belinda.

Ventura walked, forcing home Karkovice. Martinez ran for ThomasKruk jf struck out ONE RUN, ONE HIT, THREE LEFT. NINTH INNING RED SOX Hernandez relieved DeLeon. Tinsley grounded to first, pitcher covering. Alicea singled to center and stole second.

McGee -struck out. Valentin homered (15) to left. Vaughn struck out. TWO RUNS, TWO HITS, NONE LEFT. WHITE SOX Devereaux homered (5) to center.

Durham singled to center. Karkovice popped to first. Guillen singled to right, sending AS II RBI Art 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO .12 37 5 15 3 .405 2 1 0 0 2 0 1 6 .59 220 32 74 35 .336 17 4 7 2 3 2 18 30 .67 228 36 74 37 .325 17 0 5 11 0 1 39 33 .18 48 4 15 8 .313 3 1 1 0 0 1 3 8 .57 226 37 68 31 .301 14 1 6 2 4 1 20 22 ...8 10 5 3 1 .300 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 .29 61 8 18 6 .295 2 0 1 0 0 2 6 10 .73 282 55 83 66 .294 8 2 24 8 10 2 41 84 .38 96 16 27 20 .281 6 0 4 0 0 0 8 19 .72 280 55 78 48 .279 18 2 15 11 8 3 40 39 .56 222 38 62 26 .279 9 1 5 5 12 5 20 53 .39 140 18 38 25 .271 7 0 6 0 3 0 21 35 .67 218 33 56 19 .257 10 1 2 7 6 5 34 35 .65 203 25 44 32 .213 8 0 11 3 2 1 30 50 .30 104 12 20 10 .192 3 0 1 0 1 0 7 21 .17 40 4 6 4 .150 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 9 .75 171 17 28 9 .164 8 0 2 6 5 1 12 46 75 2590 400 709 380 .274 134 14 92 65 56 25 304 503 PITCHING ERA IP CG ER BB SO HR Sv. 0 0 0.00 Wi 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1 1.66 92 73 4 17 26 55 8 0 1 1 2 57 35 31 0 10 4 26 1 1 1 1 2.76 29'3 25 0 9 7 32 3 16 0 0 4.16 413 5 0 2 1 3 1 4 3 1 3.06 32'A 32 0 11 14 21 3 0 7 1 3.19 42W 34 0 15 16 37 3 6 13 1 3.41 60i 60 0 23 13 35 6 0 7 3 3.66 93V3 94 1 38 23 80 6 0 3 2 4.75 60 60 0 32 25 55 10 0 0 1 4.76 5 4 0 3 2 4 1 0 3 6 5.83 66'3 92 0 43 15 28 5 0 3 2 6.43 42 48 0 30 24 23 2 0 0 0 8.31 8 13 0 8 5 6 0 0 3 14 7.96 130 165 0 115 86 105 24 7 42 33 4.62 674 716 5 346 254 478 70 18 2 ....12 ....17 ....26 4 6 ....36 ...28 ....15 ....10 I i Bark Wakefield Maddux Aguilera with Sox Sele Belinda Cormier Hanson Clemens Suppan Smith Eshelman Hudson Others Totals 1 1 --ft ....13 I ....11 AP PHOTO Durham to third. Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to center.

Raines flied to left. TWO RUNS, THREE 9 ..110 ..273 I I His teammates have to hand it to Mike Macfarlane, who hit one out in the fourth inning for his 11th homer of the year. HITS, ONE LEFT. SOX RECORDS SOX VS. OPPONENTS ..21 .21 ..16 .26 Home Away Day Wakefield baffles White Sox SOX OPP.

Homers (H) 41 44 Homers (A) 51 26 Stolen bases 56 42 Left on base 577 547 Errors 65 56 Double plays 79 73 Complete games 5 2 18 15 10 23 9 8 3 0 Night One-run games 15 Two-run games 6 Extra Innings 4 Shutouts 6 RED SOX Continued from Page 57 when Aguilera allowed two runs in the ninth but still secured his 16th save. Wakefield got into trouble in the eighth when he hit catcher Ron Karkovice with a pitch and allowed a single to Lance Johnson. Cormier retired Tim Raines, but Belinda HR RBI 24 60 walked Frank Thomas and was immediately replaced by Aguilera. The Red Sox closer walked Robin Ventura with the bases loaded, forcing in the White Sox' first run, before disposing of John Kruk with a four-pitch strikeout, Kruk's fourth whiff of the game. Aguilera, in his shakiest outing with Boston, surrendered a homer to Mike Devereaux to start the bottom of the ninth and, after two singles, Lance Johnson's sacrifice fly made it a two-run game before Aguflera finally settled down to get the third out and record his 16th save.

It's getting to the point where Wakefield could seriously dwarf some post-designated hitter ERAs. Since the advent of the DH in 1973, only Ron Guidry (1978) and Clemens (1990) have ended seasons with ERAs of less than 2.00 in the American League. Last night, Wakefield's wiggly pitch simply stunned the helicopter-swinging White Sox. In his first three at-bats, Thomas was 0 for 3 and got the ball out of the infield once. Kruk had the hat trick -three consecutive strikeouts and Ventura hadn't got the ball out of the infield, with two ground outs and a strikeout.

"I've just gone out and tried go with what's working that particu lar night," said Wakefield. "I try change speeds and I experiment ou there. I stay with what's workin and get away with what's not." It would appear the Red So caught a break when Wilmington' Jason Bere was scratched an placed on the 15-day disabled, lis. with tendinitis in his shoulder. Instead, they got 23-yearrol lefthander Mike Sirotka, who.

wa straight out of Double-A Birming ham. Sirotka wound up pitching -pretty fair game, allowing 11 hit and three runs in 6 innings. h- The Red Sox scored two runs the second inning on RBI singles Luis Alicea and McGee. Mark Whit en, who was recalled from Pawtuck et Monday even though he was on i 3-for-34 streak at the time, startei the inning with a single tocentej field. After one out, Mike Macfarlani walked.

With two outs, Alicea sin gled to center field for one RBI McGee then singled to right-centei but was thrown out when he straya too far around first. But the secon'c run scored just in the nick of time slightly before the tagQnJcGe was made. AMERICAN LEAGUE 1995 Team 1995 w. opp. Last 3 starts Time Odds W-L ERA Rec W-L IP EM W-L IP ERA AHWG BOS Hanson (R) 7-3 3.66 8-7 1-0 5.0 0.00 0-2 16.0 7.31 14.6 At CHI Fernandez (R) 8:05 E-6 4-6 5.61 6-9 0-0 0.0 0.00 0-2 17.2 7.64 15.8 BAL Erickson(R) 6lMVz 6-6 5.45 2-0 0-0 0.0 0.00 3-0 21.0 1.71 10.3 At MIN Rodriguez (R) hl5 0-3 10.07 1-1 0-0 2.1 11.57 0-1 10.0 9.90 16.2 SEA Johnson (L) 10-1 2.66 15-2 0-0 0.0 0.00 2-0 24.0 1.13 9.0 At MIL Karl (L) 105 1-0 2.97 2-1 0-0 0.0 0.00 1-0 19.0 2.84 14.7 CLE Hershiser(R) 6-7 6-4 3.98 7-6 0-0 5.0 9.00 1-2 15.0 6.00 12.0 At TEX Burrows (L) 2j05 2-1 6.43 2-0 1-0 5.1 11.81 0-0 6.0 7.50 16.5 DET Moore (R) 5-8 6.58 7-10 0-0 0.0 0.00 0-2 12.2 10.66 21.3 At OAK Ontiveros (R) 3:15 7V2-8'2 8-4 3.58 9-5 0-0 0.0 0.00 0-2 1 5.0 8.40 17.4 CAL Finley(L) E-6 8-7 3.66 9-7 1-0 7.0 0.00 2-1 17.0 6.35 13.8 At TOR Hentgen (R) 35 6-7 5.77 8-7 1-0 6.2 6.75 2-1 20.0 4.05 14.9 KC Appier (R) Pick 11-6 3.43 12-6 6.0 1.50 1-1 15.2 7.47 13.2 At NY Kamieniecki (R) 7:35 'em 0-2 10.38 1-2 0-1 4.1 10.38 0-2 14.0 3.21 9.0 NATIONAL LEAGUE 1995 Team 1995 vs.

opp. Last 3 starts Time Odds W-L ERA Rec. W-L IP ERA W-L IP ERA AHWG PHI Quantrill(R) 7-5 4.44 9-7 0-0 0.0 0.00 0-2 18.2 5.30 14.5 At COL Swift (R) 5:05 6V4-7V4 5-2 5.72 9-3 0-0 0.0 0.00 3-0 21.2 1.66 8.3 LA Nomo(R) 8-9 7-1 1.90 10-4 1-0 9.0 1.00 2-0 25.0 0.72 6.1 At FLA Witt (R) 7m 1-7 4.67 2-13 0-1 7.0 3.86 0-2 19.0 5.68 12.3 CHI Navarro (R) 7-3 2.77 9-6 1-0 7.0 1.29 2-1 23.1 1.54 8.9 At MON Henry (L) 7:35 E-6 4-7 3.54 5-10 0-1 4.0 6.75 1-2 19.0 3.79 12.8 PIT Neagle(L) 10-4 3.24 12-5 0-0 0.0 0.00 1-1 20.1 4.87 13.3 At ATL Glavine (L) 7:40 8-9 9-4 3.40 11-4 0-0 0.0 0.00 3-0 23.0 2.74 9.8 SF Mulholland (L) 2-7 6.36 3-9 0-0 6.0 6.00 0-1 16.1 4.41 14.9 At HOU Drabek (R) 8:05 4-5 5.26 8-8 0-0 3.0 18.00 0-0 14.2 8.59 16.6 NY Mlicki(R) Pick 4-4 4.09 5-7 1-0 1.0 0.00 0-1 16.2 5.40 14.6 At ST. Watson (L) 8:35 'em 2-3 8.02 2-5 0-0 4.0 13.50 1-1 13.1 7.43 15.5 BATTING I Thomas 326 261 57 Kruk 324 139 13 Devereaux .303 221 32 Raines 292 281 45 Ventura 290 276 45 Johnson 285 305 43 Guillen 281 210 22 Grebeck 281 96 13 Durham 281 263 42 Martinez 273 110 18 Newson 235 85 19 Martin 231 65 7 Karkovice .215 177 26 Lavalliere .207 58 4 Totals 2812643 397 85 45 67 82 80 87 59 27 74 30 20 15 38 12 744 2 5 9 15 2 0 1 3 4 3 0 9 0 76 371 IP 1.0 1 105.1 108 6.2 11 30.1 38.1 32 28 PITCHING W-L ERA Karchner 0-0 0.00 Abbott 5-4 3.42 Sirotka 0-1 4.05 Hernandez 2-4 4.30 Fortugno 1-3 4.70 McCaskill 4-2 4.71 Keyser 2-3 4.72 Alvarez 3-5 4.95 Righetti 1-0 5.40 DeLeon 3-3 5.24 Fernandez 4-6 5.61 Bens 4-8 5.87 Radinsky 21 7.03 Totals 31-43 5.25 42.0 47.2 87.1 6.2 53 63 100 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 43 46.1 93.0 105 89.0 88 1 24.1 31 KEY: TEAM REC Team's record in games started by today's pitcher. AHWG Average hits and walks allowed per game in last 3 starts.

15 663.2 733.