Arroyo set to provide relief

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In the long run, one will start and one probably won't.

Judging by Terry Francona's comments that Bronson Arroyo would really bolster the Sox bullpen, Arroyo appears to be destined for the bullpen when the Red Sox have a full complement of starting pitchers.

Arroyo, who was the losing pitcher in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers yesterday in relief of Tim Wakefield, allowed four hits and two earned runs, courtesy of Jose Valentin's two-run shot in the fifth inning.

Arroyo has made his preference clear.

"Without question, I'd rather be a starter," Arroyo said. "Wake would say the same thing. You feel your fate is in your hands. You go out there every fifth day and you feel you're contributing a little more."

Arroyo also said with Wade Miller aboard, he knows he's the sixth man on a five-man staff when everyone is healthy. Miller will miss at least the first month, and Curt Schilling may miss some time early if his ankle delays his progress.

Arroyo does feel more confident than he did a year ago.

"I think I felt stronger earlier in camp than I ever have," he said. "I feel physically great. I'd like to spot the fastball better, for one, but I didn't do much different in preparation. It might be mental, where I don't have to have great outings to make the club. I'm trying to prepare physically and not be concerned with the results."

Arroyo agrees with Francona that, "I feel I can be effective out of the pen throwing the breaking ball for strikes. But I'm comfortable in either role. I think I've pitched enough out of the pen and I can be effective as a starter."

Yesterday he just tried to throw what catcher Jason Varitek called for.

"I tried to prepare as if it was a regular-season game," Arroyo said.

Arroyo knows the chances of every starter making every start is slim. He knows if he does start in the bullpen, he's never far from the rotation.

He wasn't upset when the Sox signed Miller in the offseason. "This is a team that wants to win," Arroyo said. "They'll get guys if they can. We lost Pedro [Martinez] and that hurts a little. To get a guy like Wade Miller as cheaply as they got him, and if he comes back, I'm probably going to be the sixth guy. I always compared him to Ben Sheets, with a big arm and excellent breaking stuff."

Wakefield, who sat stuck on a bus six hours round-trip for Wednesday's rainout in Jupiter against the Marlins, threw 45 pitches over three hitless and scoreless innings yesterday.

"I felt great considering [Wednesday] was such a mess," said the knuckleballer. "I got my work done. So far, I'm on schedule. I wanted to get my pitch count up a little more through three innings so we'll have to see how I feel after this one in preparation for the next one."

Setback for Petagine
Nonroster invitee Roberto Petagine's quest to make the Sox roster was derailed yesterday when the team announced he would be undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus and drain fluid in his left knee. Petagine will miss 4-6 weeks. This is a blow to the bench, as the Sox were counting on Petagine's lefthanded power. Francona expects Petagine to play a little at Pawtucket and then help Boston down the road . . . The team travels to Dunedin today to face the Blue Jays with Anastacio Martinez getting the start. Back in Fort Myers, Schilling will throw off a mound for pitching coach Dave Wallace. Schilling played long toss yesterday and appears to be recuperating from flu symptoms he's had the past few days. Francona still doesn't have a timetable for Schilling to appear in a game . . . Doug Mirabelli batted second yesterday to start the game as he caught Wakefield, but Francona joked that if this happened during the season, the manager should be drug-tested . . . Dodgers ambassador Tommy Lasorda was spotted signing autographs prior to the game . . . Who's got the biggest bat on the Sox? The leader in the clubhouse is Varitek at 35 ounces. The major league average is 32 . . . Byung Hyun Kim was excused from camp as he battles the flu . . . Manny Ramirez continues to pound the ball. His solo shot accounted for the Sox' only run.