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Bard Not Thrilled With Demotion, Will Start Friday For PawSox

BOSTON (CBS) - Demoted Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard will get the start for the Pawtucket Red Sox on Friday, as he tries to figure out whatever it isn't right with him on the mound.

Arriving in Pawtucket on Thursday, the 26-year-old didn't sound too pleased with the team's decision.

"It's not my decision. I'm just an employee here," Bard said, according to ESPNBoston. "Obviously, I'm not thrilled with it. If it was me making the decision it might have been different. But I tried to be respectful about it. Once I get the anger and disappointment out-of-the-way, you just have to try to make the best out of the situation."

Read: Red Sox Face Strasburg, Nationals Friday Night

In his first season as a starter after having a fairly strong run in the Boston bullpen the last two-plus years, Bard went 5-6 with a 5.24 ERA over 10 starts and one relief appearance.

But after his most recent outing in Toronto, where he allowed five runs off just one hit, six walks and two hit batsmen over just an inning and two-thirds, the team had to do something to fix whatever is wrong.

The Baseball Reporters: Tim Wakefield On Bard's Demotion

"He's going to go down and get himself on track,'' GM Ben Cherington said earlier in the week. "If he's doing what he needs to do and doing what he's capable of doing, then he'll be a part of the conversation as a starter again."

Bard will go against the Indianapolis Indians at McCoy Stadium Friday night. Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to be activated from the DL and take Bard's turn in the rotation for the Red Sox Saturday against the Washington Nationals.

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