TROT NIXON

THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE
Red Sox games rained out

April 13-14, 2004 ... Games postponed due to rain ... No makeup date was announced for the games. Terry Francona said center fielder Johnny Damon, who had missed a couple of games with a bruised knee, would have been in the lineup.

Reliever Scott Williamson, held out of Sunday's game because of tenderness in his right elbow, did some long tossing and played catch yesterday, and pronounced himself ready to go.

Francona said Trot Nixon is scheduled to hit today and tomorrow in Miami, which should give the team a better idea of how the right fielder's back is progressing in his rehabilitation. The latest on Nomar Garciaparra: "Slowly but surely," Francona said of the shortstop, sidelined by tendonitis in his right Achilles' tendon.

Steady showers did little to ruin the day of 28 youngsters at Fenway yesterday afternoon to participate in a baseball clinic conducted by brothers Cal and Bill Ripken as part of a 10-city tour promoting their new book, "Play Baseball the Ripken Way."  The rain prevented the Ripkens from holding their clinic on the oversaturated greensward at Fenway, but the youngsters were delighted nonetheless in getting expert instruction from the former major leaguers in the batting cages beneath the center-field bleachers. They were also treated to a Q & A session with Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who dropped by to support his former Oriole teammates. The Ripkens donated $20,000 to the MetroWest Boys & Girls Club on behalf of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and got Nike to donate $100,000 in baseball and softball equipment to the Boston Public School District.

Curt Schilling hosted his "Breakfast with Schilling" promotion for Dunkin' Donuts for a crowd of about 250 at the .406 Club. Schilling was joined by Epstein, president and CEO Larry Lucchino, and manager Terry Francona.