David Ortiz smiled broadly when told that ESPNdeportes reported he had reached an agreeement on a four-year extension with the Red Sox, especially when told that it was for four years and $50m. "Sounds good,'' he said.

But it ain't true, he said. And he insisted he wasn't just playing the good soldier and not commenting because the club asked him not to, pending an official announcement.

The club, of course, is taking considerable pains to keep things under wraps. GM Theo Epstein did acknowledge that the sides have had "quiet discussions."

Manager Terry Francona said no decision had been made yet on whether Julian Tavarez will appeal his 10-day suspension, but Terry Francona said he hopes that Tavarez does not file an appeal and serves the penalty starting Monday in Texas. That appears to be a likely outcome, and with the Sox having two off days and everyone fresh, might as well get it over with now unless you think you have a chance of winning a significant reduction.

David Ortiz has yet to come out on the field for the workout, but that probably just means he's inside packing or hitting in the cages.

Keith Foulke, whom Francona said was scratched yesterday with a bad stomach, was here today.

Willie Harris will go with the club to Philly, then fly to Chicago for the White Sox ring ceremony before going to Pawtucket.

David Wells, Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield are all staying here for the weekend before joining the team in Texas. Wells, in case you had any doubts, is definietly scheduled to start on April 7 in Pawtucket.

Greetings (for the last time) from the Fort.

It's a bit after 11, the Sox players are in the clubhouse as I write this, meeting with GM Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona, probably just going over some procedural things prior to leaving later today for Philly. The club plans to take the field at 11:30 to work out for a couple of hours. I believe their ETD for Philly is around 4.

Spoke briefly with David Ortiz before the clubhouse closed about whether he was close to getting an extension done. He said he didn't know, but now that I'm aware of the report on ESPNDeportes that said Ortiz is about to sign a four-year extension for $50 million--my guess is that would include this season, but that's strictly a guess--I'll see if I can come up with more.

Francona meets with the media at 11:30.

Laytah

Red Sox pitcher Julian Tavarez was fined and suspended for 10 days by Major League Baseball today for "his violent and unsportsmanlike actions" related to his fight with the Devil Rays' Joey Gathright.

The amount of the fine is undisclosed.

Tavarez is scheduled to begin his suspension Monday unless the Red Sox appeal.

In his final tune-up before Opening Day, Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling gave up two runs on six hits in four innings this afternoon at City of Palms Park, striking out two and walking one in Boston's 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh. He spoke to the media after the game:

The Red Sox today optioned right-handed pitchers Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen to Triple-A Pawtucket. Neither were expected to make the team’s Opening Day roster, though both had stellar springs.

The 22-year-old Hansen was nearly perfect in 10 2/3 spring innings with the Red Sox, giving up no runs and just five hits. He struck out five and walked three. Delcarmen, 24, posted decent numbers as well, a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings with 11 strikeouts and five walks.

A week away from Opening Day, Red Sox pitcher Julian Tavarez faces the likelihood of disciplinary action from Major League Baseball after punching Devil Rays outfielder Joey Gathright in the chin after a tag play at home plate Monday afternoon in City of Palms Park.

The play took place in the eighth inning of the Sox’ 12-11 win over the Devil Rays at City of Palms Park. Tavarez was covering the plate because the catcher Ken Huckaby had Julio Lugo caught between first and second after his base hit sent Gathright to third. Huckaby ran toward Lugo, then threw to second baseman Zach Borowiak, a Sox minor-leaguer.

Gathright broke to the plate, Borowiak threw home, and Tavarez tagged the runner out. A frame by frame examination of photographs taken of the play, however, show Tavarez stepping on Gathright's left arm after the play and possibly was saying something to the Devil Rays player.

Gathright placed his hand on Tavarez's left knee and attempted to push it away, at which point Tavarez cocked his right fist. Gathright was still on one knee when Tavarez threw a roundhouse right, catching Gathright in the area of his chin and knocking his batting helmet off. Tavarez can then be seen pulling back his arm and throwing another punch, which appeared to glance off Gathright's shoulder.

Devil Rays teammates Carl Crawford and Greg Norton grabbed Tavarez, and Norton body-slammed Tavarez to the ground, Crawford on Norton's back, with Gathright underneath the players. Both benches emptied -- Trent Durrington was in the middle of the pile -- and both Tavarez and Gathright were ejected. When Hee Seop Choi was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth by Wayne Franklin, umpires warned both teams.

Tavarez admitted that he stepped on Gathright, saying he had lifted his leg because he expected a hard slide (click this audio link for Tavarez's take); the D-Rays were livid, manager Joe Maddon calling for Tavarez to be suspended.

"I think that was a sucker punch,'' Crawford said. Said Gathright: "I slid and he was standing on my arm. I can even show you the marks. I tried to push his knee back. As I was getting up, he swung at me.''

Tavarez has a history of on-field incidents. In one of the more recent incidents, he swung at a dugout phone during the NLCS in 2004 and hurt his hand. He was fined $10,000 by MLB for throwing a pitch over Jeff Bagwell's head in the same game.

Bob Watson, baseball's chief disciplinarian, is certain to investigate.

For the second straight day, the Red Sox were involved in a bench-clearing incident in a spring training game.

In the top of the eighth, Sox reliever Julian Tavarez threw a punch at Devil Rays outfielder Joey Gathright after he slid into home plate (with Tavarez covering). Tavarez connected with a right to Gathright's chin.

After having hit a batter, enduring an error behind him and committing another himself in the inning, Tavarez already appeared to be irritated at the time of the incident.

Here’s how it went down ...

After the two fielding mistakes by the Sox, Tavarez’s first pitch to Julio Lugo was high and tight. With Gathright already on second base, Lugo went on to get a hit, but got caught between first and second.

Recognizing they had Lugo in a pickle, Sox catcher Ken Huckaby ran out toward him while keeping an eye on Gathright, who had moved to third and was partway down the third base line.

Huckaby threw to infielder Zach Borowiak to try to nab Lugo. When he did, Gathright broke to the plate, forcing Tavarez to cover home. Borowiak threw to Tavarez, Gathright slid, and Tavarez tagged him (Tavarez might have gotten spiked).

Tavarez then connected with a punch, and players rushed the field. Jonathan Papelbon came running out from the bullpen, and he and Papa Jack pulled Gathright out of the scrum.

Devil Rays outfielder Carl Crawford and Gathright were gesturing toward the Sox dugout, but there were no other incidents (though we believe Tavarez was yelling from the dugout).

In the bottom of the eighth, newly acquired Red Sox first baseman Hee-Seop Choi was plunked by Rays pitcher Wayne Franklin, and the umps warned both sides.

The Red Sox and Devil Rays, of course, have a history of bench-clearing incidents. Here's a look back at an incident from last April.

More details and quotes to come ...

Keith Foulke worked a perfect sixth inning today, whiffing one.

Line on David Wells: 4 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K's ... He says he is fine physically. Would he like the knee to be better? Sure. But he said he can pitch with it.

Wells said he will stay here, throw Sunday, fly to join the team in Texas, then throw a tuneup in Pawtucket, probably on April 7, in preparation for his first start April 12. The PawSox are home against Indianapolis on the 7th; the Sox will be in Balitmore.

Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield will all stay back after camp breaks here, then fly to Texas on Sunday.

Oops, Toby Hall just hit a solo HR off Boomer. Nick Green is the 9th batter to hit in the inning.

Inning's over. Sox 7, Rays 6

Rhode Island's Rocco Baldelli likely will open the season on the DL. Bad hammy.

Hanley Ramirez has won the starting SS job for the Marlins. The guy he beat out, Robert Andino, left camp in a huff

The Belleville Basher, Brian Daubach, was sent down by the Cardinals, though he had a good camp, hitting over .300

MLB security chief Kevin Hallinan held his annual briefing for the club before the workout

Among the guys going to Sarasota tomorrow night: Wily Mo, Coco, Hee Seop Choi, Bard, Youkilis (playing third). Matt Clement will pitch. Schill goies Wednesday here against the Pirates, Wake here against the Reds (and most likely Bronson Arroyo) here Thursday

Keith Foulke is scheduled to go an inning later today.

Greetings from the Fort, where the lineup Terry Francona rolled out today may mirror the one he tapes to the dugout wall in Texas next Monday, when the Sox open the season against the Rangers. Against lefty Casey Fossum, an old friend, the Sox batted through the order in the first, scoring four runs, and sent seven batters to the plate in the second, when they scored three more times.

Coco Crisp singled, stole second and scored in the first, walked and scored in the second.

Mark Loretta walked and scored in the first, singled and scored in the second.

Big Papi fouled out in his first at bat, and blooped an RBI single in the second.

Manny hit an RBI single under Julio Lugo's glove in the first, grounded a double down the left-field line to knock in another run in the second.

Jason Varitek whiffed in his first at bat, and hit a sac fly to center in the second.

Mike Lowell walked and scored in the first.

Trot Nixon singled in the first.

JT Snow singled in the first, with an RBI.

How’s that for production?

Meanwhile, David Wells allowed only a two-out double to Toby Hall with two out in the second through two innings, though he's run into trouble here in the third, loading the bases on two singles and a walk, giving up a two-run double to Carl Crawford, then on the next pitch giving up a long home run to Jonny Gomes.

Nearly had a real dustup here in Clearwater. The scene: In the bottom of the sixth inning Ryan Howard, the Phillies' terrific young power-hitting first baseman, hit a ball to center off Josh Beckett that Howard thought was gone. It stayed in the yard, and Beckett took exception to Howard showboating down the line while the ball was in flight. 'Tek went out to calm him down.

Come the top of the seventh, Howard went out to field his position, and Beckett kept yapping at him. Howard walked to his position and kept going, heading for the visiting dugout. He was within 10 feet of Beckett, who was on the top step, and it really looked like they were going to go. Woulda been a great one: Howard is listed at 6-4, 252, Beckett at 6-5, 222. Wily Mo Pena, somewhere in the 245 to 260 range, was two steps behind Beckett. And Rudy Seanez, who trains with ultimate fighters in the offseason, was the first guy out of the bullpen.

But someone stepped up to hold Beckett back, and Howard's teammates wrapped him up. Bullpens cleared. Beckett was due up to begin the inning. No surprise: Tito pinch hit Willie Harris.

The Sox have claimed Hee Seop Choi off waivers, giving them a third option at first base, in addition to Kevin Youkilis and J.T. Snow. The 27-year-old Choi, who has an option remaining and can be sent to the minors, hit .253 with 15 homers and 42 RBIs in 320 at-bats last season with the Dodgers.

Red Sox closer Keith Foulke was sharp in his first outing of the spring today, fanning all three Triple-A batters he faced on 13 pitches. What follows are comments he made after the outing:

Schilling on his Triple A start today:

working on: "No, not one thing. Just trying to get better."

Velocity: "Real good. Felt like it's where it should be. Still overthrowing the ball in certain situations I shouldn't be."
Everything feels good."

Stamina: "I felt very very strong at the end of the game. That's one thing I'm very very excited about. That certainly wasn't my limit."

This strong last year: "No, this is no comparison to anything last year. Stuff, everything ... I'm ready. I feel like I"m ready already, from a stamina standpoint. Stuffwise, if my next start were opening day, I'd feel very comfortable with where I'm at."

On watching Foulke: "He was phenomenal. That's as good as I've seen I'm look since October of 2004. That's exciting. it's very exciting to see that."

On whether he's concerned about the ankle holding up for a full season: "No, no ... I don't think about it. A little stiffer some mornings but it doesn't have anything to do with how I feel or how I pitch or how I feel when i pitch. It's not an issue."

On the Yankees staff vs. the Sox staff: "We're five deep, six deep as a rotation. Bullpenwise we're going to have some guys who aren't going to make this bullpen who probably could be in the big leagues with anybody else. It's gong to come down to health again, as it always does. I think the rotation and the staff that stays off the DL the most in the AL East is going to be playing in October."

Keith Foulke was sharp - he struck out the side in the eighth, fanning all three Ottawa Lynx batters he faced on 13 pitches. It appears that he's done for the day, and he should pitch again tomorrow, against the Blue Jays ... Schilling's line in this Triple A game: 7 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 10 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 109 pitches, a whopping 82 for strikes.

Keith Foulke has Terry Francona's support. He's going to close, at least to begin the year. How effective will he be? Well, the first measure of that comes today, when Foulke pitches in a game for the first time (he'll follow Curt Schilling in a 12:30 p.m. Triple A game at City of Palms Park) ... If you're in the neighborhood, come by: the game is free. If you're not, check back here around 3 p.m. for an update.

The Indians optioned third baseman Andy Marte to Triple-A despite Marte’s fantastic spring. The former Sox prospect (for less than two months) hit .359 with a homer, six doubles, and nine RBIs in 15 games this spring. The Indians are still very high on Marte.

In other local news, the Indians reassigned Framingham Lou Merloni to minor league camp. Hit .174 in 16 games this spring.

Red Sox fans in the Fort Myers area can see Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke for free on Friday.

The Triple-A game scheduled for Friday at 12:30 p.m. has been relocated to City of Palms Park, and the will be no admission charge.

Schilling is scheduled to start the game, and Foulke is also scheduled to pitch.

Wily Mo Pena just took batting practice. He hit some absolute bombs -- one off the scoreboard in left center, one over the scoreboard, and a smattering onto the field behind the left-field wall.

He's going to get an at-bat or two today, Terry Francona said.

Pena, who was to start in left field for the Reds, said he's OK with a part-time role.

"That's ok," he said. "They told me they're going to give me a chance against the lefty. I'm going to play a lot against lefties. So I have to make the opportunity. When the opportunity comes I have to be ready. I know I was going to be a starter in Cincinnati. So I have to adjust my game and keep working hard."

Pena, on Fenway: "That's a great ballpark. We were there last year. That was my first time. I said, I can't believe I'm here. Now I'm going to be there a lot."

How many homers could he hit if he played every day? "I don't know. I don't want to say that. I'm not going to say I can hit that many."

Pena said he played first base in the Dominican during winter ball but Francona said he'll be strictly an outfielder.

"The best I play is center field and right field," he said. "Like I told them, if they need me everywhere I just need to be ready."

Asked how much he weighs, he said: "About 250. I guess." He stopped to wag his tongue, suggesting he could be a bit bulkier, though it looks to be largely muscle. "When I get here I was like 260. I said to myself, I have to get down to 250, 245."

Bronson Arroyo spoke with the media in Fort Myers this morning. What follows are a sampling of his comments:

Bronson Arroyo talks to Keith Foulke this morning before leaving Red Sox camp for the last time. (AP Photo)

Newly acquired Red Sox outfielder Wily Mo Pena is in Fort Myers this morning working out with the team. Sox manager Terry Francona said he expected to give Pena an at bat or two in today’s Grapefruit League contest against the Devil Rays, and added that he’ll be on the squad that travels to Tampa tomorrow to play the Yankees.

He's taking some BP with the team, and has already put a couple of balls over the scoreboard.

Former Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo, now a member of the Cincinnati Reds, was also in Sox camp this morning. Juan Gonzalez, however, was not. The injury-prone slugging right fielder signed a minor league deal with the Sox.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein called into Boston sports radio station WEEI this afternoon to discuss the trade that sent pitcher Bronson Arroyo to the Reds for Wily Mo Pena. A summary of his comments (not direct quotes) follow:

David Ortiz is wasting no time getting back to Fort Myers after the Dominican was eliminated by Cuba in the WBC. Tito Francona said Ortiz caught a redeye in San Diego and was due back here this morning. He's not expected at the ballpark today, but you never know. Francona said Papi plans to take some BP tomorrow (an off-day for the big club) against bench coach Brad Mills. "He told me, 'I gotta get ABs,' and that's pretty cool. That sometimes gets lost in the shuffle with the general public, how much they care, how responsible, especially the good ones, are about getting where they need to be."

Francona took the regulars to the back field this morning to work on rundown plays and other fundamentals. Good news is, no one got hurt. Remember when Jeff Frye blew out his knee in a rundown drill?

David Wells will start Tuesday against Tampa Bay here. Francona confirmed that he has told Wells his first regular season start will probably come April 12 at home against Toronto.

Francona all but conceded that Josh Bard has the inside track on the backup catcher job catching Tim Wakefield. He said that Ken Huckaby may not get a crack at catching Wake the rest of the camp, because the start of the season is only two weeks away. "Is that fair? Probably not,'' he said. Bard is scheduled to catch Wake here this afternoon. Huckaby went with Curt Schilling to Sarasota for a Triple-A game.

Greetings from Fort Myers, where the news is not good for fans of Johnny Pesky, which basically means anyone who knows the man.

JP showed up in camp this morning on crutches and wearing a boot. As I reported in the Globe this a.m., he was hit by a line drive yesterday during a college game between Suffolk and Denison (Ohio), and X-rays revealed a hairline fracture of the left fibula. JP is going home tomorrow, which will come as a disappointment to all the folks who get to chat with JP and get an autograph at City of Palms Park, where he sets up a folding chair near the dugout and welcomes everybody.

JP is 86 and admits he may finally have lost a step. "I've never in my life been hit by a line drive in 60 years in baseball,'' he said.

What made it eerie is that about a half hour before it happened, manager Tito Francona had mentioned how he worried that JP might get smoked by a liner.

Pesky said he still hopes to be at Fenway for the home opener. "I don't want to walk out there like a pigeon,'' he said.

Greetings from overcast Fort Myers, a relative term, I know, given the spectacular spring we've had this year. Contrary to popular opinion, I haven't been vacationing down here, despite the absence of my byline (or blogs) this week.

I've been doing some work for our Opening Day special section, though that's left me plenty of time to watch our lads as well as the WBC, which is probably the best sporting event many of you didn't get to see much of. A terrific tournament, IMO ... talk about great theater: Puerto Rico-Cuba, Japan-Korea, then US-Mexico last night. It had the same passionate fervor as soccer's World Cup, IMO, but obviously not on that scale, or for similar stakes. But the crowds were awesome, and while they need to tweak some of the tie-breaker stuff and maybe the timing of the tournament and the umpiring (Earth to Bob Davidson), I think this thing will only grow in a big way. I would have liked to have seen Jason Varitek get more than one bat-shattering at-bat yesterday. As for Roger Clemens, who knows? If I had to wager, I'd say he'll be pitching for somebody at some point this season.

There were fans camped in front of the ticket office here at 6:30 this morning (no, I didn't get here that early, I rolled in about 8:30) for the annual St. Patrick’s Day green-jersey game. Hope they weren't excited about seeing Hanley Ramirez -- he's not on the travel squad for the Marlins, who left just about everyone of consequence back home. Though with their ravaged roster, who can tell?

The Sox are rolling out pretty close to a regular lineup: Coco, Loretta, Nixon, Ramirez, Lowell, Snow (DH), Youkilis, Gonzalez, with Trent Durrington catching. Jonathan Papelbon is hurling.

Alex Cora, fresh off playing for PR in the WBC, is flying to Tampa tomorrow and will play for the Sox in Dunedin. Terry Francona said he expects Jason Varitek and Mike Timlin back from Team USA tomorrow, with Jason catching part of Sunday's game.

The roster was trimmed by seven yesterday: reliever Cla Meredith was optioned to Pawtucket, while right-hander Matt Ginter, left-handers Craig Breslow, Mike Bumatay and Phil Seibel, infielder Jed Lowrie and outfielder Luke Allen were re-assigned to minor league camp.

There are two lefty relievers still in camp: Lenny DiNardo, starting tomorrow in Dunedin, and Mike Holtz, the 33-year-old journeyman who last season pitched in Japan and has a dozen whiffs in 6 innings this spring.

Francona and GM Theo Epstein met with David Wells this morning in the wake of his grousing about possibly getting skipped over the first time in the rotation when the season opens. If I had to guess, I'd say Wells might make his first start April 12, but I certainly wouldn't rule out his getting traded. Texas has interest.

Laytah,
Gordon

David Wells looked good enough for his first time out, with a fastball at about 88 miles per hour, a real good cutter at about 85, a nice curve in the 71 range, and the occasional changeup.

He wasn't all that pleased, though, saying, "I'm not throwing the ball down, I'm just flying wide open. I know I'm doing it, so I'm trying to correct it."

His curve, he said, "was my best pitch today. It was just free and easy. My other pitches I was pretty much aiming, and that's not good. It wasn't too too bad for my first time."

On his velocity, a consistent 88, he said, "That's fine. To me that's about where I'm at anyways. It can only get better."

On his surgically repaired knee: "Knee felt great. If I'm going to feel anything I'm going to feel it while I'm pitching. So far so good."

Asked if he'll be ready to begin the season on time, Wells said, "No question. I've done what it takes to get ready."

David Wells saw his first game action of the spring today, pitching three innings in a Red Sox intrasquad minor league game.

His line: 3 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 strikeout, no walks, 53 pitches, 34 strikes.

There were a number of scouts in attendance.

The Red Sox announced today that they have come to an agreement with manager Terry Francona on a two-year contract extension through the 2008 season.

The team did not disclose what Francona will be paid over the course of the deal, but it most assuredly is a bump from the $660,000 he was slated to make in 2006, the final year of the three-year deal he signed with the club in 2003. Last season, Francona made $550,000, among the lowest managerial salaries in the major leagues.

After leading Boston to its first World Series title in 86 years, Francona managed the Red Sox to a 95-67 mark last season.

With a 193-131 (.596) record in 324 games with the Red Sox, Francona should become the second-fastest manager in club history to reach 200 wins, as early as next month. Joe McCarthy needed 323 games to win 2000 between 1948 and 1950.

Red Sox pitchers Abe Alvarez and Jon Lester were among 13 players involved in roster moves today in Fort Myers.

Lefties Alvarez and Lester, along with righthanded pitchers Edgar Martinez, David Pauley, and Jermaine Van Buren were optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket. Outfielders Brandon Moss and David Murphy were also sent to Pawtucket.

Righthanded pitchers Tim Bausher and Franklin Nunez, infielders Luis A. Jimenez, Rodney Nye and Josh Pressley, and outfielder Tyler Minges were reassigned to minor league camp.

Saw 49ers QB Alex Smith in line at the ATM machine here in Bradenton. Thought about asking him about his account balance, then thought better off it.

Sox are up 4-3 in the fourth. Curt Schilling was cruising until this inning, when he hit Chris Duffy in the helmet. Recall, this is the new Schill, committed to throwing high and tight to expand his plate in the absence of the fastball he once had. But, the experiment has manifested itself in Schill plunking people in the head his last two times out. He hit minor-leaguer Jeff Natale earlier in the week and got Duffy today.

Jon Lester, rated by many as the organization's best prospect, is to follow. Lester is going to get another start March 16 and probably another the 21st before he's sent to minor-league camp.

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek got the ball he hit for a grand slam in USA's 8-6 loss to Canada on Wednesday.

The historic ball -- the first ever grand slam hit in the WBC -- was returned to Varitek by the fan who caught it in center field. Nobody knows the fan’s name (send us an e-mail if you read this), but Varitek was very appreciative of the fan turning it in to Varitek. The fan also got an extra treat out of the exchange -- dinner with USA manager Buck Martinez, purely by coincidence.

Martinez tells this story:

"Jason Varitek hit the grand slam, obviously, against Canada. The fan caught the ball. He has many friends in Boston and he called up (his Boston friends) obviously, and said, 'I just got Varitek's first grand slam in WBC history.' His friends are telling him ... 'Don't give it to him. Sell it in Boston.'

"He was a baseball fan. He knew it would be important to Jason, and Jason got the ball and traded a bat for the ball. The fan was thrilled.

"The fan goes to his regular barber [who happens to be a friend of mine] the next day and he walks into the shop and shows him the bat ... and the barber says ‘This is great, do you want to meet Team USA's manager, Buck Martinez?’

“He said, ‘What are you guys talking about?’ He [the barber] said, ‘I'm having dinner with him tonight.’

“The fan came to dinner with us last night [Thursday]. He got his jersey and ball signed."

While Martinez had dinner with the fan, Varitek never got to meet him.

"I was getting treatment in the training room [after the game] and the security guard came to ask me if I wanted the ball. He just wanted a signed ball from me in exchange, so I gave him a bat and a ball and I got the ball."

Varitek said "it was much appreciated."

"I don't go out my way to get them [mementos] but I appreciate them when they're offered like that. I got my first one [grand slam] last year so that was nice."

Sox and Phillies, supposed to be underway at 1, are intending to start playing at 3. The Phillies, who train about two hours north in Clearwater, apparently got stuck on the wrong side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge because of an oil spill. They just stepped onto the field to stretch.

A couple of interesting items from the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix:

John Flaherty, the presumed frontrunner to win the job as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher, retired today.

Flaherty, in a statement, said, "It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my retirement from Major League Baseball today ... I am grateful to Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington for giving me the opportunity to play on a world class team and my appreciation is not diminished because of the judgment call I am making today ... I started my career with the Red Sox and proceeded to live out my boyhood dreams. Thank you to all of my teammates, coaches, managers and fans for making the ride so much fun."

Theo Epstein’s statement on Flaherty:

“John is a true professional and class act with much to be proud of during his distinguished career. We’ll miss his presence and contributions, but we respect and support his decision. We’re proud that John began and ended his career in a Red Sox uniform, and we wish him the best wherever life leads him.”

The 38-year-old Flaherty was competing with Josh Bard and Ken Huckaby for the backup spot and to become knuckleballer Tim Wakefield's primary catcher. Jason Varitek is the starter.

Flaherty, who signed last December as a free agent after three seasons with the New York Yankees, did not give a reason for his decision.

Material provided by the Associated Press and the Red Sox was used in this report.

Kevin Millar's here, batting fifth and DHing for the Orioles. He made the expected rounds, hugging his ex teammates, no one longer than Manny Ramirez. Ramirez, by the way, is DHing for the Sox today. He's expected to get two at-bats ... Curt Schilling didn't want to tip off the O's off on his stuff, so he's throwing in a minor-league game at noon. Matt Clement will oppose him. The game doesn't sound too organized -- it's not a real game, just a bunch of players pulled together -- and there's no umpire.

Checking in from Phoenix at the World Baseball Classic. Johnny Damon was entertaining as usual.

Surrounded by reporters from New York, Boston and West Coast, he was asked again about the failed negotiations with the Sox and said he felt "disrespected."

"Absolutely, without a doubt," Damon said during batting practice of a Team USA workout yesterday. "They had three months to get something together after the season though. But they didn't. They stuck to their plan."

Asked about whether he felt he would be booed, "I'm going to hear from some fans and there are other fans who are very educated who have an idea of how things went down and how the Red Sox flat out disrespected me," Damon said. "I'm going to go out and do my thing so I'm not going to worry too much about that. All I can say it I gave it my all for four years. If it wasn't good enough I can't concern myself with that."

Manager Buck Martinez announced tomorrow's USA lineup vs. Mexico:

1. Johnny Damon -- LF
2. Derek Jeter -- SS
3. Ken Griffey -- CF
4. Alex Rodriguez -- 3B
5. Mark Teixeira -- DH
6. Derrek Lee -- 1B
7. Brian Schneider --C
8. Randy Winn -- RF
9. Chase Utley -- 2B

Josh Beckett is on the hill, in his Sox debut, in the third inning. He's throwing gas, and appears to be focusing predominantly on his fastball (of his 22 pitches through two innings, 19 were fastballs). But, Tampa Bay's hitters are sitting on it. Julio Lugo, the guy the Sox considered trading for before they signed Alex Gonzalez, took Beckett out of the park to lead off the game. And Jonny Gomes hit a towering solo shot later in the inning. Beckett has given up three more runs in the third. Rays 5, Sox 0.

David Wells just met with reporters and said he's rescinded his trade request. He told Theo Epstein, he said, the day before, and that Theo responded with a smile from ear to ear.

Wells said he was healthy and would be ready to pitch in about eight days.

More laytah

Curt Schilling was thrilled with his outing against BC today: four innings, one hit, no walks, three strikeouts.

"If I thought about how I felt last year in my best start and ranked it, today was in a different stratosphere from a physical standpoint as far as how I felt compared to any time, at any point last year," said Schilling after the game.

"The two big things that come out of this game today for me that I wanted from an approach standpoint were how I felt and my velocity. I thought when I wanted to cut loose it was every bit the same way I used to cut loose in spring training in my first couple of starts."

Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez pulled out of the World Baseball Classic today, and is on his way back to the Red Sox from the Venezuelan camp in Clearwater, Fla.

Gonzalez, who starred for Venezuela in the Caribbean World Series a few weeks ago, was slated to play for his home country in the WBC as well. The Red Sox don’t have any details as to why Gonzalez chose to pull out, but the prevailing thought is that it was because he wouldn’t get enough playing time. Carlos Guillen and Omar Vizquel are also on the Venezuelan team.

Gonzalez, who is expected to be the Red Sox starting shortstop, spent the winter playing the role of hero for Venezuela in the Caribbean World Series, where he hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning to win one game, and drove in the tying run and scored the winning run in the championship game vs. the Dominican Republic. He hit .409 in the series, this coming after he recovered from elbow surgery that cut short his season with the Florida Marlins.

Gonzalez is the second member of the Red Sox to pull out of the WBC since spring training began. Manny Ramirez did so as well.

Curt Schilling made a successful spring training debut today against Boston College at City of Palms Park, throwing 35 pitches over four scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and left with a 2-0 lead.

Schilling retired the first 10 hitters he faced before allowing Jett Ruiz's first-pitch single to left field, just out of the reach of Sox shortstop Alejandro Machado. He got out of the fourth inning when BC shortstop Jared McGuire of Harwich hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

Schilling, who threw mostly fastballs but mixed in a few curves and splitters, posted three strikeouts (he fanned the first two batters he faced). The Eagles were swinging early in his counts, which forced Schilling to go a fourth inning to get his pitch count up to the desired 30-35 pitches. He had thrown 23 pitches through three innings.

The Sox got a couple of runs in the third, one on a pop double by center fielder Willie Harrris, scoring Brandon Moss, who had singled with one out. Harris came around on Mark Loretta's double off the left field wall (hit off BC sophomore lefty Nick Napolitano). Moss also knocked in two runs in the fourth with a single.

Today’s pregame news from the Fort (the Sox take on BC at 1 p.m. and Northeastern at 7 p.m.):

Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, who was hit by a line drive about an inch outside his left ankle last night, said this morning that the area felt fine.

"It's unbelievable how good it came out,” Papelbon said. “I have a bruise the size of a dime. I should probably be able to run tomorrow. The good Lord above must have been watching."

Papelbon saw Dr. Thomas Gill this morning, but the injury wasn’t serious enough to warrant an X-ray. Papelbon said he has full motion in the ankle, and that there was no swelling.

He added that the ankle felt a little stiff when he woke up, but said "it's been loosening up more and more. It came out 10 times better than I expected."

The Sox held a 90-minute workout at City of Palms Park this morning. Most of the players who were leaving for the World Baseball Classic camps as well as those not playing tonight against the Twins at Lee County Stadium were on hand. A few news and notes ...

David Wells threw his first bullpen session of the season today. He said he threw for about eight minutes, and that his surgically repaired right knee felt fine.

Wells has avoided all media interviews, but he did answer a few brief questions.

Asked whether he'll be set back to start the season, Wells said, "I don't think so. If I keep going at this pace, it'll be day to day."

He said the big thing was to see how the knee responded tomorrow.

When WBZ's Jon Miller asked whether Wells was still seeking a trade, Wells said, "That's it guys, I'm done. You asked the wrong question. It's not your fault. You didn't know, but I'm done."

Keith Foulke also threw off a bullpen mound after spending a few days throwing off flat ground. Foulke has been taking a lubricant injection in both knees to help the healing process along.

Josh Beckett threw a pair of very strong innings in a simulated game on Field 1. He drew rave reviews from coaches and hitters.

After Manny met with the media today, agent Greg Genske took his turn. What follows are some of his comments:

"I think today Manny is just focussing on being a Red Sox, being here, getting ready and helping the Red Sox win.

Will Manny be here for the season?

GG: "That I don't know. That's something I think you'd have to discuss more with Theo. If the answer was 'Manny you're not going to be traded, you're here to stay, would Manny want to stay in Boston?'"

GG: "Manny is getting ready to play for the Boston Red Sox. That's why he's here. Now there are rumors and speculation out there ... I think it's premature to speculate what's going to happen now. Manny was asked whether he was happy and he answered 'I'm here.' That could also be interpreted as he's not happy."

GG: "All I can do is go by my conversations with him and what I see in Manny. When I see him play baseball, that makes him happy. When I see him in the clubhouse and embrace his teammates, I see that as making him happy. From my perspective, I think he's happy."

Has he undergone any change of heart about Boston after the season, when he apparently told some people he wasn't expected to be back?

GG: "That's viewing it as one-sided. There's been a lot of speculation about Manny leaving the Red Sox. From being put on waivers many years back, pursuing a trade with the Mets. I don't know if there was necessarily something about Manny that had to be transformed in order for him to show up in spring training happy and ready to play."

Will Manny live in the city?

GG: "I'm not sure if his penthouse sold or not."

Anything new with his contract?

GG: "Right now we're going to take it a year at a time. It's 2006. We're not too worried about what's going to happen next season. He's just worried about getting ready this year."

Do you think you'll be answering these questions every week -- is Manny happy? Does he want to leave?

GG: "You guys can ask as many questions as you want, as long as you have reasonable grounds for asking those questions, we're happy to answer it. Will we have to go through this exercise during the course of the season? It's not worth speculating."

Would Manny waive his 10-5 rights?

GG: "I've represented other players with 10-5 rights and players with no trade provisions in their contracts, but I can tell you you can have the right to veto a trade but it's actually another thing to actually exercise that right. If there's a situation where a club is trying to trade you and they want you to move on, it's diffiuclt to say no."

Would Manny accept a deal?

GG: "If there's a deal on the table would he accept it, would he not accept it, I don't know. All I can say is we'd be open to anything."

(Genske later said no trade proposal has ever been presented to Ramirez by the Red Sox).

Jonathan Papelbon is still on tap to pitch tomorrow night's exhibition opener against the Twins. The other pitchers Terry Francona intends to take with him are: Rudy Seanez, David Riske, Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen (all roster pitchers).

Francona will also take nonroster lefties Craig Breslow, Mike Bumatay, and Mike Holtz.

The guys who don't play tomorrow will work out at City of Palms Park at 9:30 a.m. That presumably includes Manny Ramirez.

Manny Ramirez arrived at Red Sox camp in Fort Myers at 9:01 a.m. this morning, wearing a No. 81 Oakland Raiders jersey (Tim Brown) and deflecting questions about his tardiness and the trade rumors that surrounded him all winter.

"My main focus is baseball right now and trying to help this team win," said Ramirez, who spoke with a group of reporters shortly after his arrival. "Let me get this straight, I don't want no questions about the trade rumors. ... You guys want to talk about baseball or whatever, you know I'm open to talk."

A new-look Manny Ramirez is greeted by Enrique Wilson today after arriving in Fort Myers. (Globe Staff Photo / Barry Chin)

One reporter asked him if he was happy to still be playing for the Red Sox, and he responded: "I'm here. I'm here."

"I don't live in the past, I live in the present and that's it," he said. "This is a new year ... people want me to come back. People want me here so we're just gonna move on. I'm just gonna come, do my job. I get paid to play baseball. That's [why] I'm here. That's it. What else can I say?"

Though he wouldn't elaborate on his feelings about not being traded, he did offer his thoughts on Boston.

"I ain't got no problem in Boston, I especially like the attention," Ramirez said. "I know that I'm one of the top guys in this game and all the attention is on me, I got a lot of people on my shoulder but I'm human. I like to go. I like to have fun. I like to do this and that but I gotta represent Boston and the Red Sox in every way that I do outside this game. ... Like I said I get paid to play baseball no [matter] where I go to play I still gotta go and perform even if I like it or not."

His agent, Greg Genske, offered his take on the level of Manny's contentment in Boston.

"All I can do is go by my conversations with him and what I see in Manny," Genske said. "When I see him play baseball, that makes him happy. When I see him in the clubhouse and embrace his teammates, I see that as making him happy. From my perspective, I think he's happy."

Does Manny think the trade winds will blow again anytime soon? Or does he see himself finishing out his current contract in Boston?

"I guess if you guys want to talk about that my agent is right there and he'll be glad to answer that question but I also want to get another thing straight," he said. "I got a beautiful career going on and I'm not gonna let little things like this mess [up] all the things that I accomplished because I think when I finish my career I'm gonna be a special player and I'm not gonna let nobody stop that and that's me. I got a goal for myself and I'm now gonna accomplish that."

According to a Red Sox official, Ramirez had his physical this morning and worked out today with the team.

Ramirez told reporters he was in the best shape of his life, and, let me tell you, he looks it. He spoke today about the workout regimen that kept him at home an extra week.

“You know a lot of agility work, a lot of balance,” he said. “Trying to get my hamstring back again. [I] was doing the same thing that I do every year.”

The Red Sox announced last week that Ramirez would report today, but until he actually arrived no one knew for sure when he'd show up.

Ramirez, who showed up with a group of representatives that included agents Gene Mato and Greg Genske, confirmed that he was not playing in the World Baseball Classic.

"I'm not ready, so I'm not going to go out there and make a fool of myself," he said.

"Oh yeah you know I'm back, I guess people want me to come back and my main focus is baseball right now and trying to help this team win and let me get this straight, I don't want no questions about the trade rumors about the winter this and that. You guys want to talk about baseball or whatever, you know I'm open to talk. We could talk all day."

"I'm here. I don't live in the past, I live in the present and that's it. This (is) a new year, I'm here. People want me to come back. People want me here so we're just gonna move on. I'm just gonna come, do my job, I get paid to play baseball. That's (why) I'm here. That's it. What else can I say?"