Gutierrez relishes latest chance

Ricky Gutierrez arrived in Boston late yesterday morning and, after taking in the Red Sox' loss in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Baltimore, started making himself at home.

After meeting with the media, he gave reliever Curtis Leskanic a hug and chatted briefly with Bill Mueller, whom he played with for the Cubs in 2000 and 2001.

Pedro Martinez, following Gutierrez and a clubhouse attendant, playfully asked, "Are you two related? You both got the big nose."

Gutierrez shook hands and spoke with Sox general manager Theo Epstein, the man who culled him from the Triple A Iowa Cubs and back to the major leagues. Gutierrez tested out a new batting helmet in front of his locker, the one with the nameplate that read only, "Red Sox." Still, his new clubhouse suited him just fine.

"Not bad at all," Gutierrez said. "Wrigley's smaller than this one."

Acquired by Boston after Pokey Reese went on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, the 34-year-old Gutierrez replaced Game 1 pitcher Abe Alvarez, who was optioned back to Double A Portland, on the Sox roster and started at shortstop last night in Game 2.

Gutierrez is playing for his sixth team in a 12-year big league career. At this point, he could probably legally change his first name to Journeyman -- as in "journeyman shortstop Ricky Gutierrez" -- and no one would notice.

His journey took its worst turn this spring, when Gutierrez dealt with an array of health problems, the most serious of which, a neck injury, required what he called "major surgery."

The injuries resulted in a poor spring, and he was traded from Cleveland, where he spent 2002 and 2003, to the Mets. He played just 24 games for New York, hitting .175 in 63 at-bats, before being released.

Though Gutierrez is accustomed to switching clubs, never had it happened so rapidly and in the middle of a season, let alone spring training.

"I've been traveling a lot this year," Gutierrez said. "I haven't gotten used to it yet."

Still trying to fully heal and work out some kinks, he was picked up by the Cubs and given a minor league contract to play in Iowa. Pride never got in the way.

"Going back to the minor leagues, you go back to where you started from," Gutierrez said. "I was trying to find my old self and get my game back. It wasn't bad. It was just go back down there and get my game right."

He did, hitting .368 in 20 games for Iowa with five doubles and 10 RBIs.

Gutierrez's break came when Reese strained his right oblique and Pawtucket shortstop Carlos Febles went down with a left shoulder strain. Epstein started scouring the minors for a replacement, and Gutierrez fit the bill, especially since the Cubs had agreed to move him to the first team that showed interest.

"There were four or five guys we were looking at, and we didn't want to spend too much to get one," Epstein said. "We were able to work out a deal to get Ricky without giving up anything, really.

"If Ricky Gutierrez is healthy, he's a major league player. He's a utility guy who can protect us at short with Pokey Reese out. He's a veteran guy, knows how to play the game."

Now he's in Boston, dropped right in the middle of a playoff race, and ecstatic to be here. He had never played in Fenway Park. When the Indians came here in 2002, Gutierrez was on the disabled list and watched from the bench.

For now, it's undetermined how much he'll be playing and how much he'll be watching with his new team.

"I haven't thought about it yet," Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I haven't seen him play for a while. Last time I saw him play, he wasn't real healthy. It'll be nice to get a look at him and see what he can do for us, where he does fit."

As he took ground balls at shortstop between games yesterday, the lone player on a field covered by long shadows, it didn't seem to matter where he fit in, only that his journey had made a turn for the better.

"I think I'm all the way back," he said. "I'm starting to feel like the old Ricky."