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NEW YORK -- Boston Red Sox centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was removed from the starting lineup for Friday nights series opener against the New York Yankees because of a tight left groin. Ellsbury stole a team record five bases during Thursdays 9-2 win at Philadelphia. Red Sox manager John Farrell said Ellsbury felt the tightness during his final steal, in the eighth inning. "Were expecting to be a day-to-day and hopefully not too long of a situation," Farrell said. Rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. replaced Ellsbury in the starting lineup against the Yankees. Farrell said Ellsbury likely would not be available off the bench. Right-hander Clay Buchholz (7-0) is slated to start Sundays series finale against the Yankees Hiroki Kuroda (6-3). Buchholz was scratched from his scheduled start Monday against the Phillies because of irritation in his collarbone area. Boston wont have Buchholz on a pitch limit. "Well monitor the stress level inning to inning and the total number of pitches thrown," Farrell said. Farrell said right fielder Shane Victorino, on the disabled list since May 21 because of a strained left hamstring, likely will have a two-day injury rehabilitation assignment and be activated for Wednesdays game against Texas. "Whether he goes out Sunday or Monday is to be determined," Farrell said. "Hes making good, solid progress with all baseball activities." Third baseman Will Middlebrooks, on the DL since May 24 with a lower back strain, is on track to be activated Thursday. "Hes responding well. Hes run. Hes swung the bat, taken ground balls," Farrell said. "Hes making solid progress, as well."Custom UCF Knights Jerseys .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. Custom NCAA Jerseys Outlet . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. http://www.customjerseysncaa.com/ . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. Wholesale Custom College Jerseys . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Clearance Custom College Jerseys . JOHNS, N.Each week, Ill write about the sport I love: college basketball:Central Floridas?Tacko Fall, the tallest player in Division I (7-foot-6), has really improved. Just ask coach Jay Wright of Villanova, whose team faced the big man in Charleston. He had 20 points and 13 rebounds in a loss to the Wlldcats.Fort Waynes win over Indiana was a shocker. Give Indiana coach Tom Crean credit for playing on the road against an in-state opponent. A lot of coaches would not have done that. Fort Wayne coach Jon Coffman deserves credit because his team got the job done. The Mastodons likely stopped many big-time programs from thinking of playing a low or mid-major on the road.Kansas coach Bill Self has a terrific trio in Frank Mason III, Devonte Graham and diaper dandy Josh Jackson. They are as good as any trio out there.Mississippi State coach Ben Howland saw his team suffer a major blow when leading scorer Quinndary Weatherspoon was lost for the season with a possibly torn wrist ligament. He was averaging 18.8 points per game and had a career-high 25 points aagainst Boise State prior to the injury.ddddddddddddSouth Carolina coach Frank Martin had his Gamecocks playing super defense in a win over Michigan. I was really surprised by the margin of victory for the Gamecocks. South Carolina followed up with a great victory at Syracuse. Those victories will impress the NCAA tournament selection committee in due time.Several in-season tournaments have announced their fields for next season. Virginia, Rhode Island, Seton Hall and Vanderbilt headline the NIT Season Tip-Off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. West Virginia, St. Johns, Missouri, Nebraska and Oregon State are among the participants in the Advocare Invitational tournament in Orlando. Villanova, Arizona, Purdue and NC State are among the teams scheduled to compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Maui Invitational is impressive as Michigan, Notre Dame, California, LSU, Marquette, Wichita State and VCU are in the field. ' ' '