DAVID ORTIZ

A POWERFUL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

October 2, 2007 ... No game scheduled ... David Ortiz showed up for the Red Sox' workout at Fenway Park this morning wearing a Tom Brady Patriots jersey. Ortiz comes into the Division Series against the Angels after the best September of his career, one in which he batted .396, the third-highest average in the majors behind Aaron Hill of the Blue Jays (.406) and Moises Alou of the Mets (.402), and with 9 home runs and 27 RBIs. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) was a major league-best 1.341, as he walked 24 times in addition to his 36 hits.

Clay Buchholz, the 23-year-old Sox rookie who pitched a no-hitter after his September callup, might have been this season's version of K-Rod, until he was shut down with what the club is calling a tired shoulder. The decision not to use Buchholz in the postseason, according to one club official, was a tougher one for general manager Theo Epstein than for manager Terry Francona, who was even more in favor of taking the conservative route than Epstein. They decided to shut down Buchholz after he admitted to the medical staff that he felt some discomfort after a bullpen session Sept. 23 during a series at Tampa Bay. Buchholz was working out with the team today, and while he has accepted the team's decision, he doesn't find any of it easy.

Tomorrow night's pregame hoo-hah includes a singing of the national anthem by the Standells, famous for "Dirty Water," the song played after every Sox victory at Fenway Park. A flyover will be done by the 158th Fighter Wing of the Burlington (Vt.) Air National Guard, known as the "the Green Mountain Boys." And NESN broadcaster Jerry Remy, who played for both the Angels ('75-77) and Sox ('78-84), will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.