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Today's photos from Fort Myers

Journal photos / Bob Breidenbach
Principal owner John Henry

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia

Pitcher Clay Buchholz

Catcher Jason Varitek

Pitcher Davern Hansack

A fan holds two autographed balls

John Henry signs some autographs

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia signs autographs

Autograph seekers

Infielder Jed Lowrie

Pitchers and catchers doing drills

Pitcher Hideki Okajima

Pedroia talks to a former Sox second baseman, Luis Alicea

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:49 PM | Permalink

Gagne apologizes to new teammates

MARYVILLE, Ariz. (AP) - Eric Gagne, identified as a user of illegal drugs in the Mitchell Report, apologized Monday to his new Milwaukee Brewers teammates for "a distraction that shouldn't be taking place."

Gagne also said he feels "bad" for what his family and friends went through in the offseason, and lauded baseball for its efforts to clean the game up from performance-enchancing drugs.

However, the 32-year-old closer, declined to answer questions, never addressed the specific accusations against him and only acknowledged the Mitchell Report once, in a separate statement in French to three visiting Canadian media outlets.

According to the Mitchell Report, steroids dealer Kirk Radomski told former senator George Mitchell he mailed two shipments of HGH directly to Gagne in 2004. According to the report, receipts of FedEx and USPS shipments indicate Radomski received at least one payment from Gagne and two from then Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Paul Lo Duca on Gagne's behalf.

Gagne declined to meet with Mitchell prior to the release of the report and refused to address it with the media until Monday.

"Since 2004, major league baseball has done everything in their power to clean up the game and I think they've done a great job," Gagne said before his first workout with the Brewers. "Right now I just want to go forward. I think major league baseball is ready to go forward and, hopefully, all the fans are ready to do that."

That remains to be seen a week after Congress spent four hours questioning Roger Clemens, one of the prominent stars listed along with Gagne in former Mitchell's Dec. 13 report to baseball on steroid use.

After a poor second half with the Boston Red Sox last season, Gagne signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Brewers three days after the Mitchell Report was announced.

"I'm here to let you know I feel bad for my family, what they had to go through, and all my friends, especially my teammates here with Milwaukee," Gagne said a statement. "That's a distraction that shouldn't be taking place. I'm just here to help the Milwaukee Brewers get to the World Series and playoffs, and that's all I really care about."

Veteran starter Jeff Suppan, whose locker in spring training is next to Gagne, said he didn't believe Gagne would create a distraction.

"Baseball is moving in the right direction. We have a good drug-testing policy. We're moving forward. But this report, people have to answer some questions," Suppan said.

Added third baseman Bill Hall: "Obviously, everybody wants to know the truth, but once you get the truth, stop digging."

Gagne's statement Monday closed the issue with manager Ned Yost.

"We're done with it," he said. We'll move on. It's not a distraction."

Gagne, the 2003 Cy Young winner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, joins the Brewers after struggling with the World Series champion Red Sox following a trade from the Texas Rangers July 31. As a setup man for closer Jonathan Papelbon, Gagne had a 9.00 earned run average with three blown saves and an opponent batting average of .350 in his first 15 appearances.

He was on the Red Sox playoff roster but was only used in one-sided games.

The Brewers signed him to replace closer Francisco Cordero, who bolted for division rival Cincinnati with the franchise record for saves.

"You have to understand the psyche of a closing pitcher," said Yost. "They are creatures of their routine and he was totally thrown out of his routine when he went to Boston. We feel he'll be a big pickup.

"We're a young team and it's of the utmost important that you have a solid closer. There is nothing more demoralizing than losing games late."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:21 PM | Permalink

Schilling Speaks

by SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- If Curt Schilling had his way, he would have already undergone surgery to repair the damage in his right biceps and aiming toward a mid-season return.
But Schilling lost his tug-of-war with Red Sox management and is left to hope that the team's more conservative approach -- relying on rest and rehabilitation -- will ebable him to pitch again sometime in this, his final season.
``This is where we are,'' said Schilling, speaking to small a group of reporters. ``At the end of the day, I signed a contract with this team so I have to abide by the rule of the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) and one of the rules is, from a medical standpoint, they're allowed to dictate how and when things are supposed to happen.
``I have to (follow the Sox direction); I don't have any choice. If their course of action doesn't work, I don't pitch this year and I may never pitch again. I don't have a choice. I have to just mentally get behind it and do everything I can do to make it work. It certainly isn't the best spot to be in. When you hear `five and 10 percent' (chance of returning) and `never pitch again,' and those things, I'm disappointed that after 21 years my career might end like this. But it is what it is.''
Schilling's shoulder and biceps injuries date back to last summer, when he missed seven weeks with shoulder weakness. He needed a cortisone shot in October to be able to keep pitching in the post-season, but felt that off-season strengthening would correct the problem.
It didn't, even after he took a longer-than-usual period of rest after the post-season.
``They had a shoulder program outlined that I started to do,'' said Schilling ``I noticed that a couple of weeks into it there were some exercises I was having difficulty doing, so the strengthening part of the program wasn't as complete as it might have been if I was feeling great. I just dismissed that to being 41 and having some mileage. But when I went out to throw in mid-December, it felt like it was August again. It didn't hurt, but it felt crappy. I just told myself that I would give it a couple more weeks and get it stronger.
``But I went out in early January and felt the same and not long after that I had a throwing session where I just couldn't play catch. When I went home that night, it was painful just laying around. It was aching. I knew that was not a good thing, so I immediately reached out (to the club).''
Angered that some have suggested he duped the Sox into giving him a one-year, $8 mililon deal last fall, Schilling maintained that he operated in good faith with the club.
``Let me be clear -- if some people want to believe this was me taking advantage of the situation financially,'' he said, ``I wouldn't have done it here. I would have done it in at least two other places for $14 million if I was going to sit by (butt) on the DL and collect a paycheck. People are going to believe what they believe. I was heatlhy at the time.
``I went through the physical and I had an MRI at the time as well. I did everything they asked, passed every test they asked me to take and I felt fine.''
While his fellow pitchers go through throwing drills and prepare for the start of the season, Schilling's days are different. He reports to the complex as early as 6 AM and does his rehab work for a few hours before leaving for the day.
It's not what he would prefer to be doing, but for now, it's all he can do.
``The best scenario for me,'' he said, ``is this works in short order, we're allowed to get after it and build up strength, I can get to throwing soon and get out there. I haven't really thought past this first stage of rehab, but I would love to be back by the All-Star break, or before the All-Star break -- as quickly as I can.''
But Schilling also hinted that eventually, he'll be proven correct.
``I think if it's what I believe it to be,'' he said, ``it won't take a long time to get to othat place where we realize this (approach) is probably not going to work. It's going to (be shown) with pushing harder physically, which we're not doing right now.''
He continued to laud Dr. Craig Morgan, his Deleware-based orthopedist who has performed two shoulder surgeries on Schilling.
``He was right at every turn,'' said Schilling. ``He's been cutting -edge forever. The shoulder is what he does. So I've always trusted him and his work. (The doctors) disagreed.''
When Schilling re-signed last November, it was with the intension that he would pitch for one more season with a chance to win a fourth title in his final year. Now, everything is uncertain.
``It's not alwasy fair and it doesn't always work out the way I want it to,'' he said. ``I'm going to make the best of every situation I'm put in. I don't want to be a distraction.''
Eventually, Schilling added, he will need surgery on his biceps ``no matter what..if I want to live a pain-free, normal life.''
For now, now, Schilling can't throw a baseball in February. And that's abnormal enough.

Posted by Sean McAdam  at 2:07 PM | Permalink

Multimedia: More sights and sounds from spring training

Today's file, which was recorded over the weekend in Fort Myers, captures the hubbub as the players march out for workouts, and as they sign autographs for fans. Click the play botton below to see and hear the show.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 1:12 PM to Sights and sounds of spring training | Permalink

Schilling breaks silence

As he left the minor league complex this morning, Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling spoke to a handful of reporters, his first public remarks since news that he and the team were at odds on the proper course of treatment for his arm injuries.

Schilling's specialist, Dr. Craig Morgan of Wilmington, Del., has recommended surgery and believes without it, Schilling won't be able to pitch again. Red Sox staff doctors, however, say that with rest and rehab, he could be back by mid-season.

``At the end of the day,'' said Schilling, ``this is not something I can control...It wasn't my decision to make.''

Asked if be believed the prescribed program will eventually succeed in getting him back on the mound, Schilling said: ``I have to -- I don't have any choice. If this course of action doesn't work, I won't pitch again this year.

``It's certainly not the best spot to be in. I'm disappointed that after 21 years, my career may end this way. The best-case scenario is that this works in short order and I can get back to throwing.''

If his rehab takes most of the year, or surgery is ultimately the only course of option, Schilling, who had inteneded to retire after this season, was asked if we be open to returning in 2009.

``I haven't even thought about it,'' he said.

More -- much more -- from Schilling soon.

-- SEAN McADAM

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:41 AM | Permalink