01:00 AM EST on Sunday, March 28, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- If Curt Schilling had his way, he would fast-forward himself right to April 6 and be ready for his first regular-season start. Enough of this Grapefruit League stuff -- let the real games begin.

Schilling pronounced himself ready to go after overpowering the Philadelphia Phillies through 6 1/3 innings yesterday, striking out 10 while walking one, giving up five hits and two runs in a 7-2 Sox win.

"I'm ready," announced Schilling. "I'm physically ready to start. I want my first (regular-season) start to be like my 15th as far as there being no concern about my pitch count. Today, I felt as strong in the seventh as I did in the first."

Schilling will go again Thursday against the Twins, but his workload will be scaled back considerably in that outing.

"That's a tune-up," Schilling said. "I'm ready -- that's what (yesterday's) start is for. If my next start was a real game, I'd be ready to go."

"I believe that -- that's nice to hear," said manager Terry Francona.

Schilling was particularly happy with his changeup, which he has tried to master this spring. His velocity is also better than usual at this time of year, as evidenced by his 21 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings of work.

Mendoza shines

Ramiro Mendoza's second spring outing was even more impressive than his first. He got two quick groundouts on two pitches after relieving Schilling in the seventh.

After two quick outs in the eighth, he walked Jim Thome before striking out Pat Burrell.

"Today was really encouraging," said Francona of Mendoza, who missed more than a month with an abdominal pull.

The Sox would like Mendoza to pitch again tomorrow and would like to have him pitch on consecutive days sometime this week to build up his arm strength.

There's no guarantee at this point, but it seems likely that Mendoza will be able to open the year on the major league roster.

Around the horn

David Ortiz smoked two more doubles, giving him 11 extra-base hits this spring. . . . The Sox have had 10 or more hits in five straight games after reaching double figures only five times in their first 18 games. . . . Derek Lowe makes his final Florida start today in Jupiter against the world champion Florida Marlins. . . . Third baseman Bill Mueller was out of the lineup again as a precaution, still experiencing some pain in his right elbow. Gabe Kapler once again filled in ably at third. . . . Pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim (shoulder) is progressing, having thrown long toss from a distance of 150 feet. The plan is for him to pitch off a mound Thursday. . . . Terry Shumpert (strained hamstring) could return to game action tomorrow when the Sox host Baltimore.