SPRING TRAINING WITH THE 2004 RED SOX
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE ...

October 27, 2003 ... Not a soul among the 2003 Red Sox, least of all Grady Little himself, expressed surprise when the ax fell on the team's 43d manager and a search began for a successor to jump into one of the most perilous jobs in sports.

October 31, 2003 ... Fresh from dumping their manager after one of the most devastating defeats in the history of Boston sports, the Red Sox try to part with their most richly paid superstar, Manny Ramirez, in a daring gambit aimed at reshaping the team and ending the franchise's 85-year championship famine. The other 29 teams in the major leagues have until 1 p.m. today to claim Ramirez - and the approximately $95 million balance of his contract over the next five years - after the Sox stunned the baseball world by placing one of the game's top sluggers on irrevocable waivers.

November 1, 2003 ... Taking the first major step in their search for a new manager, the Red Sox receive permission to speak with Dodgers third base coach Glenn Hoffman and Angels pitching coach Bud Black, and began scheduling interviews for early next week. The Sox also tried to arrange interviews with additional candidates, with Oakland bench coach Terry Francona, Anaheim bench coach Joe Maddon, and Cleveland third base coach Joel Skinner considered high on their list.

November 2, 2003 ... Twenty months after the A's wouldn't allow the Sox to interview their bench coach and future manager, Ken Macha, Oakland general manager Billy Beane granted Boston permission to speak with the current bench coach, Terry Francona. Today Sox general manager Theo Epstein interviewed Francona.

November 8, 2003 ... While many Red Sox fans continued looking over their shoulders at the wreckage of the final loss of the season, Pedro Martinez pursues more urgent business: trying to restore hope and stability to a country mired in a debilitating economic crisis. Martinez drives two hours to Barahona, a coastal city closer to Haiti than the Dominican capital, where he joined fellow baseball luminaries such as Bartolo Colon and Vladimir Guerrero in urging youths to reach for the stars, as he did despite his impoverished childhood.

November 11, 2003 ... Less than two weeks after the Red Sox placed Manny Ramirez on irrevocable waivers, in an attempt to satisfy the player's desire to go to the Yankees while creating some payroll flexibility for themselves, Ramirez's agent, Jeff Moorad, says that Ramirez won't be going anywhere next season.  No team, including the Yankees, ponied up the $20,000 required to claim Ramirez on waivers, and Moorad, who had had discussions with the Sox prior to the move, says he does not believe general manager Theo Epstein will be shopping Ramirez here.

November 13, 2003 ... Joe Maddon, bench coach for the Anaheim Angels, becomes the fourth candidate to interview for the Sox' managing vacancy when he met here for several hours this afternoon with general manager Theo Epstein and his assistant, Josh Byrnes.  CEO Larry Lucchino was not present for the interview, nor did he have to go through a press conference like the two previous applicants, A's bench coach Terry Francona and Dodgers third base coach Glenn Hoffman. But Maddon said a great deal of ground was covered in the time he spent with Epstein and Byrnes.

November 14, 2003 ... The Sox officially announce that Timlin had re-upped with the team, signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with an option for 2005 valued at $2.75 million that kicks in if he appears in at least 50 games and is not on the disabled list at the end of the 2004 season.

November 18, 2003 ... In the strongest sign yet that Terry Francona has seized the inside track in the race to become the 44th manager of the Red Sox, the former Phillies skipper meets privately in Florida with the team's principal owner, John W. Henry. Francona was the first managerial candidate to be interviewed by Henry, a powerful prerequisite in the process to replace Grady Little.

November 26, 2003 ... Terry Francona becomes the 44th manager of the Red Sox, after passing a physical this morning and Boston general manager Theo Epstein flies to Arizona to persuade Diamondbacks ace Curt Schilling to waive his no-trade clause, triggering a deal that would make the 37-year-old righthander a member of the Sox.

November 27, 2003 ... Shifting the balance of power in their century-old rivalry with the Yankees, the Red Sox strike a pivotal deal with Arizona's prized righthander, Curt Schilling, that figures to make Boston's starting rotation one of the most feared in baseball.

December 4, 2003 ... Red Sox season ticket sales soar this week on news of the signing of star pitcher Curt Schilling, one of several factors expected to increase the team's revenue following its powerful 2003 season, club president Larry Lucchino said yesterday.

December 5, 2003 ... John Henry and Alex Rodriguez hold at least a preliminary discussion after the Sox receive permission from commissioner Bud Selig to waive a rule prohibiting teams from discussing business with players under contract, according to a highly placed baseball official. The Rangers, who are eager to move the $179 million balance of Rodriguez's record $252 million contract through 2010, also signed off on the highly unusual talks.

December 8, 2003 ... Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra returns from his Hawaiian honeymoon to his California home last night but not before calling WEEI radio to speak about his desire to remain in Boston and his dismay over the Red Sox' attempt to deal for Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez. Garciaparra is miffed that the Sox did not give him a courtesy call to inform him of their interest in Rodriguez.

December 10, 2003 ... Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks insists that he will not yield in his insistence that the Red Sox have to sweeten the pot financially before he is willing to swap shortstop Alex Rodriguez to Boston for outfielder Manny Ramirez, a deal that would trigger the departure of Sox fixture Nomar Garciaparra, Sox owner John W. Henry returns from his trip to the Dominican Republic and kept his own counsel.

December 13, 2003 ... Chalk up another coup for the Red Sox, who raised the stakes even higher in their struggle for baseball supremacy by landing Keith Foulke, the American League's top closer last season.

December 15, 2003 ... Filling at least part of the void at second base, the Red Sox announce they have purchased Massachusetts native Mark Bellhorn's contract from the Rockies. The acquisition most likely means the Sox will not tender a contract to Damian Jackson by Saturday's deadline, opting for Bellhorn as a less- expensive alternative as a utility player.

December 17, 2003 ... Despite harsh rhetoric directed by Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino toward the Major League Players Association after the team's plan to restructure Alex Rodriguez's contract is rejected by the union, none of the parties involved in what would rank as the biggest trade in baseball history - the Sox, the Texas Rangers, union lawyer Gene Orza, or Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras - have declared the deal completely dead.

December 19, 2003 ... First, the Red Sox signed Mark Bellhorn. Next comes word that Pokey Reese would be signed. Lou Merloni gets the call from Sox general manager Theo Epstein that once again severed the pride of Framingham's ties with the team of his childhood dreams. Epstein informs Merloni the Sox would not tender him a contract by tonight's midnight deadline, which means the local favorite will become an unrestricted free agent, free to sign anywhere.

December 21, 2003 ... The Red Sox sign Doug Mirabelli to a one-year contract, retaining one of the game's top backup catchers. They closed the deal before the midnight deadline for teams to offer contracts for next season to the unsigned players on their 40-man rosters.

January 9, 2004 ... Terry Francona, yesterday introduces a new bench coach, Brad Mills, who should have no trouble commanding the manager's attention and respect.  Francona and Mills have been close friends since they were All- Americans at the University of Arizona in the 1970s. They also were teammates for three years with the Expos, and Mills served as Francona's first base coach when Francona managed the Phillies from 1997-2000.

January 17, 2004 ... Nomar Garciaparra, in his first public appearance since the Sox failed to consummate their bid to replace him with Alex Rodriguez, sits in front of a small table in an improvised news conference in a vacant racquetball court at Stonehill College, where he was conducting his annual baseball clinic for kids, and pronounced all was right in his world.

January 18, 2004 ... Scott Williamson, the reliever who would have been part of a proposed trade sending Nomar Garciaparra to the White Sox for outfielder Magglio Ordonez but remained with Boston when the deal for Alex Rodriguez fell through, comes to terms with the Red Sox on a one-year deal for $3.175 million. By doing so, he and the club avoided salary arbitration.

January 20, 2004 ... David Ortiz, who signed with the Red Sox as a free agent last year for $1.25 million, agrees to a one-year contract worth $4,587,500 with the Sox, avoiding arbitration.

February 3, 2004 ... Ellis Burks, who was Boston's No. 1 draft pick in 1983 and played the first six seasons of his career with the Sox, comes to terms on a one-year major league deal to return to the club at age 39.  The club also is expected to announce that former big league infielder Dale Sveum, who managed the Double A Altoona Curve, will be Boston's new third base coach, succeeding Mike Cubbage.

February 6, 2004 ... The Sox ink Trot Nixon to a three-year deal worth $19.5 million.

February 10, 2004 ... Since tickets went on sale, with hundreds of fans bunking down on Yawkey Way for a prime spot in line, the Red Sox have sold more than 112,000 tickets, bringing them over 2 million at the earliest point in team history, according to Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino. The team has about 700,000 tickets available, with only Opening Day currently sold out.

February 20, 2004 ... David McCarty arrives at Ft. Meyers today not only to compete for the role he played last year as a righthanded bat off the bench but for a job as a lefthanded reliever. McCarty is scheduled to join a group that includes Keith Foulke, Mike Timlin, and Byung Hyun Kim when the Red Sox hold the first official workout for pitchers and catchers today.

February 21, 2004 ... A potential free agent after the season, Derek Lowe was uncertain about his future in Boston even before general manager Theo Epstein said that the Red Sox do not plan to retain all their prospective free agents. But Epstein's remarks reinforced his notion that the Sox may be poised to move on without him.

February 24, 2004 ... The traditionally guarded Nomar Garciaparra expresses his pained reaction to the Rodriguez controversy just moments after Pedro Martinez, who rarely cloaks his emotions, coolly downplays concerns that his relationship with the Sox, like Garciaparra's, could end after the season. The rare reversal of public personas unfolds in back-to-back news conferences as the two franchise players arrived at spring camp to begin the final years of their contracts.

February 25, 2004 ... Manny Ramirez arrives at the Sox facility, wearing a blue Jeremy Shockey jersey. One of the first things he does is go into a meeting that included John W. Henry, Larry Lucchino, Tom Werner, and Gene Mato, one of Ramirez's representatives. In the aftermath of the BALCO steroid scandal, Major League Baseball issues a statement yesterday in which it said it will strictly enforce its rules regarding access to clubhouses, dugouts, and playing fields.

February 28, 2004 ... Temperatures are in the low 50s at Ft. Myers with brisk winds for much of the workout, the third day out of four since the full squad reports that the weather has been less than hospitable.  It was picture day, as the players wore their white uniforms for the first time and navigated through a number of photo stations. Things are starting to come together. Eight days after pitchers and catchers reported for spring training, the Red Sox pass a milestone as Curt Schilling pitches to batters for the first time since he returned to the organization after a 15-year absence. The batters, Brian Daubach, Adam Hyzdu, and Cesar Crespo had little luck against Schilling, partly because pitchers generally are ahead of hitters this early in camp but also because Schilling was relatively sharp.

March 1, 2004 ... Pedro Martinez took the mound for the first time in this  new year.  He threw 49 pitches, and in the words of pitching coach Dave Wallace, he was ridiculous.  Ramiro Mendoza, who is trying to make the club after being a bust last season, has been slowed by an abdominal strain but did some light work yesterday.

March 2, 2004 ... The San Francisco Chronicle, citing information the paper said was provided by federal investigators, that Gary Sheffield and teammate Jason Giambi, along with home run record-holder Barry Bonds, were among a handful of athletes who had received illegal steroids and human growth hormone from Bond's personal trainer.

March 3, 2004 ... Pedro Martinez threw in the bullpen for the second time in camp He is expected to pitch batting practice once or twice before he starts a game.  David McCarty, who is trying to make the team as a righthanded hitter and lefthanded pitcher, reported progress after throwing his second batting practice. He is scheduled to pitch Friday against Northeastern.

March 4, 2004 ... In his first major move of the season, Red Sox manager Terry Francona marks his debut by flip-flopping Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez from their traditional roles in the lineup. Francona indicates he expects to enter the season with Ramirez batting third in front of Garciaparra.  Johnny Damon, who is coping with a sore right elbow, will play for the first time against the Twins tomorrow, skip the Yankees Sunday, then play Monday in one of the split-squad games against the Twins and Phillies. Meanwhile, Trot Nixon remained sidelined with a knotted muscle in his backside. Francona was not certain when Nixon will return.  The Sox signed the remaining 13 players on their 40-man roster, including Bronson Arroyo for $330,000.

March 5, 2004 ... Tonight's game between the Sox and Huskies was the second meeting. Northeastern last played the Sox April 11, 1977, when Luis Tiant started in an exhibition game at Fenway Park. Curt Schilling pitched three innings against the Huskies in the eventual 7-0 win. Cesar Crespo, who started at shortstop instead of Nomar Garciaparra, hit a three-run home run for the Sox. David McCarty, trying to make the club as an outfielder/pitcher, worked a 1-2-3 seventh, striking out one.

March 6, 2004 ... Closer Keith Foulke, who tweaked his left calf early in camp, fared well throwing batting practice for the first time, Francona said. Foulke, who fired about 50 pitches before the day-night doubleheader, is expected to appear in a game within a week.

March 7, 2004 ... The Yankees beat the Red Sox 11-7 at Ft, Myers.  Alex Rodriguez came to the plate twice, and was booed loudly each time. He was thrown out by fill-in shortstop Pokey Reese on his first at-bat and singled on his second after Jeter, who had committed a first-inning error, hit a home run off Sox pitcher Jason Shiell, who was not banished to the minors immediately after the game.  For a guy expecting to start the season in the bullpen, Bronson Arroyo put on a dandy performance yesterday as he took Pedro Martinez's turn in the Red Sox rotation and hamstrung the Yankees over three scoreless innings. Arroyo, who is projected as a long reliever and spot starter, threw only 26 pitches and faced the minimum number of batters in the longest outing this spring by a Sox pitcher.  For the Sox, Ellis Burks went 2 for 3 in his spring debut. Nomar Garciaparra was scratched from the lineup because of a bruised right heel.  It allowed second baseman Pokey Reese to take a turn at shortstop. Reese, who will sub for Garciaparra when necessary this season, has not played shortstop since 2001.

After treating Trot Nixon with oral anti-inflammatories for the slightly bulging disk in his lower back, the Sox plan to act more aggressively today by opting for a cortisone injection. The new treatment means Nixon is likely to miss at least another week. He has been hampered by back discomfort since he reported to camp.

March 8, 2004 ... Tim Wakefield went two innings to help the Sox handle the Twins, 9-4, in a split-squad game at City of Palms Park. The Sox tried pitching Wakefield behind Martinez two years ago with mixed results. But the addition of Schilling could make the strategy more effective. Wakefield was generally effective yesterday, as was Derek Lowe, who also went two innings. Alan Embree chipped in with an inning of scoreless relief in his spring debut. The Sox trailed, 4-2, when they struck for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth with a lineup featuring many of their top prospects, including Kevin Youkilis, David Murphy, Hanley Ramirez, and Matt Murton.  Murton and Jeremy Owens each contributed two-run singles in the rally.

Manager Terry Francona traveled nearly three hours with the rest of the team to Clearwater, where the Sox edged the Phillies, 5-3. Brian Daubach provided the biggest hit, a two-run double in the fifth, and the Sox survived a shaky outing by lefty Nick Bierbrodt, who surrendered three runs in the eighth. Knuckleballer Charlie Zink pitched a perfect ninth to pick up the save. In addition, David McCarty allowed two hits as he pitched his second scoreless inning of relief in as many outings in his quest to make the team as both a righthanded hitter and lefty reliever.

March 9, 2004 ... For a while this afternoon, the only Cincinnati Reds player on the premises was Ken Griffey, and he hadn't even been scheduled to be here. The team bus finally arrived, more than 45 minutes late and well after Griffey had arrived in his own car.   The Reds beat the Red Sox 3-2 at Ft. Myers. Pedro Martinez, making his first start of the spring, allowed a first- inning run on a walk and a double by Griffey, who has never gotten a hit off him when it counts (0 for 12 with 5 whiffs in the regular season), then worked a 1-2-3 second in which the final batter he faced, Brandon Larson, looked at a third strike, Martinez's second K of the night, both called.

As good as Martinez may have felt, his reliever-for-the-night, Schilling, felt even better in his 3 2/3 innings of work, in which he gave up an opposite-field first-pitch home run to Adam Dunn to start the fifth and a two-out double to Barry Larkin in the third, but struck out five, including his last batter of the night, Griffey, for the second out in the sixth. The Sox lost, 3-2, as Scott Williamson, making his first appearance of the spring, gave up Javier Valentin's RBI double in the eighth.

Martinez was about the last to arrive, showing up in a zippered white sweat suit, and spent his time before the game visiting with former Sox coaches Tommy Harper and Jim Rice.

March 10, 2004 ... The Sox edged the Cardinals, 4-3, in Jupiter, FL despite stretching the rule that calls for teams to bring at least four regulars to spring training games. Other than Johnny Damon and David Ortiz, the Sox brought Mark Bellhorn, who arguably could be called a regular since he was filling in for the injured Pokey Reese (sore jaw). Then there were Doug Mirabelli, Brian Daubach, and David McCarty, who have started games for the Sox in the last two years. The shortage was caused largely by the number of regulars who played the night before against the Reds in Fort Myers, nearly 150 miles away.

In any case, Ortiz and Daubach paced the offense, as Ortiz cranked a two-run homer off Morris in the first inning and Daubach added a run-scoring double in the fifth. Daubach, who is fighting for a bench job, improved to .308 (4 for 13) with three doubles and four RBIs in five games. McCarty, who is competing for a job as a righthanded hitter and lefthanded reliever, played right field and picked up two hits. Francona indicated he will meet with McCarty as early as today to evaluate his progress as a pitcher before they schedule his next appearance on the mound. Five young pitchers contributed to the win, with Jason Shiell perhaps the most impressive as he pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief to bounce back from two early subpar outings. Jerome Gamble, in his spring debut, and Bryan Hebson each pitched a scoreless inning before the Cardinals eked out a run off 24-year-old knuckleballer Charlie Zink, who previously had blanked the Phillies in an inning of relief.

In Fort Myers, Ramiro Mendoza threw for the first time off a mound, firing 20 pitches as he tries to come back from an abdominal strain in time for the regular season.

March 11, 2004 ... The Orioles beat the Red Sox 10-8 in Ft. Myers.  The Sox, who led the majors last year in nearly every offensive category, entered yesterday's game against the Orioles with the American League's lowest batting average (.228) and on-base percentage (.294) through their first seven exhibition games. Not that it means much in early March, but the Sox regulars also had no luck against Baltimore starter Rodrigo Lopez, who was perfect for three innings before he handed off to Matt Riley.  Thanks to Bronson Arroyo's tough outing, the Sox fell behind, 6- 0, by the third inning, and trailed, 10-3, entering the bottom of the ninth before the subs roughed up Orioles closer Jorge Julio for five runs in the 10-8 loss. Andy Dominique provided the big hit, a three-run double, and Kelly Shoppach and Jeremy Owens each doubled home a run. Lefthander Tim Hamulack stepped up his push for a bullpen spot by pitching two hitless innings while walking one and fanning two. Opponents have hit .063 (1 for 16) against him.

The agents for Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek, and Derek Lowe were in town for the early stages of talks on possible multi year contract extensions. Nomar Garciaparra's agent also met recently with the Sox brass, and the shortstop indicated it would be news to him if the team made a new offer.

March 12, 2004 ... A new era unfolded for the Red Sox when Keith Foulke fired his first pitch as the team's closer, as the Red Sox beat the Dodgers 5-1 in Ft. Myers.  Never mind that Foulke pitched the fourth inning instead of the ninth. Or that he was not particularly happy with his performance despite retiring the Dodgers in order. Or that it was only spring training. Foulke, the American League's top closer last year with the A's, threw 12 pitches, including three of his signature changeups, to retire Shawn Green (hard grounder to second), Juan Encarnacion (fly to center), and Robin Ventura (grounder to second). Foulke's spring debut was delayed because he tweaked his left calf early in camp.  Former teammates Tim Wakefield and Hideo Nomo opposed each other for the first three innings, with Wakefield holding the Dodgers scoreless and Nomo getting banged around for four runs (three earned) on three hits, including David Ortiz's towering, two-run homer in the first inning. The shot was Ortiz's third homer in five games.  Cesar Crespo, who played last year for Triple A Pawtucket after seeing limited action the previous two seasons with the Padres, is a long shot to stick as a utility player. Crespo went 2 for 2, scored two runs, and stole a base, as he improved his average to .467 (7 for 15). He also made a couple of nice plays at shortstop. He provides extra value as a switch hitter who plays both the infield and outfield. Second baseman Mark Bellhorn, recorded his first hit in 14 at- bats, while Manny Ramirez picked up his first extra-base hit, a double off Nomo.

March 13, 2004 ... Terry Francona sent Derek Lowe out to pitch another inning today after Lowe was told he was done for the day. But, no, there was no valid reason to criticize Francona's change of plans. Lowe, who felt as if he were in midseason form, threw only 42 pitches through the first four innings, allowing just three balls out of the infield as he surrendered one run on four hits to the Blue Jays in a 7-1 victory at Knology Park in Dunedin. He said he expected to throw 60-65 pitches, and when he was told to get the rest of his work in the bullpen, he appealed to Francona. He argued that he needed to build up strength to throw 75 pitches in his next outing Thursday.  Francona saw no reason to stand in the way. Lowe threw 14 more pitches in the fifth inning, allowing only a harmless double to Reed Johnson. Lowe, who posted a 5.85 ERA last spring as he battled back from surgery from skin cancer, has logged a 1.00 ERA through his first three outings this spring while holding opponents to a .222 average. He was particularly sharp against the Jays. Lowe's sinker was so effective that 10 of Toronto's 15 outs against him came on ground balls. Three others were strikeouts. Lowe said he is far ahead of last year's pace.

It's nothing new for Brian Daubach. For 13 years, he has reported to spring training fighting for a job. No guarantees. So, naturally, Daubach has tried to make the most of his latest opportunity. As part of his effort to make the Opening Day roster, he smacked a changeup from Josh Towers in the first inning onto the patio of Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi's suite beyond right field for a grand slam that made all the difference in the game. Indeed, Daubach has hit .333 (6 for 18) and knocked in eight runs in six games. Daubach started a home run spree for the Sox, as David McCarty, Andy Dominique, and Terry Shumpert followed with solo shots.

Ellis Burks had a pair of singles, the only player in the game with two hits. Francona indicated that Burks, who underwent surgery last year on his right elbow, will be limited to designated hitting indefinitely because of discomfort in his arm when he throws. Burks is able to swing without discomfort.

March 14, 2004 ... One of the best things that could happen for the Red Sox would be for rivals to check Pedro Martinez's pitching line from his outing against the Orioles today and take comfort. Evaluate him by the numbers, and Martinez was mediocre, coughing up a run on two hits and three walks in just two innings. But judge him by how he felt on the mound, and he was mighty powerful.

Martinez worked out of a mini jam in the first inning thanks, in part, to Kevin Millar chasing down a shot by Miguel Tejada near the wall in right field and doubling up Larry Bigbie at first. It was Millar's first action in right this spring. Then came a laborious second inning for Martinez, who threw 41 pitches in surrendering a single to Rafael Palmeiro and walking three Orioles, David Segui, Mark McLemore, and Tim Raines Jr., to force in a run. In all, he threw 54 pitches in the outing, 31 for strikes.

The Sox took the lead for good in the 5-2 victory on solo homers in the third inning by Johnny Damon and David Ortiz. Damon reached base in all four plate appearances, as he homered, singled, and walked twice to improve his on-base percentage to .474 (9 for 19). For Ortiz, the homer was his third in as many games. He has four in the exhibition season.

After Martinez departed, Mike Timlin pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Keith Foulke, in his second outing of the spring, surrendered a run on three hits as he worked almost exclusively on his fastball. Two contenders to fill the second lefty role in the bullpen, Mike Malaska and Tim Hamulack, each retired the side in order in an inning of work, with Hamulack picking up the save. The game also marked Gabe Kapler's debut at third base. He did not get a fielding chance, but manager Terry Francona indicated he will use Kapler again soon at third. During the regular season, Mark Bellhorn will be Bill Mueller's primary backup at third. Rule V draftee Lenny DiNardo, a lefthander who is coming back from shoulder soreness, pitched for the first time off a mound. Ramiro Mendoza, returning from an abdominal strain, pitched for a second time off a mound and could throw batting practice tomorrow.

March 15, 2004 ... Johnny Pesky has been signing copies of Bill Nowlin's book, "Mr. Red Sox, The Johnny Pesky Story," and is soon to publish a book he has written with Phil Pepe in which, among other topics, Pesky chooses the top five players at each position for the Sox through the years.

With 17 days to go before the Red Sox head north for their final exhibition games in Atlanta and the season opener in Baltimore, the greatest question facing the team may be how healthy it will be. Trot Nixon (bulging disk) has yet to play a game. Nomar Garciaparra (sore right Achilles' tendon) has yet to collect a hit (he's 0 for 7). Byung Hyun Kim (right shoulder inflammation) and Ramiro Mendoza (abdominal strain) are questionable for Opening Day. And a number of players have battled minor ailments, including defending American League batting champion Bill Mueller (sore back).

March 16, 2004 ... Francona started Kevin Millar tonight in right field as the Sox lost to the Reds, 5-4, at Ed Smith Field. But Ramirez, who has played left field since he joined the Sox three years ago, could get some time in right as the season approaches. Trot Nixon, who has been sidelined with a bulging disk since the exhibition season began, took batting practice yesterday for the first time since last month. He hopes to return to action by next week, but neither he nor the Sox are certain he will be ready by Opening Day in Baltimore April 4.

Bronson Arroyo bounced back from a shaky outing against the Orioles last week and pitched three hitless innings against the Reds as he prepared to fill the fifth role in the rotation if Byung Hyun Kim is unable to return in time from a shoulder injury. Arroyo walked three and struck out five in his scoreless outing, a stark contrast to coughing up six runs in two-plus innings against the Orioles.

Before Anastacio Martinez squandered a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Phil Seibel surrendered two runs and Jamie Brown one run to the Reds. Kevin Youkilis socked a two-run homer for the Sox. Pokey Reese and Johnny Damon each doubled in a run to account for the rest of Boston's scoring.

Francona thought it was better for Nomar Garciaparra to skip the game against the Reds after sitting out since last week with a sore right Achilles' tendon. Garciaparra initially was scheduled to make the trip, but the Sox decided to hold him back to face pitchers in a simulated game yesterday.

March 17, 2004 ... The theme of the annual St. Patrick's Day game at City of Palms Park, a 3-1 Red Sox win over the Cleveland Indians, were plentiful.  Curt Schilling pitched so well he feels he could start the regular season now.  Schilling threw only three or four curveballs, according to Varitek, but mixed in the other pitches evenly. Manager Terry Francona felt Schilling was throwing more offspeed pitches than in the past. Schilling threw 50 of his 74 pitches for strikes. Twelve of his 18 outs were fly balls. Another fly ball was dropped by Brian Daubach in left field. And another was hit out of the park by Blake to left-center on a 2-and-2 pitch.

Trot Nixon took some swings in the batting cage Tuesday, and has told everyone who will listen that he feels fine. But Francona feels he'll always get that response from Nixon and therefore is protecting Nixon from himself.  The Sox have talked about shifting Manny Ramirez to right. They had Gabe Kapler there for most of the game. The wild card in this could be Burks. Up to this point, he hasn't been able to throw well enough (following elbow surgery) to play in the field. He has said this week that he's probably a "few days" away from playing the field. Burks would certainly be able to handle the position.

March 18, 2004 ... Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon remained in the news for the wrong reasons yesterday as both starters continue to be sidelined by physical ailments. In Fort Myers, Garciaparra received an MRI on his tender right heel. The All-Star shortstop missed four games while resting the heel and returned to the lineup in yesterday's 3-1 win over Cincinnati. Manager Terry Francona said Garciaparra felt something in his second at-bat Wednesday, prompting the medical staff to order the MRI, which Francona said showed no damage. Nixon flew to Los Angeles to receive a second opinion from Dr. Robert Watkins, a back specialist. The team released no news on Watkins's findings.

Francona is weighing his options in right field. Gabe Kapler has played the most there, but one guy who seemed to emerge yesterday is David McCarty, who played first base in yesterday's 10-9 loss to Cleveland in Winter Haven, but said he came up as a right fielder and has played there a lot. McCarty, who for the time being has reduced his pitching aspirations to throwing on the side, feels stronger since concentrating on making the club as a position player. Yesterday he belted two home runs and drove in four runs.

Francona hasn't discussed using McCarty in right field, seemingly set on using Kevin Millar, Kapler, and possibly Ellis Burks. If Millar moves to right, that would give the red-hot David Ortiz some time at first base. Francona said he hasn't thought about using Nixon as a DH as a way of easing back into the lineup.

There remained little news on Derek Lowe's contract negotiations. In fact, according to Lowe, the sides have not spoken in 10 days. Lowe lasted only 3 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and two runs (one earned) on 76 pitches, and he struggled in the fourth, issuing three walks before being relieved by Tim Hamulack. Pokey Reese and Mark Bellhorn remained behind in Fort Myers, dealing with flu symptoms. The two are lockermates.

March 19, 2004 ... Pedro Martinez was bored with answering questions about his 64-pitch, four-inning outing in an 11- 8 thumping of the Pirates. Martinez said he felt flat in the first couple of innings, which was evident as second baseman Carlos Febles committed a pair of errors that cleared the way for two Pittsburgh runs and forced Martinez to throw about twice as many pitches as necessary. Five days after saying he felt as if he could fire the ball 98 miles per hour, Martinez threw in the mid- to upper-80s over the four innings, though he seemed to sharpen his focus as the game progressed. He finished by striking out the side on 14 pitches in the fourth. In all, Martinez allowed the Pirates three runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks, and he struck out seven. His offspeed stuff, particularly his curveball, looked sharp, though he indicated those pitches may be easier to throw in the Florida heat than the Northeast chill.

With Trot Nixon sidelined until May 1, Gabe Kapler figures to get the most time in right field, which could be a good thing for the Sox if he continues his torrid pace at the plate. Kapler, who tripled home three runs in the second inning, is batting .344 (11 for 32) with three doubles, a triple, and a home run. He also has excelled in the field.

The second round of cuts narrowed the field of lefthanded relief contenders, as Phil Seibel was optioned and Nick Bierbrodt was outrighted, both to Triple A Pawtucket.  Rule 5 lefty Lenny DiNardo, coming back from shoulder soreness, is due to pitch batting practice for the first time tomorrow, but he is likely to start the season on the disabled list.  Two of the team's top prospects, third baseman Kevin Youkilis and catcher Kelly Shoppach, were sent out and will start the season at Pawtucket. Infielders Pokey Reese and Bellhorn each reported to the park but were sent home with flu symptoms.

March 20, 2004 ... John Harrington, the former Sox owner who along with his wife, Maureen, was John W. Henry's guest for today's 9-4 Sox win against the Toronto Blue Jays in Ft. Myers. The Sox kept closer Keith Foulke out of game action and allowed him to work in the bullpen for six days before he made his third outing of the exhibition season. The results seemed fine for about an inning, but when Foulke returned for a second inning against the Jays, they dinged him around for four runs on five hits and a walk. Two of the hits never left the infield.  Manny Ramirez was a late scratch from the lineup as Francona decided to rest him. Pokey Reese and Mark Bellhorn, plagued with flu-like symptoms, worked out and were sent home. They are expected to return Tuesday against the Devil Rays in Fort Myers.

March 21, 2004 ... Bronson Arroyo already had been named the starter for the Fenway Park opener against Toronto April 9, so today's start was more about setting the record straight with the Baltimore Orioles in Ft. Lauderdale, a team that had tattooed the righthander for seven runs (four in the first inning), six hits, and six walks March 11.   Today he allowed one run and four hits and struck out four over four innings in a 4-2 win.  The only run Arroyo allowed came on Jay Gibbons' RBI single.  Otherwise, Arroyo tamed an Orioles lineup that included regulars David Segui, Miguel Tejada, Rafael Palmeiro, Javy Lopez, and Gibbons.

Bill Mueller didn't make the trip after the third baseman hurt his elbow swinging a leaded bat. Manager Terry Francona doesn't believe the injury is substantial but decided to err on the side of caution. Francona thought the injury occurred yesterday, but he did not know which elbow Mueller tweaked. Also missing the trip was Adam Hyzdu, who has the same flu that sidelined Pokey Reese and Mark Bellhorn the past few days. Francona felt that barring a setback, Reese and Bellhorn would be in today's lineup in Vero Beach against the Dodgers. Reese could play shortstop.   Francona was impressed with David Murphy, the club's No. 1 pick last year, who singled in the insurance run in the ninth inning.

March 22, 2004 ... Though mostly pleased with his outing in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers at Vero Beach, Schilling was looking for more bang from his 87 pitches after taking the long bus ride. He lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, and one walk, and striking out four. Schilling was able to throw all five pitches against a lineup that featured six hitters he had faced before. Schilling said he wants to stretch out to 100-105 pitches in his next outing.

Another day, another setback for Ramiro Mendoza. Scheduled to make his first appearance, the hard-luck righthander cut the tip of his middle finger on a seam while playing catch before the game. It appears less and less likely that Mendoza can be ready in time to open the season as the team's long reliever.  Scott Williamson continued to work hard toward his role of set-up man for Keith Foulke, striking out the side in his only inning of work.

Bill Mueller is scheduled to play today against Tampa Bay at City of Palms Park. He strained his elbow swinging a leaded bat Saturday, forcing him to miss Sunday's game against the Orioles, but Francona indicated Mueller would be well enough to play third base.  Mark Bellhorn scraped off the rust from a recent bout with the flu to go 2 for 4 with an RBI. He also made a fine diving stop at third base.  Johnny Damon singled off Eric Gagne, the first hit off the ace closer this spring.

March 23, 2004 ... Sox closer Keith Foulke pitched two innings for the first time this spring in a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before 7,568 at City of Palms Park. Foulke allowed one hit and one fly ball and four ground ball outs.  Derek Lowe had what you might call too efficient of an outing, throwing 70 pitches over six innings. Lowe, who has a 0.98 ERA in spring training, allowed three hits, no walks and struck out four, facing 21 batters while getting 10 outs on ground balls.

Representatives from the Players Association briefed the Red Sox in a 2 1/2-hour session yesterday. Interestingly, Francona was in the clubhouse during the meeting. Managers pay union dues and share in licensing money and have the same benefits as the players, even though they also act as management.

Byung Hyun Kim continues to make strides in his throwing program. He has stretched out to nine minutes at 80 feet and seems on pace for a mid-April return to the big league team after he pitches in extended spring training. Ellis Burks went 2 for 4, including a three- run homer, and knocked in four runs. Francona said he still hasn't worked out a game plan for how Burks will be used.  Bill Mueller is expected to start at third base tonight against the Yankees, after missing the past two games with a sore elbow.

March 24, 2004 ... A hush came over Legends Field and to the masses watching on the YES Network when $25 million man Alex Rodriguez suffered a bruised left cheekbone when he was struck in the face by a throw and had to leave the game in the fourth inning of last night's 8-6 Yankees win over the Red Sox. There didn't appear to be blood on Rodriguez's face as he was escorted off the field by Yankees trainer Gene Monahan, but he was blinking his left eye, which appeared partially shut.  The near nightmare began when Kevin Millar lined a double past Rodriguez, who was not guarding the line. Hideki Matsui fielded the ball in the left-field corner and threw toward third, where Brian Daubach was running from first. Rodriguez was anticipating fielding a one-hop throw, but the ball ricocheted off the right ankle of a sliding Daubach and struck Rodriguez.  Monahan sent Rodriguez home with an icepack and an admonition to keep it applied to the bruise overnight.

It was certainly the game highlight on a night when swirling winds carried some balls and knocked down others. The Sox' Dave McCarty, who is vying for a bench spot, crushed his fifth home run, a three-run shot to left-center, later in the fourth. Sox starter Tim Wakefield allowed five runs in four-plus innings. Wakefield said he was pleased with the movement of the knuckler, but was especially pleased with "the way I threw my other pitches.

President and CEO Larry Lucchino would not elaborate on the Pedro Martinez negotiations, but he did indicate the session included owner John W. Henry, who made the trip from the east coast of Florida to meet with Martinez.   Bill Mueller was back in the Sox' lineup batting second and playing third after missing two games with a sore elbow. Manny Ramirez batted third and though he was kidding about having to make the two-plus- hour trip to Tampa, Ramirez has made a lot of the longer trips in spring training this season.  Lefthander Alan Embree got some work in the minor league complex, throwing a couple of innings.  Johnny Damon doesn't know the fate of his beard for the long term, but he said yesterday he's looking for a good haircutter to trim his shoulder-length hair by Opening Day. Several players, including Martinez, stayed behind in Fort Myers for a workout in the afternoon.  Ellis Burks stayed behind in Fort Myers to continue his throwing program. Byung Hyun Kim took a day off from throwing, but still did some running.

March 25, 2004 ... In five innings of a 12-7 loss to the Twins, his next- to-last outing before the season opener a week from Sunday, Pedro Martinez gave up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out only one batter. He threw 70 pitches, 46 for strikes, and did not issue a walk. Radar guns are fickle. Scouts at Pedro's earlier outings reported few clockings in the 90-mile-per-hour zone.

Manny Ramirez singled home Johnny Damon in the third. It was his eighth RBI in his last six spring games. Adam Hyzdu hit his first homer of the spring for the Sox, but the Twins put it away with five off Mike Timlin in the eighth, including a monstrous grand slam to left center by Michael Cuddyer (17 for his last 32). Hotshot Twins rookie catcher Joe Mauer pinch hit in the eighth and struck out against Timlin. Mauer fanned only once in his high school career. Keith Foulke had a rough ninth inning. He surrendered four runs on three hits and a walk. Ramiro Mendoza made his spring debut and hit Torii Hunter with his first pitch of the season. Mendoza retired the next three batters.

March 26, 2004 ... With Byung Hyun Kim already sidelined until next month, his replacement in the starting rotation, Bronson Arroyo, narrowly escaped injury yesterday when Gabe Kapler's bat slipped out of his hands and whipsawed into the Red Sox dugout, striking Arroyo in the back after he limited the Pirates to one run on four hits and a walk over six innings in a 5-1 victory at McKechnie Field. Other than two rocky innings March 11 against the Orioles, Arroyo has surrendered only two runs in 16 innings in spring training for a 1.12 ERA.

Kapler's bat struck Arroyo before he pitched his final inning. That's when his former Pittsburgh teammates scored their only run, on Rob Mackowiak's single and a couple of ground outs. But no one on the Sox side was unhappy with Arroyo's performance, particularly considering his efficiency. He threw only 72 pitches. Arroyo, who recorded four strikeouts, picked up his first win of the exhibition season thanks in part to catcher Doug Mirabelli, who doubled home Mark Bellhorn in the second inning for the first Sox run. Cesar Crespo also doubled home Bellhorn in the seventh inning with the decisive run before farmhand Jimmy Alvarez doubled to knock in two more runs. Alvarez, an infielder who previously played in the minors for the Twins and Blue Jays, also delivered a game-winning single Sunday against the Orioles. Rule V lefty, Lenny DiNardo, made his first appearance of the exhibition season after coping with shoulder soreness. DiNardo, who the Sox selected from the Mets, allowed one hit while pitching a scoreless eighth inning. He is not expected to be at full strength by Opening Day.

One of the last long shot candidates for a roster spot, Crespo remains in camp partly in case Nomar Garciaparra does not recover from inflammation in his right Achilles' tendon in time to start the season. Crespo, who played shortstop and went 3 for 4 with an RBI against the Pirates, has kept himself in contention by batting .362 with a .455 on-base percentage. Terry Shumpert also remains a candidate, but he has been hampered by a strained hamstring.

The Sox are proceeding cautiously with Bill Mueller, who strained his right triceps last week swinging a lead-weighted bat. While Mueller stayed back in Fort Myers, Kapler started at third base as the team continues to groom him as an emergency backup at that position.  The Sox had a scare when David Ortiz tumbled into the Pirates dugout trying to snag a popup by Jack Wilson. But Ortiz said he came away unscathed.

March 27, 2004 ... Curt Schilling led the Sox past the Phillies, 7-2, at City of Palms Park. Throwing 108 pitches over 6 1/3 innings, he surrendered two runs on five hits and a walk, and he struck out 10. The Phillies scored their runs on Pat Burrell's single in the first inning and Brian Hitchcox's solo homer in the third. Otherwise, they mostly flailed, as Schilling ended five of the first six innings with strikeouts. He also got help from his defense as Kevin Millar picked up his second assist of spring training from right field. Millar retrieved Jim Thome's double in the first inning and fired to second baseman Mark Bellhorn, whose relay to the plate beat Doug Glanville. The Sox banged out 12 hits, marking their fifth straight game with 10 or more hits. Jason Varitek launched his first homer, a two- run shot off starter Brett Myers. Manny Ramirez doubled home two runs, and Millar, Gabe Kapler, and Brian Daubach each drove in one. David Ortiz also doubled twice and scored two runs.

One of the best signs for the Sox was Ramiro Mendoza pitching 1 2/ 3 innings of hitless relief. Mendoza, who pitched himself off the roster last year and has been dogged this spring by injuries, showed he may be able to help the Sox after all. Two days after he pitched a perfect inning against the Twins in his spring debut, Mendoza improved on that, allowing the Phillies only one base runner with a walk to Thome on a 3-and-2 pitch.

After a minor setback with his strained right triceps, Bill Mueller was held out again, yielding to Kapler at third base. Mueller, who suffered the strain swinging a weighted bat, has played in 11 of the 23 exhibition games.  Scott Williamson threw in the bullpen after being sidelined for several days with what he said his doctor described as walking pneumonia.  Former Padres infielder Cesar Crespo tripled and scored a run as he continued his torrid bid for a spot on the 25-man roster. The switch hitter's chances have improved amid the likelihood Nomar Garciaparra will not be ready by Opening Day. The other top candidate is Terry Shumpert, who hopes to return early this week from a strained hamstring.

March 28, 2004 ... In a game that took just 2 hours 17 minutes to complete, Derek Lowe breezed through seven innings against the Marlins' "A" team in Jupiter during the Sox 4-0 loss, the first time this spring McKeon used the lineup expected to open the regular season for the defending World Series champions. Lowe was touched for single runs in the second, sixth, and seventh. Mike Lowell doubled and scored in the second when Cesar Crespo threw away a double play relay. In the sixth, with two outs and the bases empty, Luis Castillo doubled, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on Miguel Cabrera's opposite-field double to right. And with two outs and nobody on in the seventh, Lowe tried to strike out Ramon Castro and grooved a pitch instead, Castro taking him over the left-field fence. But Lowe also set down 13 straight in one stretch and recorded 12 of his 21 outs on ground balls, while striking out two and walking a batter. As the game progressed, he said, he mixed in his changeup and curve with his sinker, the result being more fly ball outs, especially on changeups to righthanded hitters. "That's fine with me," he said, "as long as we get outs."

The defeat in which the Sox' patchwork lineup managed just three hits off Brad Penny and two relievers, was Lowe's first in six spring starts, but he will leave Florida with a 2.13 ERA (6 ER in 25 1/3 IP). Lowe, who threw 88 pitches, pronounced himself ready to start the regular season and Francona seconded that notion.

A hopeful sign regarding Garciaparra and his troublesome right Achilles' tendon: Physical therapist Chris Correnti called manager Terry Francona from Fort Myers and reported Garciaparra had a good day working out yesterday, and depending on how he feels when he shows up at the ballpark this morning, Francona said Garciaparra may have some at-bats in a minor league game this afternoon. The shortstop won't do any running, Francona said, but if he feels OK, he'll do some DHing. Garciaparra remains a long shot to be ready for Opening Day, but Francona said he may hold off on making final roster cuts until this weekend in Atlanta when Garciaparra's status is clarified.

Byung Hyun Kim is expected to do some long-tossing today and may throw off a mound by Thursday.  David McCarty extended his spring hitting streak to eight games with a second-inning single off Marlins starter Brad Penny.  McCarty also had an infield hit in the fourth and is batting .550 (11 for 20) during his streak. Of the five lefthanded relievers to make the trip, only Alan Embree (three hits and a run in an inning) pitched.

March 29, 2004 ... The Sox are five days shy of entering the season without agreements beyond this year with four key players who are approaching free agency: Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jason Varitek. They previously signed Trot Nixon to a three-year, $19.5 million deal. A number of other players also could be free agents after the season, including David Ortiz, Scott Williamson, and Doug Mirabelli.

Barring a sudden improvement, Garciaparra is not expected to see game action, even in the minor leagues, before Opening Day, which increases the possibility that he will start the season on the disabled list. Under baseball rules, he could be eligible to return as early as April 10 against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park. In that case, he would miss five games, but Francona indicated it's difficult to predict how quickly the injury will heal.

Add Tim Wakefield to the list of Sox starters with nothing left to prove before the opener after he held the Orioles to three runs (two earned) on four hits over six innings in an 8-3 victory at City of Palms Park. Wakefield, who walked none and fanned four while throwing 90 pitches, allowed a two-run homer to Luis Lopez and a solo shot to David Segui. The Sox produced all the runs Wakefield needed in a seven-run second inning powered by Johnny Damon (three-run homer), David Ortiz (two-run shot), and Kevin Millar (solo shot). Manny Ramirez also knocked in two runs, and switch-hitting infielder Cesar Crespo maintained his hot streak, going 2 for 3 with a walk to improve his on-base percentage to .453. 

Scott Williamson (two innings), Alan Embree (one inning), and David McCarty (one inning) allowed only one hit (off McCarty) in an intrasquad game at the minor league complex. Trot Nixon reported to the Miami Spine Institute to begin two weeks or rehabilitation for his mildly herniated disk.

March 30, 2004 ... In his last outing before he opens the season Sunday night against the Orioles in Baltimore, Pedro Martinez got bushwhacked yesterday by the Blue Jays for six runs on eight hits, including two homers, over three forgettable innings in a 13-8 loss at Dunedin. The ordeal featured a 46-pitch first inning in which the three-time Cy Young Award winner surrendered six runs before he retired a batter.

Good thing, because there was nothing pretty about his nightmarish first inning. After he surrendered three singles and hit a batter to allow one run, Martinez coughed up a grand slam to Josh Phelps, who had not homered this spring, and a solo shot to Eric Hinske. The Jays sent 10 batters to the plate, and the Sox were warming up a reliever, before Martinez finally escaped. Martinez seemed so perturbed that he barehanded a toss back to him from catcher Jason Varitek. And when he allowed a single leading off the second inning, he pointed into the Toronto dugout and shouted something in Spanish.

Still, Varitek generally liked what he saw from Martinez, as did manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Dave Wallace. Martinez threw 84 pitches, including 53 strikes, and he shut down the Jays in the second and third innings. Of the nine batters he retired, five went down on strikes. Martinez's exhibition numbers declined from last spring, when he surrendered six earned runs in 18 innings for a 3.00 ERA. This year, he allowed 12 earned runs in 16 innings for a 6.75 ERA. But Varitek, who has caught Martinez since 1998, saw no cause for concern.

Martinez took one of his longest bus rides in recent years to make the start, a 2 1/2-hour trek from Fort Myers. Francona joked that he wished the game started 45 minutes later, but otherwise the manager was satisfied, describing the first-inning thrashing as an aberration. Like Varitek, Francona expressed confidence in Martinez's readiness.

Martinez expected to go out for another inning. But when the fourth inning dragged on as Toronto manager Carlos Tosca pressed the umpires to call interference on Varitek running between first and second on a ground ball by Mark Bellhorn, Francona sent Martinez to the shower.

Mendoza all but clinched a spot on the roster despite an inconsistent outing in the 13-8 loss to the Jays. The former Yankees setup man pitched a perfect fourth inning before he got tagged for three runs in the fifth on three hits, a walk, and a hit batsman. Lefty Mark Malaska was optioned to Triple A Pawtucket after logging a 4.50 ERA over six appearances and holding batters to a .208 average. Malaska's departure leaves 36 players in camp, with 11 cuts to come before the opener. One of them will be outfielder Adam Hyzdu, who was told he most likely will start the season at Pawtucket.

The best news for the Sox was Bill Mueller's recovery from an elbow injury. "He has no soreness, and the doc gave him a clean bill of health, so he's ready to go," Francona said. Mueller took batting practice at City of Palms Park, then got several at-bats at the minor league camp. Ellis Burks was scratched from the trip with an elbow "twinge" from throwing. Francona said the twinge has not affected Burks's swing. With five exhibition games to go, the Sox knew even before they arrived to play the Jays that they led the Yankees by a half-game in the AL East thanks to Tampa Bay's 8-3 victory in Tokyo. Byung Hyun Kim threw without discomfort Monday at a distance of 180 feet and is due to throw off a mound tomorrow for the first time since March 10.

March 31, 2004 ... Narrowing the competition for bullpen jobs, the Sox returned Rule 5 lefthander Frank Brooks to the Pirates after he cleared waivers and moved closer to placing their other Rule 5 lefty, Lenny DiNardo, on the disabled list. Ramiro Mendoza appears to have sewn up the long reliever's role, leaving Bobby Jones and Tim Hamulack the final contenders to join Alan Embree as lefties in the pen. Both will head to Atlanta with the team, though Jones appears to have the edge, particularly because of his major league experience. Jones would join a pen of Mendoza, Embree, Keith Foulke, Mike Timlin, and Scott Williamson. Of the six, none has struggled more in spring training than Foulke, the prized closer, who surrendered three runs, including a two-run homer to Jose Castillo, in an inning of relief. Foulke, whose ERA ballooned to 14.08, has allowed hitters to bat .395 against him. Foulke is expected to make at least one more appearance before the opener.

Despite discomfort near his surgically repaired right elbow, Burks slammed his second homer of the spring, a two-run shot off Kip Wells as the Sox played to Pirates to an 8-8 tie at City of Palms Park. Burks has been unable to play the outfield and has received a cortisone injection to try to prevent the discomfort from affecting his swing. He also is trying to strengthen the part of his arm that is affected. Starter Bronson Arroyo was less than sharp, though he surrendered only two runs on five hits over four innings.  Third baseman Bill Mueller reported he was fine after a full day of hitting Tuesday at the big league facility and minor league camp.

April 1, 2004 ... Three days before the Sox open against the Orioles in Baltimore, Keith Foulke continued searching for the stuff that made him the American League's top closer last year with the A's. In his seventh and final appearance of the exhibition season, Foulke surrendered a run in an inning of relief to lower his ERA from 14.08 to 13.50. Opponents have hit .375 against him and logged a .409 on- base percentage.  Foulke, who has surrendered 13 runs in 8 2/3 innings, walked the first batter he faced in the fifth, Joe Mauer, then aggravated matters by failing to erase Mauer on a sacrifice bunt by Cristian Guzman. When Shannon Stewart flied to right, Mauer motored to third, then scored on Nick Punto's sacrifice fly. Foulke threw 20 pitches in the inning. The Twins scored their only run off Schilling on a solo shot by Jacque Jones with two outs in the fourth. The inning would have been over had the wind not bedeviled left fielder Brian Daubach trying to catch a foul ball a pitch earlier.  Schilling said Jones hit a backdoor slider that stayed over the plate and said it was his mistake, not Varitek's. Schilling finished the exhibition season with a 2.10 ERA and held batters to a .168 average.

The feel-good story of the day was farmhand Joe Nelson, a righthander who signed with the Sox two weeks ago and fanned the final three batters to pick up the win. Nelson, 29, is coming back after blowing out his shoulder in his only two big league appearances, with the Braves in 2001. Adam Hyzdu homered off Twins lefthander J.C. Romero with two outs in the top of the ninth for the 4-3 lead. The Sox won the decisive game of their five-game exhibition series against the Twins to claim the Mayors Cup of Fort Myers for the first time since 1999. 

Byung Hyun Kim, who is coming back from inflammation behind his pitching shoulder, threw off a mound for the first time since March 10. "He threw well," said general manager Theo Epstein. Kim will remain in Florida with senior pitching adviser Tony Cloninger. The Sox hope he can rejoin the team by late April. Nomar Garciaparra departed for Boston to begin three weeks of rest and rehabilitation before the Sox possibly clear him to prepare for a minor league rehab assignment. 

April 2, 2004 ... David Ortiz and Dave McCarty entered the night tied with Hank Blalock of the Rangers for the major league lead in spring training with seven home runs.  Manny Ramirez's exhibition streak of 54 at-bats without a homer ended abruptly when he belted a 3-and-0 pitch from Mike Hampton in the first inning deep into the left-field seats for a three-run homer. Ramirez also knocked in a run in the second inning to power the Sox past the Braves, 7-3, before a relatively meager crowd of 21,753 on the eve of today's exhibition finale. Ramirez's replacement in left field, farmhand Justin Sherrod, followed his lead by socking a solo shot in the sixth inning.  The runs were more than enough for Derek Lowe, who mostly breezed through 3 2/3 innings in his final tune-up before he faces the Orioles Wednesday in Baltimore. Lowe allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.

The bullpen also fared well, even Ramiro Mendoza, who gave up a run in the eighth inning on a blooper and a few infield grounders.  The Sox are not disguising their concern over closer Keith Foulke, who has logged a 13.50 ERA in seven exhibition appearances. Manager Terry Francona indicated Foulke has yet to attain the velocity on his fastball that he needs for his changeup to be effective.

The Sox plan to make room on their opening roster for nonroster invitees Brian Daubach, Dave McCarty, Cesar Crespo, and Bobby Jones.  The Sox, who had 37 players on their 40-man roster, opened a fourth spot by outrighting righthander Bryan Hebson to Triple A Pawtucket after he cleared waivers. Jones could stick with the team at least until Byung Hyun Kim returns from a shoulder injury. The Sox expect Kim back by late in the month. As for Crespo, he will serve as the team's lone backup shortstop to Pokey Reese in Garciaparra's absence. Crespo also can play second, third, and the outfield. This will mark his first appearance on an Opening Day roster.

April 3, 2004 ... In a scenario that once seemed unfathomable, the Sox will begin the quest for their first world championship in 86 years without Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Lowe, and Jason Varitek signed beyond this year. The list of potential free agents also includes David Ortiz, Pokey Reese, and Scott Williamson.

Keith Foulke surrendered a home run to Marcus Giles, the first batter he faced, in an abbreviated relief appearance as the Red Sox bowed to the Braves, 5-0, at Turner Field in their spring training finale. After Giles jumped on a fastball from Foulke, Chipper Jones laced a changeup to center field for a single. J.D. Drew then broke his bat flying out to right field and advanced Jones to third. That was it for Foulke. He was lifted for Rule 5 lefthander Lenny DiNardo, who allowed the runner he inherited from Foulke to score. Foulke ended spring training with a 15.00 ERA over nine innings in eight appearances while batters hit .395 against him.

The Sox all but completed their opening roster by purchasing the contracts of nonroster invitees Cesar Crespo, Brian Daubach, and David McCarty and planning to purchase lefthander Bobby Jones's contract today. They optioned lefthander Tim Hamulack to Triple A Pawtucket, reassigned outfielder Adam Hyzdu to Pawtucket, and placed righthander Jason Shiell on the disabled list. DiNardo is expected to go on the DL tomorrow.

Manny Ramirez left the game in the third inning after he was struck on the left shoulder by a pitch from John Thomson. Francona said Ramirez was not injured.  Tim Wakefield allowed one hit over three scoreless innings in his final tune-up before he faces the O's Thursday at Camden Yards.  Dave McCarty led the Sox players headed north in batting (.410) and RBIs (18) in the exhibition season and tied David Ortiz for the lead in homers (7).