Spring Training: Reese relishes second chance

And still, he'll have a genuine laugh at every rapid-fire suggestion that, by simply showing up, his second stint with the Red Sox has already been more productive than the first.

"Yeah, man, it was two days," laughed Reese, who walked as a free-agent less than 48 hours after Boston acquired the second baseman in a December 2001 trade with Colorado.

"I talked to (former Red Sox manager Joe) Kerrigan and he was saying how much he wanted me to be their second baseman," said Reese, who eventually signed with Pittsburgh. "Then the next day I was shipped off. I didn't even get a hat. But it all came full circle. Now I'm back, and hopefully to be part of a world championship team here."

Former Sox GM Dan Duquette's decision not to offer Reese — a two-time Gold Glove winner in Cincinnati — a 2002 contract that would have made him arbitration-eligible ultimately opened a two-year revolving door at second. It was filled primarily with utility infielders like Rey Sanchez, Carlos Baerga nad Lou Merloni that may have been competent defensively, but scarcely produced at the plate.

Enter Todd Walker, who like most of the 2003 lineup that scored 961 runs and set a league record for slugging percentage (.491), had a career year, finishing at .283 with 13 homers and 85 RBI.

Walker's record five post-season home runs helped to somewhat conceal those 16 regular-season errors, but for a team with clearly no trouble producing runs, the heartbreaking ALCS loss to the Yankees convinced the Boston front office to sacrifice scoring to fill more pressing needs like pitching and defense.

"We just needed an impact defensive player who could really help our groundball pitchers out," said Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. "We gave up a lot of hits through the right side of the infield and Pokey should be worth the trade off."

Reese played in just 37 games last season after he tore a ligament in his left thumb, becoming a free agent when the Pirates declined to exercise a team option for 2004. He signed a one-year, $1 million deal with Boston on Dec. 23, and after two years of waiting, put on his first navy and red cap this week when he re ported to spring camp at the team's minor league complex.

"(Last year) was very disappointing," said Reese. "You want to be out there trying to help the team in any way possible, and you can't help by being in the trainer's room. But that's behind me. I'm healthy and my thumb's fine, so I'm just ready to be part of the team here."

If Reese, who rebounded from a similar injury in '99 to hit .285 with 10 HR and 52 RBI, can approach those numbers this season, it will be a bonus for the Sox.

Reese also has some speed on the bases, having stolen more than 40 in a season twice in his career, but don't expect the sabermetrically-savvy Red Sox to surrender too many outs on the base paths.

Regardless, it's Reese's range on the right side that has most of his teammates anxious to start the exhibition season.

"He's one of the best second basemen I've ever played with," said reliever Scott Williamson, a teammate for three years in Cincinnati. "As a pitcher, to have him and Nomar up the middle, I don't think there's a better duo in the game. Off the field, he's a great guy and a lot of fun in the clubhouse. I think that this will probably be his best year, and he just gives 110 percent, every day."

Reese and Garciaparra are just starting to get to know each other on the field, having practiced for the first time together at the team's first full-squad workout Thursday. The two spent more than a half-hour working on double-play relays with third baseman Bill Mueller and first baseman Kevin Millar Friday morning, and already the all-star shortstop is optimistic that Reese's arrival could finally signal some stability to his left.

"I've had 20 second basemen, I'm starting to get a complex," laughed Garciaparra. "You know, with him playing in the other league, I've only really seen him when we played each other in spring, but I know he's a great player, and I'm excited to just start working with him and getting acclimated to one another.

Pokey's great defensively, but he can be a great offensive threat as well. (This team) breeds hitting, and it's kind of contagious, so I know we'll all just feed off each other."