Makeup games are in Ortiz's future

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Appearing and sounding more mellow than usual, David Ortiz returned to Red Sox camp yesterday, some 18 days after he left for the World Baseball Classic, and said, ''I think I wasted a lot of time. I only played seven games. It wasn't worth it, to get ready for the season. Important games, you're not ready to play. I feel like I'm not even close to what I have to be."

His Dominican Republic team entered the event as a favorite but lost in the semifinals to Cuba.

''I'm not disappointed," Ortiz said. ''Everybody knows, if we're in shape, there's not a pitcher that's going to stop our hitting.

''I said way before it started, Cuban guys, they've been playing, Asian guys, they've been playing. American, Dominican, Venezuelan, maybe a couple of those guys have been playing winter ball, the majority haven't. So [who] do you think the games are going to go to?"

Ortiz would like to see some alterations.

''They should do it after we play at least 10, 15 games here in spring training," he said. ''With not too many days off. And do not take the series out of the States because of the facilities."

Ortiz said he'd like to see the event staged ''10 straight days" to end March. He'd also like to see all the games played at big-league stadiums. In Puerto Rico, he said, the facility did not have a weight room, and the batting cages were available only during scheduled times.

''You don't get the work you need to be ready," he said.

He did come home with one tale to tell. At the team hotel in San Diego, he answered a knock at his door to find Fidel Castro's son, the Cuban team's physician.

''I was nervous," Ortiz said with a laugh. ''He told me, 'Whenever you come to Cuba, I'll take care of you.' [I thought], 'OK, they might confuse me as a Cuban and keep me there.' He came with my agent to say hi and take pictures. I gave a whole bunch of shoes to them."

With Opening Day 13 days away, roster decisions aren't far off. The Sox have only two real jobs up for grabs: backup catcher and either a 12th pitcher or fifth outfielder. Here's how the Sox are likely to break camp:

PITCHERS (11): Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, Matt Clement, David Wells, Keith Foulke, Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Timlin, Rudy Seanez, Julian Tavarez, David Riske.

Schilling, Wakefield, Beckett, Clement, and Wells have been guaranteed spots in the rotation, unless one is traded. That means Papelbon is all but sure to begin in the bullpen, either as a setup man or closer. Clement, meanwhile, can all but set aside fears of being traded late in spring for the third time in his career.

''We've talked to Matt and told him, he's going to get ready and get the ball 30 times," said general manager Theo Epstein yesterday. ''We think he can build off of what he did last season."

CATCHERS (2): Jason Varitek, Josh Bard.

With exactly two weeks remaining until Wakefield's first regular-season start, it's hard to envision Ken Huckaby, who's been slowed by a bad left knee, beating out Bard.

INFIELDERS (6): Mike Lowell, Alex Gonzalez, Mark Loretta, Kevin Youkilis, J.T. Snow, Alex Cora.

This presumes the Sox will deal Tony Graffanino, who is expected to bring a decent prospect, probably someone who ranks in the No. 6 to No. 10 range on another club's prospect depth chart. Logical suitors: Mets, Marlins, Cubs, and Orioles.

Another name to keep in mind this season: Alejandro Machado. Terry Francona likes him, he has speed, and he's shown he can play the outfield in a pinch.

OUTFIELDERS (5): Manny Ramirez, Coco Crisp, Trot Nixon, Wily Mo Pena, Adam Stern.

Stern has to spend 17 days with the Sox to begin the season to fulfill his Rule 5 obligation. After that, he can be sent to Pawtucket, which would open a roster spot for the club to add another position player (possibly INF/OF Willie Harris) or another pitcher (possibly lefty Lenny DiNardo). Harris's contract allows him to become a free agent at some point in April if he's not in the big leagues.

Without any prompting, Ortiz yesterday asked a couple of writers: ''What are they going to do with Stern?

''Dude, this guy is a good player," Ortiz continued. ''All he has to do is learn, like Johnny [Damon], to hit lefthanders and that's it. He's going to be a superstar in the big leagues. I'm telling you right now. Remember that. Dude, you've just got to watch his skills. He's got some unbelievable skills. He can throw, he can field, he can hit, he can run. What else do you want?"

DH (1): Ortiz.

'Nuf said.

Juan Gonzalez, who agreed to a minor league deal over the weekend, was made aware before he signed that the Sox were close to dealing for Pena. Pena's presence all but guarantees that Gonzalez will remain behind in extended spring training or report to Pawtucket. Signing with the Sox suggests that Gonzalez, who has played in only 34 games the last two seasons (33 in '04, 1 in '05), had nowhere else to sign, despite his 434 career homers. In the minors, the two-time AL MVP, now 36, would make about $10,000 per month attempting to prove himself to the Sox or another team. He is expected to report to camp today. ''It's a no-lose deal," Epstein said . . . Timlin, who was unavailable to pitch last Thursday in Team USA's elimination loss to Mexico because of a fatigued arm, threw to hitters at the minor league complex yesterday . . . Wells makes his spring debut today vs. Tampa Bay . . . The Phillies and Sox were expected to talk yesterday about Dustan Mohr, the Sox' nonroster invitee who is hitting .385 (10 for 26) with 3 homers and 6 RBIs. Mohr was expected to win the fourth outfield job but is expendable now that the Sox have obtained Pena. Philadelphia needs a fourth outfielder because it dealt Jason Michaels to Cleveland, where he's replacing Crisp . . . The same folks who collected 65,000 online signatures at keepmanny.com have launched comebackroger.com, hoping to steer the Rocket back to Boston.