A few things....

FORT MYERS, Fla - In what has been an eventful day here a few others bits of news and notes:

* The team, staff and media are boarding the buses that will take them on their charter flight. "I never thought I'd spend the last day here involved in something like this," said Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. "But it's over and in the end the right thing was done."

Schilling was referring to the fact that the Red Sox were underwriting about $600,000 so coaches and staff could be paid a minimum $40,000. During negitiations yesterday the players got MLB to take the funds out of their final receipt. The Sox will undwrwite and then get partial reinbursement from MLB and the Players' Association.

*Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched six innings, allowed three hits, one run, one walk and one homer, struck out eight against Triple-A Rochester. He threw 78 pitches, 50 for strikes and will join the Sox charter for Japan where he will the opening day starter. He did not speak to American or Japanese reporters afterward. Nor did lefty Hideki Okajima.

* Kevin Youkilis, who stroked a three-run homer yesterday, admitted today "the reason there was a problem is because the coaches aren't backed by the Players' Association. This could have been resolved Day 1 of spring training. So they don't have anyone negotiating foer them other than what we tried to do today. Players Association and Major League baseball and the Red sox talked it over and resolved it. They did a great job."

"Communication is the key and we just need better communication next time," said Youkilis, who indicated this experience would not disuade him from doing this again. "A lot of players don't know what goes on behind the scenes. We have some guys here who really care and get involved. One thing we need to teach these young guys is to get involved and understand."

*The Blue Jays won the game, 4-3,