01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, February 24, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Left-hander Alan Embree is much more relaxed this spring now that Keith Foulke has been signed to fill the closer's role.

A year ago, the Red Sox were experimenting with their revolutionary "closer by committee" philosophy. There was no one anointed go-to guy in the ninth with a save situation on the line.

The relievers would be used situationally, whenever the game was most on the line, be it the seventh inning or the ninth.

That's what the relievers were told. But what Embree was hearing was that he had a chance to claim the closer's role for himself. He had never been a closer in his eight previous big-league seasons, notching only three career saves, two of which came for Boston in 2002.

Embree, though, wound up getting hurt trying too hard to impress. His shoulder was sore, ultimately landing him on the disabled list early in the season.

"I should have known better. I wanted to be the guy," Embree said the other day prior to a workout at the Sox' minor-league facility. "My body wasn't ready to go out there 100 percent. It was a mistake on my part. I didn't prepare myself right. I shouldn't have let that happen. I failed myself and I looked like an idiot in the process."

These days, Embree is happily part of the set-up committee.

"The addition of Foulke has taken the pressure off me," he said.

Embree went 4-1 with one save and a 4.25 earned-run average last season. In the playoffs, he was unscored upon in eight appearances, totaling 4 2/3 innings.

Slow and easy

Manager Terry Francona held out Foulke from the fielding drills yesterday.

Foulke suffered a strained left calf during a drill on Sunday. The right-hander did stretch and play catch on the field, but he spent the rest of the morning working on his conditioning in the training room, riding the stationary bike and running on the treadmill.

Francona didn't seem concerned that his closer would miss meaningful time.

"Foulkie is one of the last to get on the mound anyway. That's what he prefers. This is not a setback," said Francona, who got to know Foulke last year in Oakland, where Francona was the bench coach and Foulke was tying for the league lead in saves.

"He got ready last year, in his opinion, too quick," said Francona. "He only needs eight innings this spring to get ready."

Ortiz an early arrival

David Ortiz arrived in camp a few days early and did some hitting, along with other early arrivals Brian Daubach , Tony Womack , Kevin Youkilis and Terry Shumpert. Ortiz also got in some early work as spokesman for his friend, Manny Ramirez, even though he said he had heard from Ramirez only once during the offseason.

Ramirez, of course, was placed on waivers and went unclaimed in the offseason. The Sox also were eager to ship him to Texas in an ill-fated deal for Alex Rodriguez.

So how will Manny react when he arrives?

"Who knows?" said Ortiz. "I hope everything's fine with him. He's a great player. I think he will be here working like everyone else and will do what he can do. It's got to play out. He's a pro. He'll come back ready to play."

Catch as catchers can

Tim Wakefield threw his second bullpen session of the spring. And he did it with his second catcher of the spring.

Doug Mirabelli, who caught Wakefield in his regular-season starts in 2003, worked with him on Saturday. But yesterday, Jason Varitek was behind the plate for Wakefield's knuckleballs.

Francona said he hadn't asked that Varitek catch Wakefield yesterday, but that the catchers just switched themselves. Francona said that though he was aware the Wakefield-Mirabelli combination worked well last year, he hadn't decided if the exclusive pairing will continue this season.

Schilling impresses

Francona was pleased by what he saw from Curt Schilling in his second spring session.

"I thought Schill put on a clinic," said Francona. "He didn't make the catcher move too much. He was crisp with everything."

Martinez due today

Pedro Martinez is expected to be in camp today for his first workout.

Francona wasn't concerned that Martinez had missed a couple of days while attending to a family medical matter.

"Pedro's got a pretty good history of being a pretty good pitcher. I think he'll be ready to go," said Francona.

Here and there

Lenny DiNardo (shoulder) was held back from throwing . . . Jerome Gamble did his throwing but was held out of the fielding drills because of a tight calf muscle . . . The everyday players are supposed to report today. The first full-squad workout is slated for tomorrow.