Time to get throwing

With all the media attention, the first days of camp may have seemed a blur to Daisuke Matsuzaka, who jogged yesterday. (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF)

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Daisuke Matsuzaka is among the first group of Red Sox pitchers who will throw bullpen sessions today, when the team takes the field for its first official workout of camp.

Yesterday was spent taking physicals and participating in agility drills and conditioning tests, a wrinkle added this season to the team's spring regimen.

Today, as manager Terry Francona said, "We break out the baseballs."

Matsuzaka has been placed in a group with the other pitchers projected to be in the rotation: Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, and Tim Wakefield. Reliever Hideki Okajima is also in that group, for obvious reasons.

Also scheduled to throw today: Abe Alvarez, Kason Gabbard, Jon Lester, Kyle Snyder, Bryan Corey, Devern Hansack, Travis Hughes, and David Pauley.

The rest of the pitchers are scheduled to throw tomorrow.

Dustin Pedroia popped into the clubhouse yesterday, even though position players don't have to report until Tuesday. The rookie second baseman got married this winter. "Looked good, didn't he?" Francona said. "Noticeably different. He said he was going to make a commitment to changing his diet. I know he's always been a real hard worker, but it was very obvious he looked different. Again, there's some responsibility with what he's being asked to do, and he seems to understand that." . . . Julian Tavarez bowed out of the agility tests because of a tender ankle. He said one of his spikes gave way during the Caribbean series, which is when he tweaked his ankle. But while he can't run, he won't miss his first bullpen session . . . Schilling also did not take part in the outdoor drills, though he did play catch in the morning. Asked if he were pleased with Schilling's condition, Francona said: "I didn't pull his shirt up. We're semi-close, but we're not getting that close." . . . Francona, along with general manager Theo Epstein and pitching coach John Farrell, met with each member of the pitching staff and the catchers yesterday. The approach with Lester? "He's mainstreamed with all the pitchers," said Francona. "We'll keep an eye on him and monitor the way he bounces back from things."

Wakefield heard about Matsuzaka's remarks about fooling around with the knuckleball, and offered to show his new teammate his money pitch. "I'll be glad to teach him," Wakefield said. "I worked with some of the young kids in our organization and elsewhere. But if he's willing to learn, I can teach him how I hold it and how to throw it, but it's up to the individual to have the feel to take the spin off the ball." . . . Wakefield also expressed pleasure at having Doug Mirabelli back after last spring, when Wakefield auditioned catchers and Josh Bard was a disaster. "I was ecstatic," Wakefield said. "When he filed for free agency, I was a little disappointed that they couldn't get something done earlier than that. I was just very excited to have him back and not have to go through another tryout." . . . The Dice-K Deke: While Okajima came out the clubhouse door used by the other players to go onto the field, Matsuzaka slipped out of a side door and reached the field without being intercepted by photographers.

Gordon Edes can be reached at edes@globe.com.