Curt to play catch

Curt Schilling confirmed to the Globe a few minutes ago that he will pick up a ball for the first time this season tomorrow, as he begins to play catch in his attempt to come back from the shoulder injuries that have so far derailed his season.

Schilling couldn't quite hide his smile, saying, "Little Christmasy feel to it."

The pitcher had said on Friday that he hoped to be able to start throwing within a week to 10 days. Clearly the day came a bit sooner than expected, which means that Schilling passed all the benchmarks set for him by the training staff, especially assistant trainer Mike Reinold.

There is not yet any timetable for Schilling's return, which remains far in the future, though Schilling said on Friday that he expects to pitch again for the Red Sox this season.