Give shortstop a longer look

For fans spoiled by eight years of watching Nomar Garciaparra's excellence and three months of Orlando Cabrera's circus act, Renteria's introduction to the Sox has been jarring. The early returns suggest that his manager in St. Louis, Tony La Russa, was prescient in suggesting that high-intensity Boston might not be a comfortable fit for a low-key player like Renteria.

But from one end of the Sox clubhouse to the other yesterday afternoon, a sampling of those who either played with Renteria (Kevin Millar), played against him in the National League (Matt Clement, Mike Myers), or have managed with him and against him (Terry Francona), were unanimous in judging Renteria's early struggles a temporary condition.

"I think we've seen bits and pieces of what he can do," said Clement, whose six-inning tightrope walk earned him the win yesterday, "but he's a guy I don't worry about. It absolutely shocked me to death, that ball he missed [a sixth-inning double play ball he booted]. That's just not going to happen. But he also made that unbelievable play [a tough chance in the fourth after a leadoff single by Kevin Mench] that really saved me.

"Edgar is going to be fine. I'm telling you, he's as good an all-around shortstop as anybody I've ever seen. I'll stand by that. You know, there were a couple of guys I wanted a chance to play with when I signed. One was 'Tek [Jason Varitek]. Another was Mike Matheny [the ex-Cardinals catcher who signed with the Giants], and Edgar was one, too. For me, it's exciting that we wound up at the same place, to have someone like that playing behind me."

Clement, like Renteria, is adjusting to playing in a new league, trying to make a good impression on a new set of teammates.